Working on a healthy menu for your pet dog can be pretty easy if you put some effort into it. The first rule is not allowing fancy jingles and colorful labels steer your good judgment. Following what your dog eats is the most effective and rudimentary road to a long and happy existence. Your pet’s diet must contain all the necessary nutrients and dietary supplements for building a strong body.
In the following lines you will find a few pointers to lead you in the right direction. Do some research on your dog, keeping in mind that all dogs are not the same. Feeding your dog whatever your friend’s dog is having just because he is in good shape does not mean it will do the trick for your dog as well.
Perhaps, one of the things you could do before you start this project is to ask your vet regarding your choices, and specific needs your dog might have considering size, breed, and age. Your veterinarian will take the time to examine your dog in order to make an assessment of his unique requirements. Make sure you do your research as well in order to have appropriate and significant questions ready during your visit.
Then, proceed by choosing a reliable brand of dog food for your dog. You could run into some high quality brands that you have never seen before, which could end up being top choices for your dog. However, established and well known brands tend to be more trustworthy having gained consumer confidence. These companies have had more experience and more time to study the unique needs of dogs in their different stages of development. Thus, by consuming these brands your dog would be benefiting by the companies years of research. It is also a good idea to hear what your veterinarian has to say on the subject.
Go for dog food that is appropriate for your pet’s stage of development. Nowadays dog food is especially formulated for the different stages of development of your dog. This is due to the fact that puppies, being in their developmental stage, have different nutritional requirements than older dogs, for example. Your dogs breed is another factor to take into consideration. For instance, it is unlikely you would buy a 50 pound bag of dog food for your Chihuahua, actually meant for Great Danes. Also, brands exist with supplements for specific breeds of dog with unique characteristics like long hair, big teeth, sight, etc.
When selecting the right dog food for your pet one must also take into account weight issues, activity level and living surroundings. A fat Golden retriever living in an apartment would have different needs and requirements than his counterpart in shape and living in the countryside.
Try to stay away from the temptation of feeding your dog after hour snacks and table crumbs. A dog who is pampered this way is likely to get into overweight problems and refuse to eat his regular dog food any longer.