What to feed your dog at home: natural food diet and menu for the week. How to feed your dog natural food

When bringing a four-legged friend into the home, each owner takes responsibility for providing the pet with proper care. The most important factor pet health - Therefore the largest expense item will be food.

The amounts fluctuate significantly; they are influenced by breed, age, nature of keeping (free-range or cage-free), pregnancy, activity and much more.

The main thing is to remember that the more care you take for your dog, the healthier it will be, the less hassle and problems.

Prohibited Products

Milk, lamb, pork, salt, sugar.

Adults have a special microflora gastrointestinal tract. It does not allow milk to be broken down and absorbed, so this drink is prohibited for adult organisms. The exception is puppies up to four months old. But fermented milk products are healthy and desirable.

Also Under no circumstances should you give pork and lamb. It is these varieties that cause severe stomach upset and are hard on the liver. In addition, pork often contains the distemper virus.

Attention! Almost everything that makes human food tastier is strictly prohibited from being added to dog food.

First of all, this is salt, which should be a minimum amount in the diet, and sugar. Sugar disrupts not only the liver, but also affects all mucous tissues, in particular, the eyes can not only water, but also fester. Spicy and flavoring additives are harmful. They negatively affect the sense of smell.

Recommended Products

Bones, raw meat, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Raw meat is a natural and nutritious food for a dog's body.

Attention! Raw meat should be given in small pieces, after keeping the whole piece in boiling water for a couple of minutes and only then cutting it.

It is also recommended to give bones regularly. But only after the dental apparatus has fully formed. Bones are an excellent source of minerals. It is advisable to give them raw. The exception is pork, lamb and poultry bones: they must be excluded from the diet.

Fresh fruits and vegetables must be part of the diet. In addition to vitamins, they contain a significant amount of coarse fiber.

The difference between the diet of an adult dog and the diet of a puppy

Remember that the diet adult dog different from the puppy's diet. And there is no abrupt transition, today there is one food, and tomorrow another. The change occurs gradually as the puppy grows.

Diet adjustments occur weekly. New products are added, dairy products are reduced. As the puppy's dental system develops, bones appear on the menu. The number of feedings is reduced, An adult dog is fed twice a day, morning and evening. In rare cases - once a day.

The diet of males and pregnant females, small dogs and large ones, young and elderly, healthy and sick is also different. This specificity makes it difficult to independently compile a menu and diet based on natural products. As a last resort, consult a veterinarian.

Diet for large dogs

What to feed big dog at home? Diet large dogs does not differ radically from the diet of medium and small breeds. The main thing is to maintain the proportions of the products included in the menu. The main difference is only in the volume of portions. You should also make allowances for the characteristics of the breed.

Diet

An adult dog should be fed twice a day, morning and evening, in equal parts. It is best to give meat at night. And be sure to remove the bowl 20-25 minutes after the start of feeding, regardless of whether there is food left in the bowl. And the water must be constantly, clean and fresh.

Important! Do not allow leftover food to remain in the bowl after feeding your pet - throw it away.

Puppies are fed more often, 3-4 times a day. The daily diet must be completely balanced, and take into account the breed, age, weight, activity and conditions of detention. This is why it is extremely difficult to calculate your diet on your own.

Common Mistakes

Dogs have been living with humans for over twenty thousand years; they are almost family members. But at the same time, the owners do not stop making mistakes. Here are the most common:

overfeeding The dog's instinct tells her to eat, but the food does not immediately cause a feeling of fullness, and she continues to pass;
mixing dry food and natural food;
desire to overly diversify food. But A dog doesn't need variety. She needs a complete, balanced diet;
a sharp transition from natural feeding to dry feeding. Any change must be smooth, gradual. The body will adapt to new conditions;
lack of fiber, vitamins, minerals. In other words, The dog should not be fed only meat. Feed with cereals, and it is advisable to give fruits and vegetables raw;
lack of clean drinking water. The reason is the forgetfulness of the owners;
mistake - feeding from your table. Food for people is not good for dogs; it is strictly contraindicated for them. It is impossible to cause more harm to pets. The dog must know that it is forbidden to ask or eat if the guest suddenly shares. Be kind to your four-legged friends, don't feed them from the table!

Dogs are faithful, devoted friends of humans. They perform hunting, guard or decorative functions and improve a person’s life, giving friendship and loyalty. But a person must take care of them, his pets, in return. First of all, you need to feed the way the dogs need it, and not the way it seems right. The efforts of owners, together with veterinarians and food manufacturers, can turn a dog’s life into heaven.

