When you own a dog, you want to do everything that you can to look after its health and well-being in the most effective way possible. A big part of this starts with what actually goes into the body of your four-legged friend. So, their diet needs to be firmly at the forefront of your mind. Are you looking for a few ways that you can improve your dog’s diet? Well, you have certainly come to the right place!
Keep it Balanced
Just as it is vitally important that you keep your own diet balanced, this is also true of your dog’s diet as well. Essentially, this means that they get the right combination of vitamins and minerals into their body regularly. So, when you are buying pet food, you should learn to read the back of the label and match the ingredients and nutritional promises with what your canine companion actually requires.
Make sure that you buy from a reputable pet food brand and do your research beforehand. If you are going to be buying anything from an online vendor, you need to be particularly careful as there are some fraudsters out there who are going to sell you dog food that is not of the highest quality.
Also, if you are planning on feeding your dog a raw food diet, it is even more important that you get the balance right. Consult with a professional pet nutritionist if you need any more help and assistance in this area. They will know what is good and isn’t for your dog.
Tailor the Food to Your Dog
Dogs can vary in shape and size, and a lot of this comes down to their individual breed. This factor plays a highly important part in deciding what you should offer to your furry friend. Different breeds obviously have different nutritional guidelines that you need to take into account. At the same time, you need to learn about your own dog.
Every canine companion is going to differ in terms of their activity level, whether they are suffering from any health conditions, their weight, size, etc. All of these factors can end up having an impact on their diet. Your vet can help you to provide additional guidance on the diet that may be right for them. At the same time, it cannot hurt to get more information on dogs in general and what they would traditionally eat in the wild.
Check out www.diamondpet.com to understand what performance scent dogs is and the link it has to nutrition as this can prove to be useful. Ultimately, if you are armed with a whole host of information, this is always going to help you out when it comes to what you are putting in your dog’s body.
Weigh Your Dog and Count Calories
Some people like to count their own calorie intake regularly, but this can also be a useful activity for your furry friend as well. You should get into the habit of weighing your pet regularly. Otherwise, their weight can easily start to creep up over time. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, it is worth reporting your vet’s changes at the earliest possible opportunity.
However, if their weight starts to creep up or down, this may be a sign that you need to adjust what you are feeding them. As well as the amount of exercise that you are providing. Check the number of calories in your dog’s food and limit the number of treats you offer to them. This brings us nicely to the next section of the blog post…
Follow the 10 Percent Rule
What is meant by the 10 percent rule? Essentially, this covers how much you are offering to your dog in terms of treats, table food, supplements, chews, and anything else that is separate from their main diet. Referring back to the point made above, you must include the number of calories that you are offering as part of your overall count.
A big part of all this comes in resisting your furry friend when they give you those ‘puppy dog eyes.’ While this may be extremely challenging to resist, you should remain aware that what you are doing is for their own good, and too many treats are never going to be a good thing for their overall health and well-being.
Give Access to Plenty of Fresh Water
As well as the food that you are giving to your dog, you also need to ensure that they have plenty of access to freshwater regularly. This is particularly important during the summer months of the year when they have been playing for an extended period of time outdoors. You also need to make sure that you bring water with you on a long walk for the times that your furry friend gets a little thirsty along the way.
Introduce Diet Changes Slowly
Dogs often tend to have sensitive stomachs. This is the case for some more than others. This means that if you are going to make any dietary changes, you should do so with a little by little approach firmly in mind. This way, you are not going to be at risk of upsetting the sense of balance that you have built up over the months and years. So, you may want to mix in a new type of kibble with their regular food until they have gotten used to it.
You also need to keep an eye out for any adverse reactions when you are changing up your dog’s diet. If something does not seem right, you should discontinue feeding that particular brand or type of food until you are sure that you are not causing an allergic reaction or something similar.
By using a combination of these different techniques, you can make a big difference to your dog’s diet and their overall health and well-being as well.
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