March 29th, 2010 by Your-Virtual-Groomer
You may well know the feeling of staring at your dog while he or she stares at the food dish, sighs, and looks at you with an expression which clearly says “You expect ME to eat THAT?” At those moments, you may even be wondering why you simply don’t just get a cat, which would at least be coming to you with the reputation of being a picky eater.
There aren’t too many dog owners that have not found themselves in the same situation. And because you are a kind-hearted sort, your dog knows that if it waits long enough, sure enough, something really tasty shows up. Mission accomplished. Owner happy, dog happy and dog just won round one. Many owners are fixated on their dog’s eating habits. That only makes things get worse and worse.
Once your dog knows it can wrangle something else out of you, it will keep on keeping on until it gets right out of hand. And if you think feeding him later will be easier, think again. It only gets worse. This type of behavior needs to be nipped in the bud immediately. Besides, who is the Alpha dog here anyhow – YOU or the dog?
Owners of finicky eaters are constantly changing their diet to get them to eat. This only makes your dog hold out to see if anything better is being offered. But these ongoing switches bring their own set of problems.
If you make sudden dog diet changes, this causes digestive upsets for your dog. Any diet changes need to be done slowly. Add a small amount of new food to your pet’s current food and gradually increase that amount while decreasing the amount of the current food over a seven to ten day period.
But right now what we are discussing is NOT catering to a fusspot – so changing foods constantly isn’t going to help matters any.
You have likely also been in the situation where you have purchased a whole swack of types of dog food (canned and dry) to let your dog figure out what he likes. Not a good idea, because if he doesn’t like anything, three guesses who will be running out and trying to find something better. Right – you! Chances are also that your dog loves people food. Uh-huh! This also isn’t a good idea either. Really, if you were a dog wouldn’t YOU want to have the steak on the table rather than the kibble in the bowl?
What can you do?
The basic rule of thumb is if that any dog which gets hungry enough WILL eat no matter what is in the bowl. Have patience and ye shall be rewarded. Don’t hover, plead, cajole, hand feed, or change the food. Just leave it in the bowl and ——- WAIT!
Establish Regular Feeding Times and Stick with Them
The value of having your dog on a timetable and on a regular dog diet can’t be over emphasized. Dogs thrive on routine, and besides, if you don’t establish a routine and stick to it, your dog will implement one himself. Dogs without routines and a “pack leader” take over the roles themselves and you won’t like the consequences.
If you feed regularly at the same time (or close to it) daily then when the food hits the floor then your dog will be there to eat it – and will in fact learn to anticipate being fed. If you never thought dogs (or other animals) could tell time, try missing your regular feeding time one day.
Here is the most effective thing to do when you feed a finicky dog. Feed at the regular time and if they do not eat the food within 15 minutes, you take the bowl up and put the food back in the fridge. The next time that bowl comes out and goes down on the floor is the second feeding of the day. Period! Watch how fast your dog catches on to the fact if he doesn’t eat when the food is there, it’s GONE.
If your pal is getting adequate amounts of a palatable and nutritious food two times a day, you have fulfilled your responsibilities as far as feeding is concerned. Don’t let doggie involve you in a battle of wills like a spoiled child who won’t go to bed without first having ice cream. That food dish is YOUR domain!
Sharda Baker has published several dog ebook and audios, including the internet best selling “Complete Guide to Your Dog’s Nutrition”.
Visit the link below now for Sharda’s Special Free Dog Food Report.
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March 27th, 2010 by Your-Virtual-Groomer
If you’ve learned enough about dog food to have decided that it’s time to change what your dog has been eating to a more healthy dog food, you need to develop a plan of action. Your dog may have both physical and emotional difficulty in switching to a new food, because just like us, dogs do have comfort foods. So you should do your switching gradually, to spare your pet any digestive problems or stress.
Although we see many dogs as hardy creatures and marvel at what they manage to eat, the fact is that a dog’s digestive system if very sensitive. It is important to gradually change a dog’s diet slowly and over time. Be on the look out for any adverse effects caused by the change, and consult a veterinarian if any symptoms persist for more than a few days.
By not changing a dog’s diet slowly, you may subject your pet to:
- Stomach cramps
- Excess Gas
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Refusal to Eat
Even though you have found a healthier alternative to the current dog food, you dog may not know that and as a creature of habit, would prefer the old to the new. With this in mind, the first few tries may be difficult. However, with a few simple tricks and tips, the transition should be easy.
Gradual change to a more healthy dog food is the key, so start by mixing the old and new food together in a 25% to 75% ratio of new to old. Over the next few days, slowly increase the ratio of new food while decreasing the old food. At the end of this process, the new food will make up 100% of the food bowl.