Additionally, check out the video about the best way to feed your pet:

Unlike ready-made food, natural feeding is a labor-intensive method. The owner of the animal will have to spend time cooking and carefully consider the diet. Before choosing this method, you need to study all the nuances of how to feed your dog correctly. natural food.

Some owners confuse natural feeding with table food. This is wrong. Even the best food “for people” is harmful to pets. Prepare separately for dogs.

On a natural basis, the following rules are adhered to:

components are prepared separately and mixed in a bowl before feeding;

the dog should eat a portion in one “lick”: if the food remains, it means the dog is overeating, and over time he will develop obesity;

provide constant access to clean water;

introduced into the diet vitamin complexes- calculate the quantity yourself useful substances in the daily menu is almost impossible;

Fermented milk and meat products must be given in different techniques;

meat and offal are given raw, after freezing in the freezer for 2 - 3 days;

vegetables are grated or chopped;

Boil the cereals, or in broth;

the meat is cut into pieces of different sizes, taking into account the size of the pet - so that he can chew them;

foods are not salted or peppered;

Do not mix natural and dry food - this will lead to problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

All food must be fresh. It is stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days.

The dog is transferred from dry food to natural food gradually, over 2 weeks. Additionally, probiotics are given, otherwise the functioning of the digestive system can be undermined.

Advantages and disadvantages of “natural” nutrition

It is believed that natural food is cheaper than dry food. This is only partially true. For large breeds Feeding natural food will actually be cheaper. They eat a lot of food, and most of the daily “natural” menu consists of cereals, vegetables, and offal.

Small pets eat little and are very picky. You will have to literally “dance” around them to persuade them to eat a piece healthy food.

However, natural feeding, in comparison with dry food, has important advantages:

independent control of product quality;
natural – as close as possible to the natural, “wild” diet of animals;
variety – the menu can be varied daily, which is especially important for small breeds.

This type of food is well suited for dogs prone to allergies. They often have negative reactions on industrial feed components. By preparing your own food, you can eliminate the allergen.

Natural products have several disadvantages:

high cost - in most cases it is cheaper to feed with industrial feed;
a lot of time and labor - you will have to cook every day not only for yourself, but also for your pet;
It is easy to deviate from the feeding rules - owners may make mistakes when calculating the required quantity and ratio of products.

But the main drawback is revealed when you have to leave and temporarily leave the dog with friends or in a hotel. The attorney is unlikely to want to cook. Therefore, the animal is gradually transferred to industrial feed, and then returned to its previous diet.

It's even worse when the trip is unplanned. The owner has no other choice but to hastily hand the “nanny” a bag of ready-made food and hope that digestive system the pet will not be seriously harmed.

What can and cannot be given to your pet

A natural diet should include:

- Dairy products. They give kefir, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese with a fat content of 2% to 9%. Low-fat milk is not included in the menu, as it is poorly digestible.
- Meat. Beef, veal, turkey, rabbit. It is better to give not tenderloin, but stringy meat. Chicken is added carefully - some dogs are allergic to it.
— By-products. Liver and lungs (uncommon, they provoke diarrhea), udder, rumen, heart, stomachs.
- Cereals. Buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, barley.
— Vegetables and herbs. Any, with the exception of potatoes, legumes, cabbage. They provoke gas formation.
- Fruits and berries. All unsweetened varieties. Rarely added as a treat.
- Eggs. Chicken or quail, raw, 1 – 2 times a week.
— Sea or ocean fish. Administer once a week. Pre-boil, remove sharp bones.
- Bran. Add to prepared liquid food, preferably kefir.
- Rusks or biscuits. Only as a treat.
- Vegetable oil. Olive, sunflower, pumpkin, flaxseed. They flavor the portion. For small breeds – a few drops, for large breeds – 1 tbsp.

Fish is not as nutritious as meat. It has half the protein. Therefore, they give it 2 times more.

Breeders and veterinarians have different opinions about bones. Some recommend giving raw spongy bones and moslaks to chew on. This will help train your jaws and clear plaque from your teeth. Others prefer only artificial bones sold in pet stores.

One way or another, you can give bones to dogs with a full-fledged chewing apparatus and no diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

You can also sometimes pamper your pet with unsalted hard cheese, nuts, and special treats for animals. It is useful to occasionally introduce a little seafood, seaweed and sauerkraut.

Important! It is strictly forbidden to feed the dog the following products:

sweets;

bakery and pasta products;

onion and garlic;

grapes and raisins;

smoked meats;

pork;

fried, spicy, pickled, peppered, salty food;

corn, semolina, soybeans, pearl barley;

tubular bones;

river fish.

