Natural female feeding: basic rules, prohibitions, pros and cons. Small dog homemade food


What can you feed a dog? The most popular question of many owners who acquire a pet. Some people know exemplary nutrition for a dog, but still, how to feed a dog at home?

How to feed a dog natural food?

A very important dish for a dog in its diet is porridge with vegetables or meat. It is very important to cook each product separately, and only then mix it into one dish. As a rule, vegetables and meat are first boiled or scalded with boiling water. You can also give these products to your dog separately and not mix with porridge.

Basic dog food

Meat

Before serving, boil or scald with boiling water. Allowed to give:

  • young lamb;
  • beef;
  • beef leg;
  • horsemeat;
  • raw cartilaginous bones and tails;
  • rabbit meat.

Also include offal in the diet: raw heart, boiled spleen and liver. It is not recommended to give broth and kidneys.

boiled cereals

Give your dog the following cereals:

  • buckwheat;
  • a mixture of cereals;

Bird

  • turkey;
  • chicken;
  • chicken offal.

Chicken feet and tubular bones forbidden to give. It is also not recommended to frequently spoil your dog with any bones.

Fruits

Healthy fruits for dogs are:

  • plums;
  • kiwi;
  • apples;
  • apricots;
  • bananas;
  • melon;
  • watermelon.

Give only in small doses and not too often. From dried fruits it is allowed to give dried apricots or prunes.

Dairy products

  • milk for puppies;
  • fermented baked milk;
  • kefir;
  • yogurt;
  • sour cream;
  • calcined curd.

Vegetables

Vegetables for dogs count useful product. It is recommended to add to food:

  • cucumbers;
  • vegetable marrow;
  • pumpkin;
  • cabbage of all kinds;
  • broccoli;
  • grated raw carrots.

Dogs should not be given spinach, potatoes and beets. It is also recommended to give the dog no more than 1 tbsp regularly or every day. olive, corn, vegetable, linseed or sunflower oil.

How to feed a dog dry food?

For dogs, you can buy natural food. It is advisable to buy quality well-known manufacturers. Natural dog food should be given based on the weight of the animal. Generally, adult dogs should eat no more than 5% of their body weight per day. In addition, consider the personality of your animal, he may be very active and energetic, so he needs to be given more foods with a large source of vitamins and useful substances.

Real natural dog food should be given with a small percentage of meat, fruits, vegetables and berries. It is important to choose carefully good food for your pet. It is better to opt for premium feeds, they have good quality, and also include all the necessary nutrients for the dog.

List of premium dog foods:

  • Hills (Hills);
  • Pro Plan (ProPlan);
  • Purina ONE;
  • Dog Chow (Dog Chow)
  • Nature's Protection;
  • RosPes;
  • Chicopee.

What should not be fed to a dog?

It is strictly forbidden to give a dog any confectionery, sugar, chocolate, dried and smoked meat, dishes with hot spices, sausages and sausages, juices, pickles, carbonated drinks, various sauces and alcohol. These products may cause severe poisoning or completely shorten the life of an animal. It is best to give the dog the foods that were written above, but mostly meat, vegetables, fruits, cereals and natural, high-quality food.

In order not to spend money later on treating your pet and before taking the animal into the house, you need to study well the question of how to feed the dog. Because proper nutrition is the key to the health of your pet. To avoid the occurrence of various gastritis, enteritis, pancreatitis and other difficult-to-treat diseases, you need to do it right from the very beginning.

What are the requirements for proper nutrition?

  1. The animal needs to be fed 2-3 times a day. Portions should be small so that there is no distension of the stomach.
  2. Fresh water must always be present. It doesn’t matter what kind of food they feed her, dry or home-cooked cereals.
  3. The animal must be fed from the stand. The neck of the animal should be almost horizontal.

If the food is cooked at home? Food should be varied. Should not be given. Should not be fed with scraps from the human table, this food is not suitable for her and can even cause illness. Mineral and vitamin supplements should be introduced into the diet. The food itself should be moderately warm, preferably 30-40°C, or at room temperature.