The Kibble to BARF Transition
The switch from dry kibble to the BARF diet needs to be done with a few considerations in mind and a more watchful eye, as some dogs will have problems switching. There are two methods used when switching dogs over to the BARF diet.
The Quick Switch
This is the popular choice as it is easy, fast, and hassle free. You simply make the switch with the next meal. Considerations to keep in mind when making the Rapid Switch whether or not you believe your dog can handle such a change. Usually, younger dogs and those dogs that have a healthy, normal gastrointestinal system are the ones able to handle such a switch.
Dogs that are older or that have problems with their digestive system may have issues, as they can not tolerate kibble and raw food in their digestive tract at the same time. This can result in vomiting and diarrhea. This also means that owners have no choice but to hold off the rapid switch food.
The Slow Switch:
This method takes time, sometimes a significant amount of time, to fully switch from kibble to the BARF diet. It is not recommended to continue feeding the dog both kibble and BARF as this will lead to digestion problems. It needs to be one or the other.
There are three ways to go about the Slow Switch.
The first is simple enough; you feed the dog a meal of the BARF diet and a meal of the old food. Each day decrease the amount of meals of the old food until your dog’s meals are nothing but the BARF diet.
The second way is mixing the old food in with the BARF diet and gradually decrease the amount of old food until the dog is eating nothing but the BARF diet. A problem with this way comes in when the dog can not keep both kibble and BARF diet in its systems at the same time. If this is the case, you will have to follow the Rapid Switch method.
The last way is for owners who were already feeding their dog home cooked foods. Slowly introduce the dog to rawer states of those foods until he is eating nothing but the raw food. However, if the dog suffers from an immune deficiency and can not eat raw food, owners can cook the BARF diet, though this is not recommended for healthy dogs.
If you realize that your dog is not eating a healthy diet, then by all means make whatever changes are necessary to rectify the situation. Just do it in a way which eases the transition for you pal so that meal times still remain the high points of his or her day!
Sharda Baker has published several dog ebook and audios, including the internet best selling “Complete Guide to Your Dog’s Nutrition”.
Visit the link below now for Sharda’s Special Free Dog Food Report.
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March 25th, 2010 by Your-Virtual-Groomer
The massive pet food recall of 2007 had millions of dog owners terrified that they had unwittingly been poisoning their beloved pets. If you and your dog survived that frightening time, you have undoubtedly been more careful in your choice of dog foods ever since. But how is the average dog owner to know what’s really going into doggie’s dish? One way to know for sure is to make your pet’s food at home, but that can be very time-consuming. The other option is to know which commercial food is the the best dog food, that is both safe and nutritious.
The question of what to feed your dog is a sensitive one as there are many different camps advocating many different ideas, facts, and theories. For many owners, the question is solved by finances. To put is simply, if the owner can afford the dog food then that type and brand is going to go into the food bowl. While this approach may seem sensible, especially when the monthly budget is taken into consideration, it may not be best. Why feed the dog sub-par ingredients and face vet bills later on that may have been avoided in the first place by choosing the right food?
The dog foods found on most grocery store shelves, the generic or store brand ones, are not usually considered among the best foods for your pet. More often than not, these brands are full of ingredients that are lower in quality and inexpensive. While these brands provide a cheaper alternative to the other brands, they are generally not recommended. A quick glance at the ingredients can provide an example of lower quality food.
Generic meat ingredients without a specific species named is not a good thing to feed a dog. Avoid phrases such as “meat byproducts” or “meat and bone meal”. Look for brands that can list the animal that they use as an ingredient, like “chicken meal” or “beef”. Also, avoid any brands that list corn as their main ingredient. You are feeding a dog, after all, and not a pig or a cow.
But, you say, Fido is delighted with the store brand food, which retails for half of what the brand names do? That’s because Fido’s been tricked. Chemicals have been added to that food, creating a pleasing color and aroma which Fido finds irresistible and which hides the fact that the food is not one of the best dog foods. These chemicals are easy enough to spot if you know what to look for. Coloring agents, drying agents, and texturizers are just some of the tell-tale ingredients that should cause you to sit up and take notice.
There are, of course, premium commercial dog foods which provide the highest grade ingredients free of harmful additives, and in another newsletter we’ll explore how to find them. But they will cost a premium price, and if you are a hands-on dog owner, you might be more interested in preparing your pet’s meals yourself.
This option of making pet food at home has become more and more popular over the past few years as it allows owners to choose directly what is going into their dog’s bowl. Feeding doggie homemade food, however, does not mean allowing him or her to dine on the family’s leftovers. It means researching the proper balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats for your dog, and finding the foods which will provide them in an easily digestible form. One of the best known homemade diets for the canine set is the BARF diet.