An adult dog, starting from 8 months, is fed twice a day - morning and evening. Usually they give fermented milk products for “breakfast”, and meat with vegetables for “dinner”.

The animal should not be overfed - this will lead to obesity. The pet must eat a portion at a time. If food remains in the bowl, reduce the amount.

The approximately required daily volume of food is calculated as follows: 6 - 7% of body weight for puppies, and 3 - 4% for adults.

Calculation for an adult dog weighing 15 kg: 15 * 0.4 = 600 g of food. For a puppy 15 kg: 15*0.7=1050 g.

When choosing a menu, you should observe the following proportions:

Meat – 30%;

By-products – 20%;

Cereals and vegetables – 35%;

Fermented milk products – 10%;

The rest is 5%.

These are average values. For domestic and elderly dogs, the calorie content of the daily menu is reduced. For a young, active, pregnant or working dog, the amount of food is increased.

The rules for natural feeding can only be formulated in general outline. Each breed has its own characteristics, which are taken into account when preparing the diet.

Natural food is considered to be as close as possible to the dog’s natural diet. Its main ingredients are meat, cereals, vegetables, offal and dairy products. Although this method allows you to control the quality of your food yourself, it takes a lot of time and effort.

Despite the fact that now in the assortment of any pet store you can find dry and canned food for pet to suit every taste and budget, many owners, for various reasons, prefer natural feeding of dogs. It is to these owners that the article by Vladimir Nikiforovich Mitin, which was published in the January 1992 issue of the journal Science and Life, is addressed. In this article, he talks in detail about which natural products should be given to dogs and which ones should not be given under any circumstances and why, how to process the products and what to combine them with.

What is most important in this article is that Vladimir Nikiforovich gives a clear justification for each recommendation, which ultimately leads the owner to understand the basic principles of the gastrointestinal tract of pets. And this, in turn, helps to avoid health problems. After all, in order for our pets to live a full and happy life, it is not enough to just love them. To know, understand and be able to help is what is required from a true owner and friend.

It would seem that feeding a dog is not difficult. Any food on the owner’s plate that exudes an appetizing aroma will please the four-legged friend. Of course, he cannot savor the food and will not experience any special taste. But his sense of smell will tell him that a fried piece of meat smells more appetizing than a raw one. The question is, will such food be healthy? Resistance of the liver and kidneys to harmful effects in dogs is significantly lower than in humans. Therefore, all hot seasonings, sauces, pickles, smoked products, confectionery and flour products are harmful for the dog and can lead to metabolic disorders, obesity, shortness of breath, various diseases internal organs. Even if a dog occupies the same place in your life as your closest family members, this does not make it a person and you cannot feed it everything that you eat yourself.

Over the 10-15 thousand years of domestication by humans, only the psyche and hormonal system of the dog have changed in comparison with the wolf - its distant ancestor. The digestive system was the system of a predator, a meat-eater, and remains so. The dog does not chew, but tears off and swallows large pieces of food. Its developed predatory jaws require active work; they are not intended for semolina porridge and sweets. A dog has different properties for digesting food than a human, so it needs uniform feeding with concentrated food. There should be no soups, chatterboxes, liquid porridges with a displacement of a bucket, even if you have a very large dog.

In nature, carnivorous predators eat their prey entirely - with the skin, with plenty of blood, with the contents of the stomach and intestines, with small and large bones. Feeding dogs only muscle meat is not recommended. Scientists suggested: replacing the missing blood with water and salted herring, bones with bone glue and raw bones, skin and fur of prey with sheep or rabbit skins, and the contents of the stomach and intestines with boiled rice.

Most of all, the dog loves raw meat (excess of it does not lead, as some believe, to poisoning). But, if he really has to, he won’t refuse raw fish. A desirable delicacy is cartilage and tender beef bones. By gnawing them, the dog strengthens its teeth, and most importantly, satisfies the need for mineral salts.

Meat for dogs should not only be lean. Fat is also required. A dog can tolerate up to 15 grams of fat in its diet per kilogram of its weight, and rancid fats do not cause poisoning. It is quite possible to feed dogs pork; there is no need to worry that it may contain worms. Before going on sale, meat undergoes a sanitary and veterinary examination.

If meat is suffocated in a plastic bag, it is just as harmful to a dog as it is to a person. Under anaerobic conditions, toxic substances are formed in it, which can cause poisoning. Therefore, it is better to store meat in the freezer by wrapping it in parchment paper.

