Do you want to know what to feed your dog so that he lives a long, healthy life? The answer is top quality commercial dog food. A quality commercial dog food contains all the nutrients your dog needs to keep him healthy so he will live a long life. Dog food comes in two varieties. The first is kibble, which is a dry food, and the second is canned food, which is wet and contains meat. You can feed your dog kibble - and nothing else - or canned food - and nothing else - or a mixture of both. Many dog owners assume that you can't feed a dog kibble and nothing else. But you certainly can. kibble is formulated to contain all the nutrients your dog needs, a dog can happily live his entire life on nothing but kibble - though if he could speak he'd probably ask for canned food because it contains meat. In fact, high quality kibble (and canned food) contains more than the daily requirement of vitamins and minerals your dog needs.
High quality dog food will give your dog a complete and balanced diet. So there is no need to feed your puppy extra supplements on top of his daily rations of canned dog food or kibble. No scientific evidence exists which proves that supplements do anything "extra" for your dogs heath. While we're talking about scientific evidence - there is also none which suggests that the preservatives in dog food should be avoided. But if you're skeptical all the same, you can choose a dog food with natural preservatives - Vitamin C or E - instead. If your dog is still a puppy - less than one year old - you should feed him a puppy growth formula of dog food. These life stage foods contains more nutrients that his body needs while he is growing. After he is one year old you can switch him to a high quality adult dog food.
So which brand of high quality dog food should you choose? You should always by a top quality dog food from one of the major brands. These companies would never do anything to tarnish there brand (or at least it is very, very unlikely they would let anything go to market before thorough testing). The big brands do a lot of feed testing and research and development to make sure their food contains all the nutrients your dog needs to be as healthy as he can be. So choose one of the major brands. Your Veterinarian will be able to help you choose. How much should you feed your puppy?
The label on the back of the top quality dog food you choose is a fairly accurate guide on how much to feed your dog - according to his weight and age. The label is a good place to start. You also need to use your own judgment. If he has plenty of energy, the right amount of body fat, a shiny coat, and bright eyes then he is getting the right amount of food each day. If he is always really hungry and you think it's because he isn't getting enough food you can feed him a little more. Speak with your Vet to find out if he is at his ideal body weight. Your Vet will be able to suggest whether he needs more or less food. You should feed a puppy four times a day. And you should feed an adult twice a day.
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Frequently Asked Questions
I need help shopping for raw foods at the grocery store for my dog.
By: hlr2b941 | 13-09-2008
Can anyone tell me what I can buy at the grocery store (raw foods) that are good for my 8 y.o. labrador? He has hot spots, scabs on his belly, peeling skin on his belly, inflammed skin in arm pits. Multiple vet visits are all the same....shave, wash, antibiotics, anti-itch spray. I need a cure, not expensive band-aids. He is now traumatized from being shaved over and over, anal glands expressed when not necessary (I understand Dr. didn't want that to be a source of irritation but he hasn't been the same since)
I'm tired of giving him the same food (RD Diet) every day. I've started adding cooked beef, ground chicken or ground turkey to his dinner. I cook it in a small amount of water. He also has severe hip dysplasia in both hips and arthritis in his shoulders. This is a case of bad breeding but I believe I can help him through better feeding. If anyone can help me, I'd appreciate it!
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By: Sharon | 27-08-2008
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By: HawaiiMom | 28-07-2008
I would like to supplement my dog's dry food with some fresh food. What are the best things to mix in? I have a Poodle and a Weimaraner.
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By: Charlotte | 27-06-2008
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By: Charlotte | 27-06-2008
Has anyone had problems with their dogs health and have been feeding them Nutro Natural Choice dog food?
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By: Mrs.H0711 | 05-06-2008
Rumor has it that Science Diet dog food and cat food will no longer be sold in Israel. Why is that?
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