Your dog is your best buddy, and your buddy needs the best nutrition for a long, happy and healthy life. Most times, even though we have good intentions, we end up making some mistakes feeding our paw-some friend. I hope today’s blog gives you an insight into feeding your dog the right way. So, here are some common mistakes and tips to help you feed your dog in the best way possible :
BALANCED DIET :
The first and foremost thing when it comes to food is to have a balanced diet. What is a balanced diet? Just like a human being, your dog needs their dose of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fibers, minerals for its development. A nutritious diet should have the required amount of all the nutrients according to a dog’s needs and age. A young dog needs more calories for proper growth and functioning. A puppy needs a more protein-rich diet than an old dog. Whereas, in the later stage of their life, they might be less active and mostly resting. Hence, they can function with fewer calories too.
Go easy with the treats :
The treats should only constitute a small part of your dog’s diet. These treats are mostly highly processed containing sugars and preservatives and provide next to no nutrition. Just as you make sure your kid doesn’t gobble down the snacks. In the same way, you cannot let your dog feast on these carbohydrates and fat-rich snacks too often. Instead, keep a slice of seasonal fruit or veggies like a fresh cucumber as a treat. These options do not cause any harm, and on the plus side, they are healthy.
DO NOT OVERFEED :
You want your dog to eat well, but do not feed them over their requirement. If you fill a glass of water over its brim, the excessive water will go to waste. In the same way, the excessive food you are feeding your dog here will not only go to waste but cause more harm than good. A chubby, healthy dog may look cute, but they become less active and don’t burn enough calories. It only contributes towards weak metabolism and is an open invitation to obesity and various deadly diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cancer, etc.
Change the diet according to the season :
It is advised to mix up your dog’s diet
according to the seasons. For example, in winters, your dog burns more calories to keep themselves warm from the cold. But, make sure to reduce the number of fatty treats as your dogs are lazier in winters. Balance is the key here. It is a dry season, so make sure that your dog stays hydrated. If it doesn’t drink water voluntarily, then try to increase the water content in its meal.
India is a tropical country where summers can be quite harsh. And you are not the only one who needs some chilled refreshments during these times. In summers, Your dog needs something cool and fresh to get relief from the scorching heat. Who said healthy isn’t tasty? Instead of going for processed, sugary treats from the market, you can add fresh seasonal fruits and veggies to your diet. Who doesn’t love fresh slices of a mango or cucumber? These treats are not only tasty but healthy and refreshing. Buttermilk is another refreshing drink made out of yogurt. It’s highly rich in probiotics that greatly help in digestion and is loved all over the country. I bet your dog would love a sip of this mouth-watering drink too!
BUY YOUR DOG FOOD SMARTLY :
A lot of dog food brands just put flashy taglines on their products or make celebrities endorse them to influence people. But, always judge the product by its ingredients list. Ignore the product with added colors and preservatives. Also, good dog food has meat as its main ingredient or a combination of them. Make sure the name of the meat is mentioned in the package at the top. Sometimes a dog may have some kind of allergy to a certain food. So, you can always consult your veterinarian to get more knowledge about the ingredients and choose the right brand of food for your dog according to its needs.
Supplement Your Dog’s Diet :
It is important to supplement your dog’s diet with supplements like omega 3 fatty acids, calcium, and probiotics. I would suggest you not spend a large sum of money on buying the supplements. Instead, go for natural sources. For example, eggshells are a great source of calcium, yogurt is a source of probiotics, and fish oils provide omega-3-fatty acids. Calcium makes your dog’s bones strong. Whereas, omega three fatty acid not only helps in taking care of arthritis and kidney diseases.
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