How to properly feed a dog and what should not be given to her as food?

About the bones

As for the bones, this is something that you cannot feed a dog. They are poorly digested by the dog's stomach. Their sharp fragments can pierce the stomach or intestines, which will cause peritonitis and death of the animal. The bones are given to animals with strong teeth raw, previously scalded with boiling water, large (so that she cannot chew them and swallow them). This is done so that, while gnawing on the bones, the dog brushes his teeth. Bones made from natural veins, which can be bought at a pet store, are ideal. Puppies can be given large ones without restrictions. As soon as they can chew them, the bones will need to be replaced with artificial ones. You should never give chicken. Their fragments are deadly for a dog.

And everything else you need to feed a dog

Porridge should be a third of all food. Rice and hercules are best. Barley and millet are not digested at all by the dog's stomach. Vegetables and fruits added to porridge should make up a quarter of the diet. These are zucchini and pumpkin, carrots, apples, you can cabbage, but on condition that it is well tolerated. Better to give instead of milk dairy products. And, of course, vitamins, mineral supplements, as well as one teaspoon vegetable oil can always be added to daily meals.

From proper nutrition a lot depends on a pet - the luster of wool, correct stance, health and activity of the pet. Therefore, every person who decides to get a puppy needs to know how to properly feed a dog, and what rules should be followed? Currently compiled general recommendations and norms on what to feed an adult dog and puppy, so as not to harm their health and maintain general state pet. Many owners believe that you need to feed your dog only dry food, as they contain a large number of vitamins and beneficial ingredients. However, this is not the case - it is required to feed an adult dog in a balanced way, since dry food can lead to serious problems with digestion. What can you feed a dog, regardless of its age and breed?

Dog Feeding: Fundamental Rules

Before buying a puppy for yourself, you need to find out in advance what is the best way to feed the dog - for this, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the nuances of keeping and feeding a pet so that you do not encounter an unpleasant situation later. Nutrition is important for any dog, no matter where you take him - buy from breeders or take in a shelter.

Attention! Every owner should be aware that keeping even the smallest breed of dog requires money, so you should not try to feed your pet from your table or give him cheap and often unhealthy food. Indeed, because of such a negligent attitude, a lot of effort and money will have to be spent on treatment. And if the disease is started, the dog will suffer throughout his life.

What is the best food for a dog? The following fundamental rules will help answer the question:

  1. It is not recommended to give dogs mixed food, namely natural food along with dry food. As a rule, this causes a deterioration in metabolism, and also has a negative effect on the condition of the intestines. There are many microelements, minerals and vitamins in dry food, therefore, as a result of mixing food, a pet may develop hypervitaminosis.
  2. The amount of food that should be given to dogs per day depends on the breed, energy components and weight of the animal. If this balance is disturbed, it can cause obesity or, conversely, general depletion of the body, which will result in weakness and a complete lack of strength for the pet. The amount of food taken per day should be equal to 3% of the total weight of the pet.
  3. When calculating the optimal energy requirement of an animal, it should be remembered that you cannot give the same food to a guard and service dog and a yard free dog. Of course, the pets that serve need to be fed much more balanced, because their body spends much more energy per day.
  4. Elderly pets should also be fed on an energy schedule. The only difference is that the animals old age it is required to reduce the number of calories consumed, while proteins and fats should remain at the same level.

What is the best food for a large dog? Nutrition must be varied and carefully selected so that all useful substances are present in it.

The scheme for feeding dogs by age is as follows (it takes into account kilocalories, which form the basis of any diet):

  1. dogs whose weight is from 45 to 70 kilograms should receive 30-24 kcal / kg of body weight per day;
  2. pets with a weight of 15 to 30 kilograms should receive 39-33 kcal / kg of weight per day;
  3. small breeds, whose weight is 5-10 kilograms, should take 52-44 kcal / kg of weight per day;
  4. miniature animals weighing up to 5 kilograms should receive 65 kcal / kg of body weight.

