|
Proper diet is among the more important considerations in the health maintenance of your pet and essential in the management of many diseases. To feed correctly, a knowledge of dietary nutrients and their availability is important. In order to live, a dog must eat. How long the dog lives, as well as health, immune system, behavior and temperament, the ability to reproduce successfully and to recover from trauma, all depend on what is eaten. An animal that eats well lives a long life, coping with everyday stresses and strains. One that eats poorly is unhealthy and with age will begin to suffer from chronic diseases. In order to build a proper nutritional diet, you need six building blocks: protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and water. The quality of these building blocks and the ratio of one to another helps to determine the usability of a food to your pet. Every cell in a dog's body needs fuel. Fuel comes from food, which is converted to energy. The quality and quantity of energy your dog's needs to be able to run, play, work and live a long and healthy life depend on the quality and quantity of food you provide. Nutritionists measure fuel in terms of how much energy it produces. They use the term calories to measure energy produced by individual foods. If the calories provided in dog food are sufficient, your dog's body will be able to produce energy for growth, maintenance, the production of enzymes and the ability to fight disease. If the correct calories are not provided, you will produce an inferior dog, poor in health and short lived. A dog fed incorrectly will experience stress. That stress will manifest itself in the weakest part of the body. It may be runny eyes, ear infections, skin problems, crooked teeth or diseases of the bones and kidneys. Stress may manifest itself in an inability to breed, conceive, have a full term pregnancy, whelp easily or lactate properly. Dogs that are shy or afraid of thunderstorms or who show unprovoked aggression may also be exhibiting stress symptoms. Most people have no idea what's in their dog's food. If their dogs pick at the food, people will change to another food, trying to find the one just right for their dog. Dogs are carnivores, or meat eaters. Their teeth are formed to pull flesh apart. They have simple stomachs and a short digestive tract, ideal for digesting meat. Cereal and vegetable proteins are not as readily digested by the dog. While they have adapted to digesting these proteins, they have to eat a greater quantity to get the necessary nutrients. More food means more expense and more stool waste. Dogs prefer a food high in animal protein, over cereal protein, to make them healthier and to perform better.
BARFBARF is about feeding dogs and cats properly. The aim of BARF is to maximize the health, longevity and reproductive capacity of pets and by so doing, minimize the need for veterinary intervention. How do you feed a dog properly? You feed it the diet that it evolved to eat. Its evolutionary diet. A Biologically Appropriate Raw Food diet. A BARF diet. The BARF diet is simple in philosophy and construction. It looks at the diet of a wild or feral animal and mimics that type of feeding regime using available whole raw foodstuffs. The diet may be enhanced with various supplements. Once the principles are understood, anybody can do this. No great education is required. In the case of the cat, which is an obligate carnivore and a hunter, the biologically appropriate diet is based largely upon animal derived foods. Basically, whatever nutrition can be derived from a whole fresh raw carcass in its entirety constitutes a biologically appropriate diet. In the case of the dog which is an omnivore, a hunter and a scavenger, the diet can be based on a wider range of whole raw foods of both animal and plant origin. Both species rely on bones as a major part of their diet for a variety of reasons including teeth cleaning and the myriad of benefits which flow from that together with the nutritional attributes of bones and their their psychological benefits. [For more detail information on BARF diets see: Raw Food Debate [For more detail information on benefits of a BARF diet see: Benefits of a Raw Diet
What is DHA?Did you know that at 6 weeks of age, puppies have acquired about 70 percent of their adult brain mass? Neural development continues well into the post-weaning period. Feeding your puppy a diet rich in DHA supports development of brain tissues for optimal cognitive function. DHA is the most abundant fatty acid in the brain and a major structural component. Mothers, both human and canine, transfer DHA from their body tissues to their offspring during pregnancy and lactation. After weaning, puppies can obtain DHA through other sources like fish oils and DHA-enriched puppy foods like Eukanuba. Because dogs experience their most rapid period of growth during the first 6 to 12 months, its critical to feed your puppy the right diet, right from the start. Eukanuba Puppy Foods have more DHA than some other puppy food brands for optimal brain development and a smarter, more trainable puppy (based on a study of mothers and puppies fed enhanced Eukanuba). [For more detail information on DHA see: What is DHA?