Depending on the individual metabolism, a dog needs from 10 to 25 grams of raw meat per 1 kilogram of animal weight every day. Of course, not all owners can feed their four-legged friend enough meat, but we must try to ensure that it still makes up at least 5% of the daily diet.

From the age of one and a half, the dog is considered an adult. If she does not perform special work, such as hunting or guarding, then for small and medium-sized breeds one feeding per day is enough, which usually coincides with lunch, and for large breeds - two or three feedings per day in small portions.

Place raw meat cut into pieces into a bowl and raw fish(cod, pollock back, hake) in the ratio: 2/3 meat – 1/3 fish. As a supplier of carbohydrates and a filler that causes a feeling of fullness, boiled rice mixed with animal fat or vegetable oil. Rice cannot be given separately, without meat and fish, since the dog’s intestines are not designed to digest grains.

So, meat, fish and fatty rice are mixed and placed in a bowl. Add a piece of raw liver, a very small one - from 5 to 15 g, depending on the weight of the dog. The liver contains vitamins A, D, E.

You can also include cottage cheese in your dog’s diet (but only uncooked cheese; cheesecakes or cottage cheese are not absorbed by the body), boiled eggs, and herring. Bone wood glue is useful. It contains a sufficient amount of macro- and microelements and there are no chemical impurities. But in principle, a raw bone with fat replaces it perfectly.

Milk is useful mainly for lactating females and puppies. It is given only fresh or fermented, and in small quantities. Sour milk can cause severe digestive upset, especially in young animals. Prolonged milk feeding leads to fullness and sluggishness of the digestion process.

There should always be fresh water on the floor in a flat bowl, not contaminated with food debris. The food bowl needs to be wide, since the dog opens its mouth wide and draws food into its stomach like a vacuum cleaner.

Large dog breeds need at least 600 g of meat, 200 g of dairy products, 300 g of boiled rice or bread, 50 g fat, 40 g bone meal; For medium breeds this diet should be halved, for small breeds – four times and for dwarf breeds – six times.

In cases where work load per dog increases, the number of calories can triple, but only due to proteins and fats, not carbohydrates.

If you feed your dog correctly, it will receive all the vitamins, macro- and microelements it needs. As for pharmacy vitamins, then healthy dog they are usually not needed. Excess vitamin D, phytin, and calcium glycerophosphate in the body can lead to exactly the opposite results.

The dog’s body, as well as the cat’s, synthesizes vitamin C on its own. This is why these animals do not suffer from scurvy.

One fasting day a week, when given some crackers and fresh drinking water, will not harm any adult dog. She will always have a good appetite, and she won't be picky about food.

Dogs instinctively reject leguminous plants - peas, lentils, beans: their intestines are not equipped to digest these products, they cause fermentation and gases.

Of course, you should not give food that is too hot, sour, fermented or frozen.

Boiled bones are very harmful. During the cooking process, their constituent components are so denatured that the dog is practically unable to digest them. Eating boiled bones leads to the formation of calcareous stool, which is difficult to pass and irritates the walls of the rectum. Cases of intestinal puncture are also common. boiled bones. Note, exactly boiled. Raw bones, even tubular ones, almost never damage the intestinal walls. Veterinarians came to this conclusion.

Owners often add this to their dog's food. eggshells. It has been proven that as a source of minerals, this is, in general, a completely worthless product; no more than 3% is absorbed from it. For the same reason, you should not give your dog chalk.

You need to pay more attention to feeding whelping and lactating females. To build the skeleton and muscles, embryos primarily need proteins and minerals. If in the first three weeks you can stick to your normal diet, then in the future it needs to be doubled before giving birth. The food should be easily digestible and not too bulky. If possible, the meat is not very fatty and high-grade entrails, bones with fat, cottage cheese, cheese, boiled egg. The amount of liquid should also be increased.

In the last third of pregnancy, the daily amount of food is distributed over 3-4 feedings, so as not to overload digestive organs, which are already constrained.

With the advent of puppies, the need for food in a lactating female increases 4 times, since the body loses up to 70 g of protein per liter with mother's milk. To prevent a rich diet from contributing to relaxation of the stomach walls and the formation of a saggy belly, the dog continues to be fed 4 times a day.

Puppies usually suck mother's milk for up to 1 - 1.5 months. From the 23rd day of life they can already lap milk from a bowl. From about this time, the mother's diet is gradually reduced.

Complementary feeding for puppies begins with a mixture of warm cow's milk with raw egg yolk(one yolk per glass of milk). Dogs have a hard time withstanding changes in feeding, so complementary feeding begins even when the puppies are suckling their mother's milk.