Attention! When thinking about what to feed a large dog, you need to remember that you should not completely create a ban on fatty foods. After all, fats, as well as amino acids, vitamins, proteins and proteins are needed by the body for its normal functioning. At the same time, the optimal amount of fat will not cause health problems, and will not lead to fullness.

The key to successful nutrition is careful monitoring of the pet's weight, especially if he has recently undergone surgery, pregnancy, or a serious illness. If the dog begins to recover, the amount of food needs to be slightly reduced, since obesity is fraught with the development of diseases that are dangerous to health.

Pets should always have water “within walking distance” so that they can replenish fluids at any time. It is especially important that it be available to the dog after a walk, in hot weather, and also at low humidity.

Dehydration is a subtle, but very life-threatening threat, especially if the owners constantly feed their pets only dry food. If the water in your city or village is dirty or contains a large amount of impurities, it is better to first pass it through the filter and only then give the dogs water.

What a natural and safe dog menu looks like

Thinking about how to feed a large or small dog, you need to remember that the composition of the food must contain the components necessary for the full functioning of the body. These include:

  • vitamins;
  • carbohydrates;
  • proteins;
  • fats;
  • trace elements.

A special criterion is that the food must be fresh, natural and free of fragrances and dyes. Usually, cheap animal feeds have such a low-quality composition, which it is advisable to bypass.

If you feed your pet with natural products, they should be thermally processed, but this is not done too intensively - in this way it will be possible to preserve all the beneficial substances found in the products, and also not reduce their health benefits.

What to feed a dog at home? The ratio of products with which it will be possible to provide the pet with everything necessary should be as follows:

  1. meat products (offal, poultry, beef) - should be 1/3 of the diet;
  2. cereals (buckwheat, rice, hercules) - should be 1/3;
  3. vegetables (carrots, pumpkin, cabbage) - should be 1/3;
  4. fruits are added to food in small quantities;
  5. to improve the digestion of the animal, it is recommended to add a spoonful of vegetable oil to the food (this also enhances the taste).

Attention! Meat, at the request of the owner, alternates with fish, which must be sea. Before adding to the porridge, it needs to be cut, namely, to remove the head, entrails and bones.

Feeding an adult dog porridge is the best option. Cereals for animals should be cooked in the same way as for people - on water, in the same ratio of cereals and water and the same amount of time. If you are going to give food soon after cooking, fish, vegetables and meat are added to the porridge 10 minutes before the end of cooking. You don't need to salt your food!

Dairy products are given with caution to dogs, as they can cause intestinal volvulus and other dangerous diseases. To maintain calcium levels, it is recommended to give eggs to dogs 2 times a week.

But some cereals should be discarded, because they are not digested by the body or deliver serious harm digestive organs. These include:

  • semolina;
  • corn;
  • barley.

What to feed a dog at home? In addition to porridge, meat and vegetable products, pet food must contain mineral and vitamin complexes. Their type and number depend on the breed and weight of the pet. Upon request, such complexes are purchased in veterinary pharmacy or with the help of products that contain a large amount of minerals and vitamins.

Dogs are strictly prohibited from giving following products nutrition, which can lead to serious problems with digestion and the functioning of certain organs. These include:

  • peas;
  • mutton;
  • salo;
  • pork;
  • barley;
  • bread;
  • oats;
  • pasta;
  • spices;
  • candies;
  • sugar;
  • salt.

Attention! Giving tubular bones and chicken feet to dogs is not worth it, as they can damage the lining of the esophagus or get stuck in the throat.

What can you feed small dogs? Their diet is no different from feeding large breeds. The only difference is that small dogs need to be given high-calorie food, the parameters of which are presented above. Also small breeds barley should not be given, as it causes stagnation and work digestive organs- you only need to cook such porridge large breeds in which the work of the digestive organs is well formed.

What kind of food can you feed your dog?