And now–what does BARF stand for? Seems you can say it stands for a couple of things, but the most often cited explanation is Bones And Raw Food. The other one floating around on the Internet is Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, which is attributed to Dr. Ian Billinghurst, one of the original Barfers.
The BARF Diet is suitable for many dogs but it takes time and dedication on the owner’s part. While there are noticeable differences between the BARF diet and a diet based on commercial dog foods, the purpose of both diets is to provide the dog with the best nutrients possible.
BARF is about feeding a biologically appropriate diet for a dog that is made up of raw whole foods like those eaten by their ancestors. This would include muscle meat, bone, fat, organ meat and vegetable materials and any other foods that mimic what the wild ancestors ate.
The BARF diet, however, is not always the best method of feeding your dog and it takes a great amount of time to prepare and research the foods. Conversely, commercial brand dog foods have undergone several tests to insure that they are compatible with the dietary needs of the dog. Basically, a dog will receive just about the same benefits of the BARF diet if he remains on a commercial diet and may even receive more nutrients that way.
The important thing you, as a dog owner, should know is that commercial dog food is not all the same. You can learn much more about what is in each can, pouch, or bag of dog food by becoming educated in label reading, and the AAFCO standards. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what’s the best dog food for your dog.
Sharda Baker has published several dog ebook and audios, including the internet best selling “Complete Guide to Your Dog’s Nutrition”.
Visit the link below now for Sharda’s Special Free Dog Food Report.
Related Blogs
Read the rest »
March 14th, 2010 by Your-Virtual-Groomer
Finding the Right Adult Dog Food
The AAFCO has different testing standards for commercial puppy and adult dog foods, and the ingredients in and AAFCO approved puppy food will not continue to meet your dog’s changing nutritional needs. The AAFCO’s Growth testing protocol applies to puppies, and its Adult Maintenance protocol applies to all adult dogs. So if you are enticed by a commercial dog food labeled as “Senior,” don’t think it has been tested by the AAFCO on older dogs.
With your dog coming into adulthood, you will have to change the food from puppy chow to a food formulated for older dogs that is one of the best rated dog food. This should start around the one year mark for your puppy. Changing foods should be done carefully and with great care and consideration.
Pay close attention to your dog’s likes, dislikes, and attitude toward the new food. When choosing the new food, make sure that it contains the six major nutrient groups which will provide your dog with a healthy diet. These groups are the proteins, fats and oils, minerals, water, carbohydrates, and vitamins that can be found listed on the Guaranteed Analysis on the dog food package.
It is also important to consider your dog’s special needs and circumstances while choosing an adult formulated food. Breed and size are two factors as well as any health issues and if your dog is active or inactive. Smaller breeds metabolize much faster than larger breeds and will need twice the calories. Larger breeds will need to eat more and will also need food that helps strengthen their bones and joints. Active dogs will need food with high levels of fat which will not help the inactive dog.
The dietary needs for adult dogs will vary dog to dog depending upon condition, size, and breed. In general, the aim of adult dog food should be the continued maintenance of well being for the immune system, skin, coat and muscles. Always try and buy one of the best rated dog foods.
No matter what food you choose, make sure that it will meet your dog’s dietary needs. Remember that the feeding recommendations below and those found on other food’s labels are merely guidelines. You, as the owner, will be the first to know if your dog is benefiting from the diet or that adjustments are needed. And, as always, do not hesitate to consult with your veterinarian if you should have any questions or concerns.
Adult dogs will be eating less often than their puppies, averaging two servings a day; some breeds will only need one serving a day. It is vital to ensure that your dog is meeting all of the nutritional requirements at each meal to keep it healthy and happy. Routine is also important and allows your dog’s digestion system a sense of regularity.
It is important to remember that with a regular feeding schedule and consultations with veterinarians, feeding your adult dog should not be stressful. Usually, there should be two feeding times for healthy adults; morning and evenings with enough food to sufficiently meet the dog’s daily requirements. To do so, simply divide the daily nutritional requirements in half.
With a stable routine, your dog’s body will come to expect meals at the appointed time which will help the digestion process and even his mental health. When deciding what time to feed your dog, take into consideration your own daily habits and choose times that will allow you to follow through with the plan each and every day. In time, you and your dog will fall into habit of reducing stress and making life much easier for both.
