Dog Diet: Dos and Don’ts

Just like humans, our pets need a balanced diet to grow and develop. Important for their cell maintenance and overall health, a balanced diet will take into account any special needs or deficiencies that your new pup may have. While your vet or dog trainer will instruct you regarding the special needs and nutrients your new and little fur-ball requires, there are some standards you must keep in mind first.

Proper Dog Nutrition - Categorized By Age, Size and Breed

A Red Labradoodle won’t have the same appetite or dietary requirements as a young English Golden Retriever. Each breed of dog will have its own dietary requirements, suggested number of feedings/per etc. While these recommendations can be customized very easily according to the dog’s breed, age and size, help can be taken with general guidelines on the matter.

Following are some helpful dos and don’ts that new dog owners can rely on;  

What to Do

Young puppies need protein to grow and develop but feeding the right diet doesn’t mean lots of protein! The best dog food brand will contain the nutrients necessary for your young pup’s healthy growth and development. Remember: human food or any other pet food won’t contain the right amount of nutrients.

ü  Read dog food labels very carefully.

ü  Make sure to refer to the feeding guide.

ü  Keep fresh and clean water available for your dog. In the case of dry food, extra water must be given.

ü  Provide a separate bowl for food and water for your dog. Don’t forget to wash up each article!

ü  Dogs (just like other animals) like to eat in a peaceful and quiet place. Leave them alone when eating. 

What Not to Do

The following don’ts should be strictly adhered;

You may be inclined to feed your dog lots of treats on their good behavior or plain begging. This will throw their normal servings at mealtimes out of balance which means your dog will be missing out on daily essential nutrients.

Human food is fattening to dogs and therefore must NOT be given.

Feeding your dog chocolates is also a big no as it can make them very ill. If you must, feed them specially formulated ‘chocolate’ dog treats.

Dog food is dense, nutrition wise. Therefore don’t overfill the bowl.   

It’s better to follow the guidance and instructions of your dog’s veterinarian, especially in regards to nutrition, healthy growth and development of the new pooch.

April’s Poodles & Doodles, a puppy adoption center starts Innova on puppies as young as 6 weeks old. You can get in touch with them or even adopt a new Red Labradooldle today!