When thinking about what kind of food to feed large and small dogs, it is worth noting that it is recommended to choose a super premium class. This diet contains only natural and useful supplements, which at frequent use can not harm the health of the animal.

Dry food that is well-made is quite affordable and suitable for dogs, but their choice should be approached responsibly.

Premium food, which is made with high quality, contains a large amount of nutrients and useful elements for the dog, which are necessary for its normal and full development. When thinking about what kind of food to feed your pet, you should also not forget that he is begging based on the following criteria:

  • size;
  • age;
  • breed;
  • physiological features.

Today, 3 types of feed are known, namely:

  1. everyday - its balanced composition allows you to give the dog such food every day, while not having a negative effect on the digestive organs;
  2. therapeutic - a special type of food that should be given to a dog during an illness (before using such food, it is advisable to visit a doctor);
  3. special - food that helps to solve many health problems of the animal (for example, eliminate obesity or normalize blood composition).

What is the best food to feed a dog? It must be balanced and of high quality, because they contain the optimal amount of fat, protein and carbohydrates. They also contain 30-50% meat, vitamins, herbal ingredients, minerals and natural preservatives. Thanks to this, it will be possible to maintain the health of the dog, as well as endow the body with useful substances.

Attention! Thinking about what kind of food is best to feed the dog, do not forget that dry food adversely affects the condition of the pet if he drinks little water. Therefore, the dog should always have access to a liquid that normalizes digestion and helps to quickly absorb all the beneficial substances in the feed.

What to feed an adult dog? If you decide to feed your pet with food, you must definitely choose natural food - if such a product contains dyes, sugar, feathers, starch and skin, it should not be given to a pet. Usually such a composition is present in cheap feed, which means it is better to bypass them. Such components cause a deterioration in metabolism, diseases of the excretory system, and can also become the culprit in the development of allergies.

The advantages of feeding pet food include a balanced composition, a minimum amount of time for cooking, as well as an easy selection of the dosage that the dog needs to take throughout the day.

However, such nutrition also has negative qualities. These include:

  1. the taste of the feed must be selected based on the preferences of the animal, since he may not like it;
  2. cheap food is seriously harmful to health, and not everyone can afford expensive species;
  3. if the dog began to eat one type of food, it can no longer be changed to another, since the pet's body is already accustomed to a certain composition, and its abrupt replacement can adversely affect the dog's health.

Attention! Thinking about the best way to feed a large dog, it is worth noting that the amount of food required for a single dose should not be increased. After all, after taking the liquid by the dog, it will swell, which will lead the pet to total absence hunger. If the owners give more food than the manufacturer requires, this can cause a glut of useful substances, which is unsafe for the animal.

It is especially important to observe the dose of food for old and small dogs.

What are the features of feeding dogs at home

Proper nutrition includes:

  1. it is recommended to feed an adult dog 2 times a day, and puppies - 3-4;
  2. feeding is best done after a walk to avoid intestinal volvulus;
  3. after the pet has eaten, it must be left alone for 1-2 hours;
  4. it is forbidden to give the pet food from the master's table, since even a small piece of bread can cause serious illness, for example, enteritis, pancreatitis or gastroenteritis (if you really want to please the dog, you can buy him a special treat in the store - ponytails or ears, which certainly will not harm your health).

By following these rules, as well as feeding the dog in a balanced way, it will be possible to maintain its health, and it will also be possible to constantly maintain the balance of essential nutrients in the body.

Proper nutrition is the key to the health and longevity of every dog, and improper nutrition is a direct path to its diseases, but due to various circumstances, many owners are in no hurry to understand this issue. Someone is used to feeding the animal with leftovers from their own table, someone cooks food separately, but does not think about whether they choose the right products, and someone is quite satisfied with dry food. But we decided to figure out what to feed the dog is advised by experts in the field of veterinary medicine.

