Keep Your Dog Healthy By Feeding It the Right Food

Keep Your Dog Healthy

Dogs are human’s best friends, we often treat them just like family, but how do we keep your dog healthy? They are there for us when we need a friend and they’re always happy to see us after a long day’s work. They even make us feel better when we are down. So, are we taking care of them?

Much like humans, dogs require a healthy diet that consists of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. They require a certain amount of water a day. Foods that are high in fat and cholesterol can have damaging effects on dogs, just like humans. Dogs need to have a balanced and healthy intake to make certain that they are in the best condition. Regular exercise is required as well. As dogs become older, it is important that their diet changes meet their needs. Veterinarians have created different age ranges that require changes in a dog’s diet. What to look for on the nutritional guide.

There are important things to look for when deciding what food to feed your dog.  You need to be certain that artificial flavours and colours are kept out of the food, these substances are not beneficial to your dog’s health and can create stomach problems. When considering protein for your pet, be certain that you are searching for foods with fresh meats, your dog will get the most nutrition from this. If any of the products contain the word “meal”, you are running the risk of your dog not getting the correct nutrition, meal means that the meat is over-processed and does not contain the highest vitamin or mineral content.

Any other reference to meat is not acceptable in dog food. The other important materials that you need to look for on a label of dog food are minerals, fats, carbohydrates and vitamins. All of these are essential in good nutrition for your dog. Fats are helpful in helping to give your dog energy, heart health and maintaining joints, skin and coat. Make sure that you find oils such as animal fat, corn oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, fish meal, fish oils and flax. Vitamins such as antioxidants and Vitamin E are crucial to a dog’s immune system.

Check labels for these and other vitamins. Look for carbohydrates that are high in fibre to keep your dog’s digestive system regular. You may want to stay away from oats which can create dry, uncomfortable stools or very gassy dogs. Finally, make certain that you are getting essential minerals such as calcium and phosphorus which help with bones and teeth. You should also be aware of water consumption by your pet as well, lack of water can lead to many health issues.

Of course, there is the issue of dehydration. However, there are other problems that can develop. First off, water helps the body to deliver essential nutrients throughout the body. Water also assists with the digestion of nutrients to create energy. Water will also regulate your dog’s body temperature. Make sure that you keep a freshwater supply for your dog at all times. Stages of a dog and nutritional needs

Puppy

Puppies have a lot of needs, when you bring a puppy home for the first time, you will see that they are very active and fun-loving. This energy requires a whole different form of nutrition than other dogs. Puppies can burn calories much faster than adult dogs, for that reason, puppies need at least three times the calories. They also have a need to grow quickly, their bodies are a constant growing factory and this means that puppies need to have food with more protein to help body tissue develop during the times of rapid growth. Puppies also have a need for more minerals.

During this time of development, they need more phosphorus and calcium to promote bone growth, they also need many more antioxidants to help their immune system develop fully. Up until about eighteen months, puppies are growing daily. High-quality puppy foods are going to have all of these essentials so that your puppy will grow to be strong and healthy. We would recommend the Hills and Eukanuba range of puppy foods.

Adult

Adult dogs have many different needs dependent upon breed, weight, size and performance. When looking for dog food for an adult dog, you need to be certain that you have food that is promoting a healthy diet and gives all the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrition. There are special foods for all the different dog types, if your dog is obese, make sure that you search out a dog food that is lighter in calories. Measuring food for your dog or spreading out meals can be useful too. Large dogs have special needs for their joints, make sure to buy foods that are high in glucosamine and chondroitin. During the adult years, you must be sure to adapt to the needs of your animal. For healthy adult dogs, we would recommend the Dr Green or Royal Canin range of dog foods.

Seniors

Senior dogs over the age of seven years are typically in need of more protection for their joints. These dogs will have different needs. Most commonly, dogs may have problems with their coats at this age. Also, there are several breeds that will develop joint and muscle pains. You may also see that adult dogs develop immune-deficiency issues, selecting an adult dog food that caters to these needs is essential. We stock a large range of James Wellbeloved senior dog food, which is ideal for this age range. Overall, you need to concentrate on the life stages of your dog and be certain that you are catering to their needs at that time in their life. Feeding your dog the right food can make sure that they are with you for a long time.