What is the best way to feed your dog?

What is the best way to feed your dog?

Feeding You Dogs

This seems like a pretty easy task, right? Grab a cup of some of those kibbles and dump them in a bowl or maybe have to open a can and scoop it out. Not too complicated.

That was about all the thought I would put in to it until I started doing a little research on the proper way to feed your dog. Turns out again, I was wrong. If you have one of the coolest dogs on the planet and you want them to be as healthy as possible and live a long happy life, there are a few things you can consider when feeding your dog.

This, as any other topic can be overwhelming if you really dig into it. I have done a lot of that for you and here is my run down to save you time and help you to understand the 5 things you should at least think about.

What Your Dog Wants

Everyone wants their dog to be happy. Are you feeding your dog what they want or what they need? That was the first issue I discovered I was doing wrong. Dogs typically want to eat anything they can. This may not be too good for them. It is up to us to help them intake what they need.

I was feeding my dog dry food. It wasn’t the cheap stuff, had plenty of protein, vitamins, and the right amount of fat. The problem was I was keeping the bowl full. I was thinking if they eat it and need more they must be hungry still. That is not the case. What clued me in on this was when I got more than one dog. That is when I noticed the competition eating. One would try to eat all the food before the other one ate it all. This is when I realized I had to get involved.

Some times when you have multiple pets it helps to feed them separately. The goal in this exercise is to consider just how

much food they are getting. If you have read any of my other blogs, you will notice a trend here. what breed of dog do you have? There are so many different dogs out there I can not be specific to your pet but I can give you this thought process to identify what your dog may need.

Different breeds come in different sizes. Different foods come in different sizes. You see where I am going? Ideally, you can judge the amount of food your dog gets from its size. A Pomeranian will not be able to eat as much as a Bull Mastiff. The one thing to consider is the actual size of their stomach. Once it is full, it is full. That doesn’t mean they will stop eating. This ties in to what I will tell you in a bit about the dog food they eat.

Commercial Dog Food

There is a lot of controversy on commercial dog foods. The process used to make it, chemicals, byproducts, lack of nutrients, the list goes on and on.

I will tell you one thing here to save you from all that hub bub. There are two organizations that regulate and monitor these items for you. The Association of American Feed Control Officers (AAFCO) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). One thing I will ask you look for on what ever food you buy are one of those stamps.

I use Hills Science Diet for my dogs. They have a variety with out chicken which suits the need of my dog with allergies. All three of my dogs love it. We set up auto ship from Chewy. You can do the same and I can get you 30% off on your first auto ship order. There are many places to fulfill your pets needs, I have found Chewy makes it easy to buy pet supplies online. Not the only one I use though.

There are very few unethical manufactures out there that some how make dog food with out meeting these standards. If the dog food you buy has one of these stamps you can at least know that the food meets certain requirements that would include at least the amount of protein vs. fat and limit the type of byproduct. I will mention these again later in the article.

Wet Or Dry

Oh my! Another decision to make for my pooch! Which one is right? What if I am wrong?

Don’t fret, this one is easy. Unless your dog is picky. You can’t go wrong either way. Each of these foods if you are choosing the right product will be made in a way they will get what they need from it. There are only a few things to consider when making this choice.

Dry food is better for there teeth, you know, the ones that were made for crunching stuff. Moist food may get stuck in there gums and harvest bacteria and create some issues with the gums.

Moist food is easier to eat and digest for dogs who have smaller, less durable teeth or a sensitive digestive system. Wet food has a bunch more moisture in it and is good for dogs who just don’t drink enough water.

Again, think of what it is your dog needs. What is better for them at this point?

What I Had Wrong

How much do I feed my dog and how often should I feed my dog? Those are the two questions I didn’t ask in the beginning. I just made sure they were fed. This is pretty common across the board. It is general and depending on if you live in a studio apartment in the city or on a farm in the country will change what they need a bit.

Most commonly one would start with this idea and adjust to how the dog responds. 

6 months or younger will need to eat more often. Typically about 3-4 times per day. Always think of the size of their stomach.

6 months and older will only need to eat 2 times a day. Always think of the size of their stomach.

In any case you need to think about the times they are eating too. This can help if you have a problem with going in the house. Each dogs digestive system takes a certain time to do its thing. They can hold it for a certain amount of time but if you gotta go!! Pay attention to the time from when you feed your dog to when they want to go (not need to). This will help you adjust their feeding times to meet you busy schedule.

Read The Label

OK, now that I have provided you with all this information on what your dog needs and ideas on how to recognize this I will help you understand how to fulfill those requirements.

Some of us are fortunate enough to have pets that are very needy or have allergies. Maybe even some real medical issues to tend to. For the later I would suggest consulting a veterinary professional.

In any case, you are thinking now about what your dog needs. You are concerned about what is going into their body. Maybe because of what is coming out! This is also a good indicator that something is not right.

Having said that, Read the Label! Look for the stamp AAFCO or FDA. This will let you know the food you are providing will give them approximately 10% protein and 5% fat by body weight if you are giving them the amount their stomach will hold on the correct intervals.

It also assures you that even the ones that are full of preservatives to make the food last longer are using ones that are more beneficial than harm. A lot of people get hung up on these preservatives thinking they are pumping their dog full of chemicals. testing and history show it is better than not having them. They help preserve the fats in the food. this reduces the opportunity for the fat to decay and possibly for bacteria that could be more harmful.

For those who are set on not having the preservatives. There alternatives out there. They are harder to find and not cheap at all. Keep in mind, They do have a shorter shelf life.

Natural and Holistic

All right, I said 5 things. Here is an extra. I just cant quit when it comes to helping out the coolest dogs on the planet having a higher quality life!

I just want to clear this up a little for some folks who are dead set on no preservatives and all natural products. If you buy a food now that says all natural. Look at the label. They are allowed to say that even if there are preservatives in them. Some preservatives are natural.

If you are really concerned, look into holistic food. Again, expensive and harder to find. Also does not last near as long. Holistic will definitely be regulated by the FDA because you could actually eat it. This mean it is human quality products. There are a lot of people who make there own dog food and treats. If you are interested in that here is a place you can start to look for your favorite recipies.

All Together Now

We all love our pets, and wish to give them the best care possible. I am hoping this helps some to have a better understanding of what their coolest dog on the planet needs. Just remember…

How big is their stomach?

What type of food will best suit their needs?

Would dry or wet food provide the most benefit?

How much and what times to feed my dog?

Read the label!

As always, I would love to have a picture of your coolest dog on the planet to post in the gallery.

I hope this helps!

Chad

groomydude.com