It is criminal to sell puppies up to 6 weeks old, as some owners do, taking 26-day-old babies away from their mothers. In the morning they are still fed by their mother, and in the afternoon they are sold without even starting solid food.

The transition to solid food should also occur when the mother is suckling. Gradually, from the 32nd day (not earlier! since gastric juice for complete digestion begins to be produced precisely by this time), puppies begin to be given raw meat (first scrape, then minced meat, pieces of meat), raw fish. In principle, the dog has no need for vegetables and fruits. But if you give them, it is better in boiled or pureed form.

Food for puppies should be high quality. Should not be given baby food, since the balance of the main nutrients in it, namely proteins, fats and carbohydrates, is not suitable for dogs. Most of this mixture consists of carbohydrates, and the dog primarily needs proteins and fats.

During the period of rapid growth, puppies need to be fed as much as possible. raw meat, and only raw. Their normal need for nutrition is every 2 to 3 hours.

When changing teeth, puppies desperately need beef bones that they can chew on. They can be given from the 35th day of life. Beware of feeding small and splintering bones to puppies. Puppies that are given bone glue do not chew furniture or search for lime and chalk.

Up to two months, babies are fed 6 times a day at equal intervals (4 times non-meat and 2 times meat food). From two to four months – 5 times a day (the ratio of non-meat and meat foods is 3:2). From four to six – 4 times a day (2:2), from six to nine – 3 times (1:2). And from nine to twelve months - 2 times a day (1:1).

After each feeding, as well as after sleep, puppies should be taken out into the yard. This way they will learn cleanliness.

At good care dogs live 10 – 15 years. The most resilient are up to 20 years, which corresponds to 100 human years. But such records are extremely rare.

The health of a pet is the key to its longevity and happy life. Your pet should not be fed the same foods or offered food intended for a different type of animal. This is far from the only rule that the owner of a four-legged friend must adhere to. To figure out what is best to feed your dog, you need to consider the main food groups that are usually present in a pet’s diet.

Meat

This product is very often the basis of nutrition for most dog breeds. In this case, it is allowed to feed your pet lean beef. However, it is not necessary to choose premium products. Also, when deciding what is best to feed the dog, many owners try to purchase tenderloin or another type of high-quality meat. In fact, this is a big mistake, because this type of nutrition is undesirable.

Dogs of all ages can be given rabbit, lamb or horse meat. But it’s better to abstain from pork.

By-products and poultry are also not prohibited. The main thing is to never give chicken skin to your pet. It is poorly digested and can lead to gastrointestinal problems.

If we talk about how to properly feed dogs meat, then it should be given exclusively raw. To destroy dangerous bacteria in it, it is enough to freeze the product thoroughly. It is not necessary to carry out other heat treatments. It is also not recommended to grind meat into minced meat. It must remain rigid so that the animal's jaw receives the necessary loads.

Fish

When talking about what to feed your dog at home, it is also worth considering seafood. Pets are allowed to feed raw fillets of only low-fat sea or ocean fish. In this case, it is advisable to choose a product without a large number of bones and freeze it thoroughly before giving it to your pet. At the same time, you can feed the animal 2-3 times a week with fish, alternating this delicacy with meat. Transfer your pet exclusively to fish diet strongly not recommended. In this case, there is a high risk that the pet may develop hypovitaminosis.

Dairy products

Many people are interested in whether it is possible to feed a dog cheese. Yes, but you need to ensure that the fat content of fermented milk products does not exceed 9%. This cheese is well absorbed and digested by the animal’s body.

Separately, it is worth saying a few words about cottage cheese. If its fat content is more than 2%, then in some animals this can cause mild diarrhea.

Also loose stool may be associated with the addition of a certain brand of kefir to the diet, to which a particular dog may have an individual allergy. Therefore, you should carefully choose this fermented milk product. It is best if the fat content of kefir was 3.5%. When buying yogurt, you should choose “sour milk” with short term storage

It is highly not recommended to give fermented baked milk and yoghurts with sweet fruits to four-legged pets.

Vegetables

These products also fall into the category of what you can feed your dog. Four-legged pets can be fed carrots, bell pepper, pumpkins, zucchini, white cabbage, beets and cucumbers. Greens will also be useful.

It is recommended to give your dog one clove of garlic every 7 days. It contains necessary components, which have a positive effect on the animal’s immunity. It’s not for nothing that it’s called a “natural antibiotic.” It is also useful to feed your dog a couple of spoons of homemade sauerkraut 2-3 times a week. It contains a large amount of ascorbic acid.

