Your dogs diet

Your dogs diet has a huge impact on their health and happiness. Every year vets across the country see lots of overweight dogs that develop other conditions because of their size. Being overweight is harmful for your dog.Prevention is better than cure, so along with the right exercise, a good diet can go a long way to helping your dog stay in the best shape. The wrong diet can lead to obesity and life-long health issues. When it comes to feeding your dog, there are thousands of different dog foods out there, but how do you find the right one? Here are some of the things you should look out for when picking your dog a new food:

It is important to buy a dog food that states ‘complete’ on the packaging. This means that is has all the recommended nutrients that your dog will need.

Also make sure that the dog food is designed for your pets life stage eg puppy food, adult food or senior food. If your pet has any extra requirements then make sure their food is suitable.

If you’re really not sure, then Veterinary staff will have a good idea of which brands are well established, high-quality and do the right checks, so ask your vet for a recommendation.

How much should I feed my dog?

The amount of food a dog needs depends on the breed, age, health and lifestyle. When buying a new dog food, look on the packaging and there should be guidelines which gives you a starting point and remember to always weigh out your dogs food.

How often should I feed my dog?

The majority of dog owners feed their dogs twice a day. Smaller dogs and dogs with active lifestyles can benefit from being fed twice a day in order to keep energy levels up and regulate glucose levels. However, dogs who have difficulty absorbing nutrients or difficulty maintaining weight may benefit from bed fed several small meals per day. Remember to talk to your vet if you are unsure in any way. Free feeding is when owners will leave food out for their dog to have whenever they like and this means the dog can eat as much as they like too. This could be suitable for dogs with extremely active lifestyles or dogs who struggle to maintain a healthy weight. It is not recommended for puppies as they will probably eat more than they need and develop obesity.

Changing your dogs diet
If you do need to alter/change your dogs diet at any point, then remember to do this slowly and gradually. Sudden changes in food can cause stomach upsets for your dog.

Can I feed my dog scraps?

Human food isn’t always good for dogs as they aren’t allowed quite a lot of our food. Grapes and chocolate are poisonous to dogs, as well as lots of different human food.
Dogs who get scraps from the table may refuse to eat their normal food without them.
Feeding your dog scraps can unbalance their regular diet which means they can get overweight.
Your dog may begin to misbehave during your meal time as they expect to be given scraps.
Fatty foods can cause stomach upsets which can be as painful as pancreatitis.
Human food contain lots of extra calories for our pets. To a medium-sized dog, eating one fried egg is like a person eating two ring doughnuts.

So, what’s the best food out there? When it comes to healthy dog food, you need to choose ingredients that are fresh and organic without the additives, synthetic minerals or chemicals found in processed commercial kibble. Food from Exe Valley Pet Food is the one for your dog!