What should be the dog's diet

The correct diet should be balanced and meet the biological needs of the animal. Both a large dog and a pocket-sized dog are a predator, so the basis of their diet should be proteins, and not any, but of animal origin. They are responsible for the fact that your pet will have strong bones, developed muscles, healthy coat. Therefore, meat must necessarily become the main component of dog food - about 50% or even 60% of the daily diet is assigned to it.

In second place are dairy products - about 30%. Next come vegetables and fruits - 10-20%, and then some cereals - about 15%. We will talk more about each product group a little later.

But while we have not gone far ahead, we note: the diet must first be formed taking into account the breed of your dog. Following recommendations almost unchanged, they will suit you if you don’t know, for example, how to feed a mongrel yard dog. But if you have a pet of a certain breed, then you can’t do without adjustments: you will have to study individual characteristics your dog (intolerance to certain foods, physiology, etc.) and tailor the pet’s diet to them as much as possible, taking into account the experience of the breeder, information from special literature, the Internet and other owners of dogs of the same breed.

Factors such as the dog's age, size, sex, and level of food also affect the quantity and quality of food. physical activity. If your dog is no longer young and mostly sits at home, then his energy requirement is lower than that of young and active pets who spend a lot of time outside. Big dog eats more than a tiny one, a growing puppy needs a different set of vitamins and minerals than an adult dog, and the diet of a pregnant dog also needs some correction. All these details should certainly be taken into account if you are not indifferent to the health of your four-legged friend.

Meat and offal

We have already said that dogs are predators, so they cannot do without meat. But what kind of meat should you feed your dog - raw or processed? Many experts believe that it is best to bring the dog's diet closer to nature, that is, feed it with raw meat. But in this case, there is a risk that you will buy low-quality meat, and your friend will become infected with worms and dangerous bacteria. To do this, all raw meat and bones must be frozen in advance for at least 2 days, preferably 3, and only then give the dog. Some owners simply pour boiling water over the meat, but this is of little use, since this will only help kill those bacteria that are on the surface of the product.

Why not give the dog boiled meat right away, you ask? Of course, the dog will also eat it boiled with pleasure, however, during heat treatment, some of the beneficial trace elements and vitamins contained in raw meat are lost. Therefore, the ideal option is a compromise consisting in alternating boiled and raw meat so that the animal receives all the necessary substances in full.

  • Types of meat. Lean lean meat is suitable, ideally beef, also veal, rabbit, poultry meat - turkey and chicken, if pets are not allergic to it. Fatty meats, such as pork, are prohibited.

  • Offal. Of course, dogs can also be fed meat by-products - stomachs, hearts, scars, liver, kidneys, chicken necks - only cut into smaller pieces, and always boiled. But do not try to completely replace meat with them! Also, watch the dog's reaction to such food, because in individual cases, such products may not have a very good effect on the well-being and stool of the animal, and then they will have to be abandoned.
  • Ground meat. Opinions vary on this issue, but most experts do not recommend feeding minced meat to your dog. And it's not in harm: the gastrointestinal tract of dogs is designed in such a way that for digestion it needs larger meat pieces, muscle, and ground minced meat through the gastrointestinal tract of your pet will pass, as they say, in transit, without giving all the important nutrients. So do not save on meat, the benefits of minced meat will still be much less, and the animal will hardly get enough.

  • Bones. A big mistake is made by owners who try to save money and give the dogs boiled tubular bones from their table, especially bird bones. Firstly, the bones, in principle, are not nutritious, and rather serve as a toy for the dog - predators in wild nature they are also the last to go. And secondly, fragments of bones that enter the stomach of pets pose a danger to them. internal organs, can cause intestinal perforation, blockage, injury oral cavity, suffocation and other problems, often fatal.

Occasionally, you can give the animal a raw, thawed bone with the remains of meat to play with, but only if it is beef callus - large, rounded, with soft cartilage, and in no case chopped. Better yet, buy your pet a special bone-shaped toy at the pet store.