Also, experts’ recommendations on how to properly feed dogs state that vegetables and herbs can be given to animals exclusively in their raw form. In this case, it is recommended to grate the ingredients on a coarse grater.

In the summer, many owners take their pets to the dacha, where the animals independently find edible greens and feast on them. In this case, there is no point in adding additional vegetables to your pet’s diet. When it comes to nutrition, you should always know when to stop.

It is also worth considering that greens and vegetables can be given separately or together with meat. Any other combination is prohibited. If you mix fermented milk products with natural herbs, it can cause indigestion.

It is also worth noting that four-legged friends They love to eat fresh vegetables or unsweetened fruits. They contain natural fiber.

But it is not recommended to give exotic fruits and vegetables to pets.

Eggs and butter

These products can also be safely included in your pet’s diet. Raw eggs can be given to dogs, chicken or quail. Also, pet owners often wonder if the dog is a month old, what to feed? In this case it will be very useful to add raw eggs into milk and give to the puppy several times a week. They contain protein, which is so necessary for a young animal.

If we talk about oil, then you can introduce both unrefined and sunflower, pumpkin, flax or olive products into your diet. It’s better to avoid exotic things too.

Bran

They are also a source of fiber, so these components can be given in place of or along with vegetables.

Bran contains a large number of dietary fiber, which have a positive effect on peristalsis. In addition, fiber helps improve the microflora of the intestinal tract.

If we talk about how to properly feed dogs bran, it is recommended to add it to fermented milk foods or meat. However, the first option is preferable, since it is in milk that these components swell quickly. Once in the animal’s body, bran retains moisture and passes further through the intestinal tract.

However, you need to buy bran in its original form. If you purchase crispy sticks or other treats that contain these ingredients, they will most likely also contain salt, dyes and flavors.

Fruits and dried fruits

First of all, when determining how to feed dogs correctly, it is worth considering that giving sweets to animals is not recommended. Accordingly, almost all fruits must be excluded from the pet’s diet. The only exception is green sour apples. However, if your pet wants to eat berries in a suburban area, then you shouldn’t restrict him from doing so.

Bones

Dogs love to play with them so much, and many owners begin to worry whether they should give their pets such treats. In fact, bones contain huge amounts of calcium and phosphorus. These components are necessary for dogs to develop full-fledged dental apparatus. In addition, bones are recommended for pets suffering from gastrointestinal diseases.

It is recommended to give bone ends to large dogs. More small breeds They are distinguished by their miniature organism, so spongy fish are suitable for them. chicken bones. It is important to take into account that the delicacy cannot be boiled. Bones are given to dogs exclusively in raw form. Boiled delicacy is much less digestible by the stomach. In addition, such bones can cause gastrointestinal obstruction.

Prebiotics

Preparations containing bifidobacteria and lactobacilli have a positive effect on the functioning of the animal’s gastrointestinal tract. In addition, they promote better absorption of food.

Prebiotics are not digested in the body; instead, they create a special nutrient substrate in the stomach. The growth of beneficial “living” microorganisms begins in it. If the prebiotic environment is absent in the animal’s body, then the volume beneficial bacteria falls sharply. Because of this, pathogenic strains begin to actively multiply in the intestines, coli, fungi and much more. All these components can quickly lead to dysbiosis.

Bread and cereals

In dogs, the digestive system is no different from the structure of the body of wild predators. And they, as you know, are accustomed not to swallow food, but to tear it into pieces and swallow them whole. To do this, the pet's jaw must be fully developed. Therefore, it is not recommended to feed your pets pureed food and fine-grained porridge (for example, semolina). In this case, the pet's jaw apparatus will be weakened.

But what kind of porridge can you feed your dog? If the pet does not suffer from allergic reactions, then periodically you can give him well-cooked chicken fillet, mixed with buckwheat, rice, oatmeal or millet.

If we talk about whether dogs can eat bread, then such food will be completely useless for the pet. The fact is that bread products and pasta contain exclusively easily digestible carbohydrates. Dogs require complex ones. Such components are found in vegetables and bran.

Dry food

This is the most common type of food preferred by pet owners. First of all, it is worth answering the question of whether a dog can eat cat food. You need to remember that giving your pet food intended for another type of animal is strictly prohibited. The structure of a cat's and a dog's body is very different. Therefore, even if the dog asks for cat food or takes it away by force fluffy cat, it is imperative to stop such habits.

