Feeding

Feed a premium dog food

A premium dog food is just one of the important aspects of keeping a dog healthy. A balanced diet will provide your friend with all the essential vitamins and minerals needed as they grow. I have always fed Eukanuba adult (30% protein) small bites to my pups. Yes, on occasion, I have fed the puppy formula (33% protein) and that's fine, but I have discussed this with several of my vets and we agree that sometimes too much of a good thing is not always best. I find that feeding adult Eukanuba has worked best for our dogs.

Dogs need a routine

We believe feeding on a schedule is best. When feeding your dog, give him about 5 to 10 minutes to eat and then pick up the dish. Give NO MORE until the next feeding. Food and bowl are put away until the next scheduled feeding. This method of feeding will:

Teach your dog to eat
Help in housebreaking
Help in the bonding process with you

TIP: If you have multiple dogs, feed them in their individual crates.

Measure your dog's food

We recommend that you measure the food so you know exactly what your dog is eating. A well-balanced diet provides everything your pet needs. Treats now and again are fine but remember it is like feeding extra food. I recommend that you break-up dog bones or give low cal biscuits. Biscuits are filled with extra goodies (and calories) to make them taste better.

NO Free Feeding.

Free feeding is simply filling up a bowl and letting the dog eat when they feel like it. How can this be a problem?

It teaches your dog to be a picky eater
Over feeding happens more easily
Food may become rancid while sitting out all day
Housebreaking becomes a problem

Obesity

Don't let your dog become overweight! If you have known me for any period of time you will know that one of the things that sets me off is seeing one of our dogs OVERWEIGHT!! It is so unhealthy. Stop and think what you are doing to your best friend.

An overweight pet can cost you more in several ways:

At the vet's, any kind of surgery is far more costly on a heavier dog
Higher dosages mean that m edications cost a lot more due to overweight
Even your groomer charges you more to hoist that critter up on the table!!!
The lifespan, and quality of life, of your dog may well be diminished

There are many low-cal dog foods and treats out there so you don't have to feel guilty about occasional treats. You can try rinsing off a can of green beans and adding that to their food for more bulk. Remember it is you who controls what they eat!

Exercise

Of course, daily exercise is alsoimportant. Spaying and neutering does change their metabolism so you need to adjust your feeding and exercise according to your dog.

www.Iams.com Is a great resource for food choices. Please check out their website and contact them if you have any questions.