Fish

What else you can feed a dog to get protein and a lot of useful substances is fish - it’s enough to do this 1-2 times a week. Sea fish can be given raw, having previously been frozen, and river fish can only be boiled well to avoid infection. Clean fish from bones to avoid asphyxia and internal injuries. Remember: there is much less protein in fish than in meat, so the portion should be larger.

It happens that the dog categorically refuses to eat fish - then just increase the portion of meat. There is an option that the animal simply did not like a particular type of fish, try offering another one. And sometimes the pet may refuse raw fish, since the smell of blood disgusts him - then boil it or pour boiling water over it.

Dairy products and eggs

Milk for small puppies under the age of 4 months is an indispensable product. But then their body stops producing the enzyme necessary for the full digestion of lactose, so it is simply not absorbed, and often also weakens the stool and even causes food allergies.

It is better to pay attention to fermented milk products, such as cottage cheese, kefir, curdled milk and yogurt. They can and should be given to animals every day. But these products should not be fatty, however, fat-free too: 1-4% for kefir and yogurt and up to 5% for cottage cheese are quite suitable.

Eggs can only be given boiled, in order to avoid diseases. 1-2 pieces per week will be enough, depending on the size of the dog. And if quail eggs, then from 3 to 6 pieces.

Vegetables

Of course, a storehouse of trace elements and vitamins are vegetables. They are not the main component of the dog's diet, but still their presence in it has a very positive effect on health and appearance quadrupeds.

If you don’t know what kind of vegetables you can feed your dog, then your choice is not so small: both pumpkin and carrots will do, cauliflower, cucumbers, beets and zucchini (boiled only), bell pepper. But from white cabbage, potatoes, onions, garlic, sorrel, eggplant, corn, legumes and a lot of tomatoes are best avoided: they increase flatulence, make the stool unformed, and some of these vegetables can lead the dog to anemia, arthritis and allergies.

What to feed a dog without fail 2-3 times a week, so it's greens. Dill, parsley, lettuce are fine, give them separately or add to food.

cereals

Dogs as predators of carbohydrates require very little, only about 15%, a maximum of 20%. Cereals can become their source, but not all and not on an ongoing basis. For example, sometimes you can diversify the dog's menu with oatmeal, rich in vegetable proteins, but you should not feed it to the dog every day. Can be very beneficial for dogs buckwheat, rice is also good - they can even be mixed. However, it should be remembered that some dogs are allergic to buckwheat and oatmeal, and frequent consumption of rice can cause constipation.

Veterinarians and professional dog breeders do not recommend using other types of cereals. Millet porridge is very difficult to digest and often causes stomach problems in pets, while pearl barley and corn porridge should be feared for their poor digestibility and in many cases even allergenicity. Semolina and is completely useless for a dog, and can also cause allergies.

  • Forget about confectionery and bakery products: they cause fermentation in the stomach, diarrhea in pets, an overabundance of them can lead to serious problems with the gastrointestinal tract, pain, up to rupture of the stomach or intestines. Not to mention the fact that sugar greatly damages the teeth of predators and can cause diabetes.

  • Most sweet and not very fruits are also of no value to our four-legged friends, and even harm: grapes, plums, citrus fruits, persimmons, peaches, red currants, cherries. Bones can block the intestines and cause enteritis. An exception can be made for ripe apples, pears, watermelons and melons, as well as a small amount berries and dried apricots. In no case should you feed a dog with prunes, dates, and even more so raisins: it contains too much potassium, which can lead to serious health problems up to cardiac arrest. Skip the avocado as well - it's too oily for the dog.

  • Nuts can also cause allergies, and in general they are poorly digested by the animal's body.
  • Chocolate, as well as cocoa and caffeine-containing products, are also taboo. They can cause nausea, diarrhea, severe agitation in the animal, and sometimes lead to death.
  • It is strictly forbidden to feed animals with sausage, bacon, salmon, sausages and similar smoked pickles: unfortunately, all of them now contain flavors and other additives of inorganic origin, as well as a large amount of fat, salt and spices that are harmful to dogs.

