Perhaps another dog breeder and animal lover will choose a different number for a proper dog diet. Knowing these rules will help you to serve tasty, nutritious and complete food to keep your pet healthy, growing and developing normally. Statistics show that almost all non-communicable diseases are related to nutritional disorders in dogs.
1. knowledge of the energy, nutrients and bioactive substances required by dogs is the basis for a proper diet for dogs.
Correct dietary rules generally mean dogs should be fed strictly according to the norms. The diet must be complete, balanced and rational (from the Greek “rationalis”).
2. The composition, properties and nutritional value of specific foods
For example, the source of nutritional vitamins for dogs is raw liver, the source of protein is cottage cheese, the source of iron is macereals, niacin (nicotinic acid or vitamin B3) in wheat, etc.
3. Feeding dogs one product, even if it is meat, is not allowed.
The right choice of products and their proportions gives the food a new quality. This has a positive effect on the absorption of nutrients, and therefore on the health of the dog. When selecting the diet, use products that follow the laws of nature (e.g. a dog eats meat, a horse eats oats, etc.). Each new food, including canned food, should be introduced gradually.
4. Follow a strict dietary regime.
The term ‘regime’ means: timeliness and frequency of feeding at the same hours, as well as the distribution of the daily ration amount and weight. The quantity per portion must be appropriate to the capacity of the alimentary canal and the body to digest the nutrients in the food. Over- or under-loading of the digestive tract adversely affects the motor and secretory functions of the stomach and influences the general health of the dog.
It should be remembered that at 1 to 2 months of age Puppies should be fed 5 – 6 times a day, every 3 – 3.5 hours. Puppies are fed 4 times between 2 and 3 months and 3 times between 4 months and one year. From 6 months onwards, puppies enter an intensive growth phase, which results in a significant increase in protein requirements, so the diet of 6-12 month old pets should be 60-80% beef or whale meat, depending on the breed of dog.
5. Do not allow dogs to overeat.
Overeating leads to obesity, various metabolic, heart, kidney, liver, etc. diseases. Overeating, for example of bones or fatty foods, often leads to allergies. In addition, systematic overeating can lead to the disappearance of the breed’s exterior characteristics. This is often the case with English Toy Terriers, Arabian and Persian Greyhounds and other breeds.
6. Strict adherence to food preparation methods
Taking into account the particularities of the digestive system of the dog. Accustom from an early age to thick soup and liquid porridge.
7. In case of gastrointestinal disease
due to improper feeding, the dog should be put on a diet. It should not be forgotten that a specific diet treats a sick dog for a specific disease.