If we talk about what kind of food to feed your dog, then it is advisable to give your pet only dry food. Especially if the dog drinks a lot of water. Canned food contains more natural products; in addition, they are much better absorbed by the pet’s stomach.

Many people are also interested in what food to feed their dog, or rather, what brand of food to choose. If your pet suffers from allergies or periodic vitamin deficiencies, then it is recommended to buy specialized products labeled “Holistic”. Also, you should not buy economy-class food. This diet contains a large number of chemical additives, dyes and emulsifiers. There are practically no natural products there.

If we talk about how to feed a dog dry food, then it should be given at pure form. If you mix such nutrition with natural food, it can cause an imbalance. It is especially not recommended to combine “packed rations” with fermented milk products.

If your dog doesn't drink enough water, dry food can be soaked in water. However, you should often not do this, otherwise the animal’s jaws may weaken from food that is too soft.

When choosing how to feed your dog dry food, you should give preference well-known manufacturers. In this case, you need to carefully read the composition on the packaging. If it does not indicate natural meat, then it is better not to buy such food.

Most common mistakes

In the process of feeding pets, owners often overfeed their four-legged pets. Even if we are talking about natural nutrition, an excess of some components may cause the animal to experience discomfort. In addition, pets get fat from eating too often, just like people.

If we talk about how many times a day to feed a dog as an adult, then it all depends on its age and size. Young animals are fed in small portions, but often. Older pets need to be fed less often. In this case, you need to monitor the contents of your pet’s bowl. If, after eating, some of the food remains in it, then this automatically indicates that the animal is overfed. Therefore, the portion must be reduced. In addition, it is not recommended to constantly fill the bowl with food. The animal must understand that the amount of food is limited.

How many times a day should I feed my dog after it arrives in its new home?

Small puppies aged 1 to 2 months need to be fed at least 5 times a day, every 3 hours. At night, the dog needs to be trained to sleep, so dark time It is better not to fill the bowl with food for a day. The serving size should be increased as the animal gains body weight. At the same time, the number of feedings is gradually reduced. When your pet turns 4 months old, he should eat no more than 4 times a day. At the age of 6-7 months, the puppy receives food 2-3 times a day. When the pet turns 12 months old, it will be considered an adult, so it needs to be transferred to two meals a day with increasing portions.

When should you not feed your dog natural food?

Any food, even the most healthy, should be limited. For example, in order for meat to be absorbed normally by the body, a lot of effort is required on the part of the gastrointestinal tract. If you give it constantly, it will lead to increased stress. In turn, dry food is digested and absorbed very quickly. It goes through quite a thorough processing on the production line, so by and large it can be considered already partially digested.

You should also refuse natural food if the animal suffers from serious illnesses Gastrointestinal tract. In this case, the body will not be able to fully cope with heavy nutrition. If you feed your pets natural products, the gastric patency will worsen, which can lead to more serious consequences.

When can you introduce natural food into your pet’s diet?

Puppies can start feeding meat from 3 weeks of age. It is also not recommended to cook meat products for children. However, scraped meat can be given. It's very easy to prepare. For example, you can take a piece of frozen meat and grate it on a coarse grater when it has thawed a little. Also at this age, you can give meat products along with milk, gradually reducing the content of “fermented milk”.

Dogs can be fed vegetables from 2 months of age. At the same time, they need to be thoroughly crushed. You can also start giving your puppy a source of natural fiber - bran. The dose of these components is very easy to calculate - 1 teaspoon per 20 kg of pet’s weight. If we are talking about completely little puppy, then they usually give him bran “at the tip of a knife.”

Of course, you should not feed your dogs expired or spoiled food. If after eating the animal feels unwell, then you need to show it to a doctor.

There are three options for feeding your dog: natural food that you will prepare yourself, industrial food, as well as mixed food, which includes both natural nutrition, and food. Which method to choose is up to you.

Ready-made feed

Feeding dry food is very convenient. It has everything essential vitamins and minerals, it does not need to be cooked. However, such food should be High Quality. Always remember that good food it doesn't come cheap. Do not buy industrially produced food in bulk. It quickly deteriorates in stores, as it is constantly in open bags. When choosing food for your dog, consider its individuality: age, lifestyle, physical condition.

Mix dry food and natural food it is impossible, since neither one nor the other food will be digested normally. If you feed the animal in combination, then alternate days, do not feed food and natural food at the same time.

Natural feeding

If you decide to feed your dog natural food, then you need to know a few rules. The dog's diet should consist of 2/3 meat and animal products, and 1/3 from plant food. In addition to the meat itself, the dog’s diet must include offal (heart, stomach, liver, lungs, kidneys), and tendons. In addition, the diet includes unsalted fish, from which all major bones have been removed. As supplements, raw eggs, grated cheese and cottage cheese should be given in small quantities.