Elevated FeedersVeterinarians, breeders and trainers all agree that good digestion begins with proper feeding posture. That's why the Elevated Feeder is so highly recommended. The elevated feeding posture eliminates gulping, reducing air intake during feeding which minimizes bloating and gas, improving digestion. Better posture reduces stress on bones, joints, and muscles, making this feeder ideal for older dogs with arthritis or hip problems. [For more detail information on Raised Feeders see: Elevated Feeders
Feeding HabitsAlthough feeding a dog would seem to be a relatively simple matter, the science of canine nutrition is still a field of intense study and research. The work of nutritionists has led to commercially available diets of extremely high quality. These diets, if used properly, can significantly add to the health and longevity of your dog. A dog's dietary requirements change depending on its stage of life, activity level and physiologic state. For instance, a growing puppy requires high levels of many nutrients, like protein, to develop strong bones and muscles. Older dogs do not require nearly as much protein; in fact, high-protein diets can over-tax body organs such as the kidneys and actually shorten the dog's life. Recently, it has been discovered that many diseases in dogs dramatically alter nutritional requirements. Many diets are now available that have been developed specifically for ill or aging dogs. In many instances, these special diets can be the single most important factor in treating the disease. High-quality diets do not ensure that dogs will remain healthy. It is up to dog owners to feed dogs properly and observe them closely for any indication of a problem. The leading preventable condition that has a profound effect on their health, well being and life span is obesity. It has been estimated that as many as half of all the pet dogs in the United States are overweight. This information is intended to help dog owners understand how and what to feed their dogs to give them the greatest chance of long and healthy lives. It is not just the length of the dog's life, but the quality of life for both the dog and its owner that is important. The dog's status in the household has changed dramatically over the years. Dogs have risen from simple utility animals and guardians of livestock and property to the point where many consider them a part of the family. Thus to many owners, maintaining a happy, healthy dog has become even more important. Even the working or breeding dog can perform better if it receives the nutrition it requires. [For more detail information on Feeding Habits see: Feeding your Dog [For more detail information on Rottweiler Feeding Habits see: Rottweiler Feeding Habits
AntioxidantsJust like you, your puppy needs excellent nutrition to grow into a healthy adult. He needs high quality food full of the appropriate amounts of vitamins and minerals to develop properly, especially during rapid growth. Although there are many supplement products that are supposed to be "good" for your growing puppy, it's not necessary to supplement a complete diet with extra vitamins. In fact, it can be harmful. Never give your puppy any supplements unless advised by your veterinarian to do so. Simply feed a high-quality product that includes antioxidants, and your puppy will get everything he needs. To follow is information on some of the most important vitamins and minerals, and why they are so critical to your pup's health. Your puppy's food should include these antioxidants in its formula. Vitamin C We've known for a long time that Vitamin C is good for us, but do our puppies need it, too? Yes. Your puppy is able to create Vitamin C in his own body and, as a result, for many years it was thought puppies didn't need any more Vitamin C than their body could manufacture. Now we know better. Vitamin C is a "water soluble" vitamin, which means if the body gets more than it needs, it simply excretes it. This trait makes it a generally nontoxic vitamin, although suddenly giving your puppy a larger amount than normal could cause digestive upset. Vitamin C plays an important role in the formation of collagen, which helps keep your puppy's joints healthy as he grows. It is also recognized as an important anti-stress nutrient. Vitamin C also protects the body against infection and lessens the effects of toxins all while it boosts the immune system. It's easy to see why this is an important vitamin for your puppy to get everyday. Vitamin E Another well known antioxidant, Vitamin E, is a workhorse in the body. It helps protect against certain types of cancer while it improves circulation, supports the nervous system and assists in maintaining healthy skin. In the correct amounts, Vitamin E protects cells from damage caused by stress, poor nutrition, pollution, illness or injury. Your pup cannot create Vitamin E in his own body he must ingest it with his food. Therefore, making sure Vitamin E is a part of your puppy's diet is very important for his long-term health. This is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that the body stores any extra, rather than excreting it. It is possible to give a pup too much, and it can be toxic in very large dosages. Trace Minerals "Trace" means that the body needs these minerals in tiny amounts. Examples of the more commonly known trace minerals include copper, zinc, and manganese. Although your puppy's body needs only a small amount of these minerals, they are still very important. These minerals are critical to the functioning of a strong immune system. Your puppy's body cannot manufacture these minerals on its own he must get them from his food. Remember, your puppy needs these vitamins and minerals to grow into a healthy adult. However, supplements are not necessary. Simply feed your puppy a quality food that includes antioxidants such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E and trace minerals in its formula Functions of Antioxidants
[For more detail information on Antioxidants see: What are Antioxidants?
|