  • We will even take it out in a separate paragraph: do not add spices and salt to the food that you are going to feed the dog - right amount she gets salt from raw meat and other products, and she doesn’t need spices at all.
  • Once again, we recall the danger of tubular and fish bones- leave the stereotype that a dog definitely needs a bone!
  • The dog should not be fed fatty, fried, salty and spiced food from your dinner table if you do not want the pet to get gastritis or pancreatitis. In general, anything that is not intended for dogs should not be given to them: food for cats and other animals, baby food, "human" nutritional supplements and vitamins, etc.

  • Do not try to give your dog alcohol! Even beer can cause her severe intoxication, and vodka is addictive after the second glass.
  • Make sure that the food is at a temperature that is comfortable for the animal, that is, slightly warm - not hot, not cold, and by no means frozen.
  • Do not forget to change the water in the drinker often - it should always be fresh. It is water that is the only right drink for a dog - milk or kefir is already considered food, and human drinks like various sodas and lemonades do not suit her at all.

  • Don't replace expensive foods with cheap ones, or empty foods like pasta that don't have much of a flavor. nutritional value and with frequent use can lead to obesity. From the fact that you gave the dog a small piece of meat and a large bowl of porridge or vegetables, it will not become healthier and necessary nutrients will not receive.
  • Give your dog only high quality and fresh food. Of course, many dogs are happy to eat and slightly spoiled, fermented meat "with a smell", but frank rotten meat is better to be thrown into the trash without regret. Agree, the argument that dogs are descended from carrion-jackals, who themselves live only 7-8 years, is rather weak. And for some breeds, even slightly stinky meat can at least cause an upset stomach. The same applies to spoiled dairy products.

How often to feed your dog

So that the dog does not have disorders in the work of the gastrointestinal tract, food intake should be regimen. Optimal for adult dog is two meals a day: in the morning and in the evening, while it is best to feed the dog after a walk, and not before it. If you think that in this case the dog will have nothing to relieve himself on a walk, and then he will eat and ask to go to the toilet earlier than he should, then you are mistaken: the digestive process of an adult is a rather lengthy and time-consuming thing. In addition, dense feeding before a walk can provoke intestinal volvulus in a dog.

If you were absent from home or for some other reason forgot to feed the dog at one of the prescribed meals, you should not immediately feed it in a hurry, trying to catch up. Nothing bad will happen from one pass, so try not to deviate from the regimen and let your pet wait until the next meal.

Of course, small puppies need to be fed more often, but in small portions. Babies aged 1-2 months are fed about 5-6 times a day, then the portions are increased, and the number of meals is reduced. At six months, the puppy eats only 3 times a day, and starting from a year old, you can switch to two meals a day.

Pregnant females are fed 3-4 times a day, while watching the weight of the pet in order to prevent obesity.

Dry food or natural food?

The controversy on this issue has not yet subsided. Some veterinarians and dog breeders tend to think that the healthiest and most natural nutrition For dogs - this natural. Others believe that dry food not only makes life easier for the owner, but also has all the necessary microelements and vitamins necessary for proper nutrition of the dog - the manufacturer has already taken care of this for us.

In fact, most inexpensive feed the economy class that we buy only harms our dogs: they are made from low-quality raw materials (in this case, the quality of the food is really related to its cost), contain a bunch of flavorings and chemical preservatives, and the balance of microelements in them is not always completely up to the mark. Therefore, if you have already decided to feed your dog with dry food, choose premium brands and professional food - it is better not to save on the health of your four-legged friend. Do not buy food with colored pellets, study the packaging and choose only brands with natural preservatives.

  • Important: dry food and natural nutrition cannot be mixed! Thus, you break the balance of the pet's diet, because a certain amount of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins in dry food is incorporated during production, and additional natural food leads to their excess, that is, health problems and obesity. Even switching from dry food to natural food, or vice versa, should be gradual, slowly, carefully monitoring the condition of your dog. Therefore, strictly adhere to one type of food.