Milk is an undesirable product for an adult dog. Also, you should not give your dog pork (it is very fatty for a dog), raw river fish ( River fish may be affected by helminth larvae), alcohol, salty and spicy. Candies, cookies, chocolate and the like should not be given to the dog, even as an exception.

Bones are one of the most important products in a dog's diet. They contain calcium, proteins, gluten and others valuable substances, necessary for the growth and development of the dog. In addition, the bones that a dog chews help strengthen its teeth and gums. Bones are simply necessary for feeding puppies at the age of 4-6 months, when they are cutting permanent teeth. This makes the process of changing teeth much easier. The most useful are the bones of young animals (calves, etc.), which have a lot of cartilage and remains of meat, for example on the ribs. Boiled bones are of no value. Tubular bones are simply dangerous for a dog. During the cooking process, bones lose all the essential nutrients. Tubular bones very fragile, especially poultry bones, crumble easily, forming fragments that a dog can swallow. In this case, urgent veterinary intervention is required. Starting when your dog is 4–5 years old, reduce the daily amount of bones.

Plant foods in a dog's diet: rye, rice, oats, wheat, semolina, millet, as well as vegetables and fruits. Potatoes, legumes and corn are not suitable for feeding a dog. Potatoes are almost indigestible. Legumes and corn most often do not benefit the dog and cause it to vomit.

Adding to a Dog's Diet fish oil, vitamin preparations and calcium in some cases may become necessary. It is recommended that you follow your veterinarian's advice rather than acting on your own diagnosis. A puppy or young dog should definitely add fish oil to its food.

It must be remembered that raw food is always healthier and is better absorbed by the dog than boiled food.

A dog does not have such a refined taste as a person who tries to diversify food and adds all kinds of spices to it. The dog can be content with the same food every day. However, if someone spoils their dog with sausages, various savory treats or fragrant sweets, do not be surprised if it becomes picky.

Dog food is prepared as follows. The meat is cut into small pieces or passed through a meat grinder. The bones are chopped with a special hatchet, so that it is convenient for the dog to grab them with his teeth from either side. Cereal products - wholemeal flour, bran, oat and barley flakes - are soaked in water for several hours and then doused with boiling water. Rice needs to be cooked. Vegetables and herbs are usually given raw, grated (carrots) or finely chopped (spinach, nettles, dandelion, lettuce, leeks). Fruits and berries (apples, pears, blueberries, strawberries, prunes) are cut or pitted. Various products The dogs are thoroughly mixed before feeding. Fish bones and heads, in principle, do not pose any particular difficulties for the dog and are not dangerous for it. However, if the fish is large, it is recommended to first remove the dorsal fin, as well as the short and sharp pectoral fins.

The dog's food should be neither hot nor cold. Basic rule: food should be warm and mushy. If food is taken out of the refrigerator, it must be heated; if food is removed from the stove, it must be cooled.

The daily diet should correspond physical activity dog, its breed and age. A completely eaten meal and a licked bowl are a sign that the volume of the diet has been determined quite correctly. There should be nothing left in the bowl. You will quickly notice whether the portion is sufficient. If your dog asks for more, looks at you and starts barking, the next time you feed, the portion should be increased slightly. If your dog starts to get too round, his diet needs to be reduced. This is done thoughtfully and without rushing. Under no circumstances should you drastically reduce your diet. However, be persistent and continue to keep your dog on the reduced diet until he is back to normal.

The dog's feeding times should be observed as precisely as possible. Never feed your dog before a walk physical activity or immediately after a long walk, training sessions, active games with other dogs.

A puppy up to 3 months of age receives food 5-6 times a day, a young dog up to 7 months of age - 3 times a day. An already grown dog is fed twice a day.

The food bowl is placed on a stand at the dog's chest level. This requirement must be observed to avoid curvature of the spine from incorrect posture while eating. The bowl of food is placed for 15 minutes. If the dog refuses to eat within 15 minutes, the bowl is removed until the next feeding. No one should disturb the dog while eating. The dog does not need to be petted, there is no need to call it, because while eating it awakens its instinct to protect its prey from the attacks of others. After a hearty meal, the dog should have the opportunity to digest what it has eaten within one to two hours in a calm environment.

In addition to the food bowl, the dog is given a drinking bowl, which must always be pure water. You must give her the opportunity to quench her thirst when she wants it.