One thing you should keep in mind when feeding your adult dog is that his or her metabolism will begin to slow over time. While properly balanced adult dog foods will not by themselves make your adult dog fat, continuing to feed a dog with a slowing metabolism the same amount of food will. So you should either give your aging pet more exercise to burn off the calories which aren’t being burned by his or her slowing metabolism, or cut back on the portions at meal time.
What you decide to feed your adult dog, whether you go with a commercial food or decide to try the BARF diet or your own home made dog food, will be the single most important factor in his or her continuing health and happiness. So do your research before you make the switch from puppy to adult food, and pay attention to how well your pal is responding to the new food.
It’s perfectly alright to try a variety of adult foods until you discover the one the best rated dog foods which has you dog both thriving, and looking forward to mealtime as the best part of the day! But make an educated choice!
Sharda Baker has published several dog ebook and audios, including the internet best selling “Complete Guide to Your Dog’s Nutrition”.
Visit the link below now for Sharda’s Special Free Dog Food Report.
Related Blogs
Read the rest »
February 28th, 2010 by Your-Virtual-Groomer
All of you dog lovers out there that know about dog nutrition please help me, I´ve just inherited an adult female boxer and as well as a puppy female boxer, they wer my grandmothers and she just passed away, the adult boxer is not in very good shape I can se her ribs (shes that skiny), as for the puppy she looks ok. Im taking them to the Vet on Monday but I need to know Im buying the Right Food… Please Help.
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February 28th, 2010 by Your-Virtual-Groomer
So I’ve been into dog nutrition lately, and I believe in cooking for your pet, but quite honestly, I would just prefer buying dry dog food. I know, I know, if I love my pet I would put them on the BARF diet or cook for them. But I feel that you can give them good quality dog food for the same price without all the prep time.
Lately I’ve loved Taste of the Wild, but I’m concerned since it has regular potatoes in it. Isn’t that a filler? Plus, I found out a little while ago that they don’t have to list ingredients put into it BEFORE it reaches the plant and is made. So how do I know it’s that good?? Dogs seem to benefit greatly from it and the ingredients listed are great. Plus, there’s no grain! I try to stray away from grains.
Another thing, dry dog food doesn’t give them enough moisture. And I don’t want my dog sucking down tons of water every day to make up for it. Let’s face it, that’s waiting for an accident in the house to happen. So can I put in low-sodium chicken broth, too?
Is there any human foods I can mix in to make the quality even better? We just got a puppy and we’re putting her on giant puppy food (she’s a Great Dane) but when she’s older I want to be prepared.
Also, what are some good giant breed puppy foods?
Thanks!
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February 28th, 2010 by Your-Virtual-Groomer
I just saw a question from someone asking if they should switch from Eukanuba to another brand and almost everyone said to change, because Eukanuba isn’t good. What’s wrong with it? (I inherited my Dalmation when he was 7 and this is what he was being fed, so I haven’t changed it.. ) If you think another brand is better, please advise, and explain why. I want my dog to be getting good nutrition.. The vet never recommended anything different.
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February 28th, 2010 by Your-Virtual-Groomer
After my puppy Libby was weaned she ate diamond naturals small breed puppy until she was 4 months. Then I switched her to iams small breed puppy which she is still on at 8 months old. (I did not know about dog nutrition) I have been looking into dog nutrition lately and some sites suggest rotating foods. I don’t know if this would be good for my dog. Libby is a toy australian shepherd/ toy poodle hybrid. She is 6 pounds and is done growing. (She is a little underweight) Would you recommend rotating her food and which food would you recommend? How much food per serving? Right now I feed her 1/4 cup twice a day. I would prefer grain-less and in a small bite form. If I do not rotate her food, should I switch her to EVO turkey and chicken small bites right now? Would she be able to eat that for life? (unless an allergy or something occurs) Please let me know your thoughts on this.THANKS!
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February 28th, 2010 by Your-Virtual-Groomer
I have a 7 month old chihuahua mixed with something else, I don’t know. Anyways, my mom has fed her a bowl of rice mixed with groundbeef EVERYDAY for the past 2 months. She does not eat her dry food much at all anymore. So basically, rice with ground beef is her diet everyday, along with some of those nutrition bones every now and then. I was wondering if this is healthy? I keep telling her it’s not, but she does not listen.
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February 28th, 2010 by Your-Virtual-Groomer
I posted a little while ago asking about my dogs nutrition, she is eating cruddy Hills p/d right now and I can’t wait to get her off it.
I watched a few videos and read some websites (including BARF..which isn’t available in Canada it seems) and I finally found this recipe I saw on television a few days ago. It looks good to me but I want to know what experienced dog owners who make their own dog food think about it,
Here is the link,http://www.pets.ca/recipes/recipe3.htm
thanks so much everyone,
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