Dog Food: What You Need to Know:-

A dog needs a food healthy and balanced diet adapted to all its vital needs and so that its body and metabolism can function properly. develop in good conditions.
The quantity of energy ingested by the dog must be determined according to the breed of the dog, but also its age and its lifestyle. Indeed, even if the rations remain the same as the dog ages, the dog’s needs for nutrients, proteins and others change over the years.
It is preferable to recommend a well-digestible diet for optimal nutrition.

The dog is a very Cartesian-minded animal and as a carnivore, it can only eat meat. Domestic dogs, for their part, can be choosy and reluctant to eat this or that food. It is at this moment (and even from the beginning) that the master intervenes and sets his conditions to accustom the animal to eating everything. It is also up to the owner to know the needs of his dog and to adapt accordingly.
Now, there is a very varied diet for the dog, whether for kibble (food dry) or for mash (wet food).

Then comes the question: what to give to your dog? What is best for him? In what quantity?

Dry food: kibble:-

Generally, we choose kibble for its practical side and because it offers the best solutions to the dog’s different needs without necessarily hinder or disrupt its metabolism.

In this dry food, when you choose quality like Premium kibble, we find complete and balanced foods. In addition, with kibble, it is possible to choose a variety according to the breed of your dog, according to its age, according to its weight. And if the dog only likes dry food moderately, you should know that there are even kibbles for “picky dogs”.
The kibbles< /span>However, as dry food does not contain a lot of water, it is important to leave a bowl with water at the dog’s disposal. ‘fresh, clean water.
The kibbles contain the vitamins and minerals necessary for the dog’s development and provide, in addition, a partial cleaning of the teeth. are composed of all possible varieties; even if they seem less appetizing than pâtés for example, kibbles offer the advantage of being able to be kept longer and anywhere. With this kind of food, the dog will always have a balanced diet, no matter where he is or what time of day it is.

Wet food:-

We then talk about pâté and fresh bites.

This type of food has 2 advantages major ones which are a high palatability (this is why dogs prefer them to kibble) and a high humidity which will favor the work of the dogs’ kidneys because they generally drink little.
However, wet food can cause oral and dental pathologies (and the appearance of tartar) unless the owner regularly cleans his teeth.
This type of food keeps less well than dry food because Once the can is opened, it must be consumed within 48 hours maximum to maintain all its freshness and the qualities of its nutrients.
We nevertheless recommend this type of food to animals which have difficulty biting and chewing hard foods.

However, there are other alternatives in food for dogs such as household rations: before embarking on this type of food, it It is advisable to go to your veterinarian who will be able to indicate what quantity is necessary for the dog and which foods may be suitable for him and which should be avoided. Household rations are food prepared by the owner from fresh raw materials.
In the same spirit, there is dietetic food which is mainly found at the veterinarian: there are two ranges, namely the physiological range for regular maintenance of the animal and a dietary range which meets specific needs for certain pathologies in dogs.

Attitude and rules for feeding your dog:-

With his dog, the owner must maintain his role so that the dog knows that it is not necessarily a reward and that everything he has to eat is good for him. It is essential to show him what he can and cannot do with food and to get him used to eating everything as quickly as possible while being aware of his body’s needs.
The dog must eat at a fixed time, if possible after its owner and preferably in the evening.

After thirty minutes, if the dog still won’t eat, his bowl needs to be taken away from him so that he knows there’s nothing else left to hope for.

After a while, we offer him his bowl and as his survival instinct will awaken, he will eat.

During this training, it is advisable to give him kibble so as not to waste food.
When a dog reaches adulthood, most breeds only require one meal per day.

It is crucial to avoid drastically changing the dog’s diet as this may cause diarrhea.
Any change in his diet must be made gently over a few days by gradually introducing the new food.
Warning: leftover meals are not balanced enough for a dog and this is not enough to compose a complete diet.

How much food to give your dog?

If you choose to give industrial food, whether wet or dry, the doses are often prescribed on the container and this based on the weight of the dog.
But if you choose to give Premium foods like Premium kibble,

it is possible to have a small cup that will rationalize what is needed for the dog’s needs.
It is essential to weigh your dog regularly to know its weight but also to monitor the evolution of its metabolism.
The stomach will reach its final size around the age of 7 months on average: this is why during weaning (which will last until the age of 3 months),

any food ration will be divided into 4 or 5 meals per day. Then, between 5 and 7 months, the number of meals drops to 3 meals distributed between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. to teach him what nighttime rest is.
Finally, from 7 months , we only give one or two meals at most.
The dog’s food can be heated but this is not obligatory but a temperature of 18° is often recommended.

Premium or standard foods:-

Premium foods:-

These are the most balanced foods that you can offer your dog because they have a high supply of proteins necessary for the dog’s muscle development.

With Premium foods, proteins are diversified into poultry, beef, fish.

In this type of diet, the fat intake, which is essential and which contributes to the palatability of the food, is present, the fats being selected according to their contribution in essential fatty acids.

Thus, all the dog’s needs are covered to increase the energy power of the dog and improve its taste. Finally, the Premiums have a fiber content which will allow better digestion and better intestinal transit.

Standard foods:-

This type of food is more easily found, especially in supermarkets. Prices are lower compared to Premium foods because the quality of ingredients differs. Likewise, this food is digested less well.
There are nevertheless standard foods for all stages of a dog’s life, whether puppy or senior.
Standard foods are usually more palatable due to their higher fat content.

How to read kibble labels correctly?

First of all, the law indicates that the following information must be provided on the label:

the average analysis in percentages, the list of ingredients, the vitamins in KG and the instructions for use, i.e. the dosage. recommended.

Here is an example reading:

– The average analysis which only gives percentages does not provide information on the quality of the product.
– The ingredients are listed with the lowest number first.. the first ingredient is always the one representing the largest quantity. Example: chicken, corn, animal fats, corn gluten, beet pulp… Chicken is here the majority ingredient in the composition.
– The list of ingredients is established before cooking. Fresh chicken contains 75% water and fat. After cooking an extruded croquette (at around 130°C) there is 4 to 5 times less left.
– The first ingredient must be dehydrated meat or fish.< a i=4>The most frequent practices are as follows.

This food is therefore mainly made up of cereals, the primary source of carbohydrates.

Another example:

There is therefore more corn than chicken here.

The other practices encountered are:

Legally, what is listed between two commas only counts as one ingredient.

So the ingredient “Meat and animal by-products” can contain 3% meat and 97% animal by-products.

Preservatives:-

EEC additives:

. BHA (or E320)
. BHT(or E321)

Ethoxyquin:-

These are artificial preservatives derived from petroleum used primarily to harden and preserve plastic materials. They are known to be carcinogenic.
But a manufacturer is not required to say whether the ingredients it uses contain preservatives and what type they are.

Some premium brands:-

Brit & Brit care : The brand has developed a food which provides very effective protection against external aggressions. Indeed, this food is composed of hypoallergenic foods such as lamb or rice, salmon and potatoes. This diet contains a balanced level of amino acids and does not contain genetically modified foods.

Dog Chow :  The nutritional quality of this food range allows the dog to enjoy excellent physical condition at all times.

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