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The information below consists of the following topics:
This page was created to give advice to
puppy and dog owners on proper nutrition and feeding practices.
Most of this information is based on the breeding as well
as articles and information gathered from the many people
involved in dogs that I have had the pleasure of meeting and
knowing.
Remember that all those holistic, or "natural" dog
foods are trying to sell you a product. The only way to convince
you to buy their product is by convincing you that the regular
commercial dog food sold in stores is detrimental to your dog's
health. Why else would you spend the money on their food?
The most honest opinions on dog nutrition are given by those who
have nothing to gain by convincing you to purchase a certain
brand or type of dog food. It is not something that is new. People have been raw feeding for years. Dogs or "Wolves" in the wild have always eaten their prey raw. No, they did not take the time to trim & cook the meat. LOL! Anyway, we started 6 of our dogs on raw. I was worried about being able to find the meat at a good price. So I have waited to start the remainder of our dogs on the raw food. Actually the dogs that are on the raw, are doing great. With the price that a premium grade of Kibble has gone up to, it is cheaper to feed the dogs on human grade meat than to buy kibble for them. Everyone knows that dogs are carnivores. So they really do not need grain or vegetables. Dogs cannot process the grain, fruit or vegetables. This is the reason why you see so many bowel movements a day. My dogs have less(poop) and smaller poop than they had when they were on kibble. And the money that I am saving is wonderful. Not to mention the fact that I am doing the very best for my beloved pets. Go to this link for more info on feeding your dogs a species appropriate diet: Natural Rearing UPDate: My Reggie(chocolate/tan dapple boy): He is such a sweetie. I would always look at him and say to my husband: He looks like a red. Now I know he is not a red. But his fur coat was so washed out. Boy does he ever look like a chocolate now!!! And his teeth! It was going to cost me upwards of $200 to have his teeth cleaned. Well, no need for that now. We have also started all of our dogs on raw. Words cannot describe how wonderful they are doing. I have researched this so much and have come to the conclusion that this is the best way for our dogs. If anyone would want to pick my brain, please feel free to call or email me. Puppies:
The first 24 -48 hours of a puppies life it receives an
important live giving nourishment from the mother known as "colostrum". Its also known as the foremilk. This fluid is rich in antibodies
and minerals and help protect the puppy until it is older. It is
very important puppies receive this nourishment from the mother. Puppies should not begin weaning until after four weeks of age.
It is best they are not totally weaned from the mother until 6
weeks of age.
I prefer this way so that my pups are as protected as long as possible
from deadly viruses. After weaning until adulthood Puppies 6 weeks to 4 months should be fed 2 to three times a day. It is always a better idea to feed your adult dog once a day. Puppy food is usually higher in fats and protein than adult food. Some premium brand lamb diets have fat and protein levels close to adult food. Keep in mind all puppies can become too heavy regardless of the food if the owner feeds too large of a quantity of food. Adult dogs **Over bathing your dog can actually cause excessive shedding and sometimes even cause a smell from skin damage. Over bathing can damage your dogs skin, dry it out and contribute greatly to shedding. **Dogs that live inside tend to shed all year long. Since the daytime and night time hours control when a dog sheds naturally, dogs indoors are exposed to much longer periods of light (artificial light from lamps and indoor lighting). That combined with indoor heating cause a dog to shed at least some of its coat all year long. **Stress or stressful situations (as that scary visit to the vet and surgery) can contribute to shedding. **Parasites can contribute to shedding. Dogs overwhelmed by parasites (worms) can have a dull unhealthy looking coat and shed more than usual. **Good nutrition is very important in the over all health of your dog. Nutrition can have a very important role in hair growth or shedding problems. Dogs that are fed diets with soy or corn as the main ingredient tend to have a more unhealthy coat, can show symptoms as a dull unhealthy coat with excess shedding and tend to need more trips outside to relieve themselves. **The quality of the protein and the actual amount of protein your dog eats can affect shedding. Dogs tend to shed more when being fed diets with corn or another carb as the main ingredient. These dogs may not get the amount of protein needed in their coats which can contribute to shedding. Dogs fed protein levels that are higher than needed can shed in excess also. These dogs may not have dull looking coats and are in good health, but they seem to shed more. It appears that they grow more coat and shed more because of that. Sometimes adjusting the amount of protein can make a difference in these cases. **Dog allergies can show themselves as ear infections, excess tearing, dry, irritated and itchy skin as well as excess shedding. The majority of the time allergies are caused by a dog's diet. **If you're using a quality premium food to feed your dog, do NOT add vitamins to it's diet. This can interfere with your dog food. **If you're feeding a high quality dog food do not purchase shedding or anti shedding products. You're just paying for something you're already getting from your food. Anti - shedding products are nothing more than vitamins and supplements already supplied by your dog's food.
Gastric Torsion And Dog Food
☻ LEAVE WATER OUT AT ALL TIMES! If you limit water your dog is much more likely to drink quickly and too much. This contributes to cases of bloat. If something is always available a dog is much less likely to gorge. NOTE: Monitor your large breed or giant breed dog after heavy exercise. ☻ Feed your dog from an elevated dish. This helps the dog take in less air as it doesn't "suck" in air when eating. ☻ IF you purchased a dog from a quality breeder, they will know the bloat history of their dogs. It can be hereditary. ☻ Prevent your dog from eating quickly. Sometimes putting a large rock in the middle of the food dish slows down the eating process as the dog must eat around the rock. The rock needs to be too large for your dog to fit into it's mouth! ☻ Keep your dog calm after meals. Harsh exercise and physical activity can contribute greatly to bloat. If you would like more information on this subject, I found a great article at the link below!
http://www.eclipse.net/~bobaloo/bloat.htm
©Blue Rose Doxies 2005-2010
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