Archive for the ‘feeding’ Category
| Newer Entries »Friday, September 18th, 2009
The growing puppy should be weighed once a week for the first six months of his life. The weekly growth rate, which starts from weaning to six months, should be very constant that it forms a straight line when plotted on a graph. (more…)
Tags: Dog Food, Dog Nutrition, Feeding Procedure Puppy
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Thursday, September 17th, 2009
Since 1926 martin’s feed mills has been dedicated to improving the quality of animal health through the enduring principles of good nutrition.
Tags: 6.6Pound, Bags, Bench, Canine, Field, Food, Formula, Holistic, Natural, Pack
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Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
How much should I feed my dog? Many people will give different types of answers based on their experience with their dogs. However, the scientific facts related to the feeding aspects in case of dogs need to be given emphasis during the feeding activities maintained in case of dogs. (more…)
Tags: Dog Feeding, Food For Dogs, Pet Care, Pet Health
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Monday, September 14th, 2009
“Why do some pet foods have puppy food (or kitten food) and others do not? Shouldn’t I give my new pup – puppy food?”
Before I answer that question – I need to share a little pet food history. Back in the early days of commercial pet food, veterinarians noticed that when puppies were fed the same commercial food that the adult dogs were eating – they did not grow and thrive the way they should. Back then, commercial dog foods and cat foods contained very little quality meat – the protein mostly came from grains the food contained. It was determined that puppies and kittens need a higher protein food in order to develop properly. This change was important, however the bad news is that the protein was not required to come from meat sources – the majority came from inferior grain sources. The new requirements just required a higher percentage of protein for a growth food – a puppy food or a kitten food – there were no specifications as to where the protein came from (still holds true today).
Today, AAFCO has set standards for puppy foods to be a minimum of 22% protein (adult dog food minimum 18% protein), standards for kitten food must be a minimum of 30% protein (adult cat food 26% minimal protein). Besides a few other very insignificant differences – the amount of protein is the only difference between an adult dog food or an adult cat food to a puppy food or kitten food.
So, to answer the question above – you can feed a puppy food or kitten food, but you don’t have to if you are feeding the right food! Remember, except for percentage of protein, there are no significant differences in an adult pet food to kitten or puppy food.
Many pet food lines have protein percentages above the minimal requirements for puppies and kittens. Some pet food formulators have determined in their research that 18% protein for adult dogs and 26% protein for adult cats is not optimal – so they formulate their foods with higher protein levels than the required minimal. In other words – many adult foods meet the same nutritional requirements for puppies and kittens even though they are not labeled specifically as puppy food or kitten food. As an example…ABC Chicken & Rice Puppy Food has a protein percentage of 23% and ABC Chicken Kitten Food has a protein percentage of 32% – but XYZ Chicken & Rice Dog food has a protein percentage of 25% and XYZ Chicken Cat Food as a protein percentage of 35%. Both ABC brands and XYZ brands meet the required protein levels for puppy or kitten foods as well as adult dog and adult cat food. So, a puppy owner or a kitten owner could feed their new baby the XYZ pet food – even though it is not labeled specifically for puppies or kittens.
Before I go any further – I have to mention a little about canned pet foods. ANY canned or pouched pet food (a moist pet food) contains at least 70% to 85% moisture. Protein percentages in canned pet foods vary from 7% to 11% – far below the minimal requirements necessary for adult dogs and cats as well as kittens and puppies. Pet owners do not want to feed solely a canned or pouched pet food to adult dogs and cats or puppies and kittens. They simply do not provide the necessary nutrition. If you want to feed a canned pet food, feed it WITH a quality dry food. Maybe soft for breakfast and kibble for dinner.
OK, back to puppy foods and kitten foods…a common question I hear on this subject is…’Is it ok for my adult dog (or cat) to be eating a food that has such a high protein percentage?’ Many pet owners – after hearing my explanation of puppy foods and kitten foods, are then concerned about feeding an adult dog or cat a pet food that has a higher percentage of protein. The best way I can ease those concerns is from sharing the words of many pet nutrition experts. As a dog or cat goes from being a puppy or kitten, to a young adult, to a mature adult, to a senior pet – their body continually produces new cells, new tissue, and new muscle – the entire process feeds off of protein. So the pet continues to need a quality protein source throughout its entire life. (There are exceptions for senior pets and pets with illnesses – this discussion is strictly for healthy animals – consult your veterinarian if you have any questions.) Science – not speculation – has determined that a higher protein level benefits young dogs and cats as well as adult pets. I have reviewed some dog and cat foods in Petsumer Report that have protein levels as high as 50%! I’m not so confident that 50% protein in a dog food or cat food is optimal for house pets (more for a working dog – example being a working cattle dog tending to a herd) – the point is that higher protein level pet foods are out there, and not all of them are labeled as puppy food or kitten food.
The thing that makes most pet owners choose a puppy food or kitten food is the marketing. Those television commercials that show adorable puppies and kittens stating this food ‘meets the unique needs’ or ‘specially formulated’ or ‘Extra Nutrition’ or ‘developed to meet the higher energy needs’ and so forth have lured pet owners into firm beliefs that their puppy or kitten has to have a puppy food or kitten food. The cute little faces along with the expertly researched tag lines – have helped to grow the puppy food and kitten food business into phenomenal numbers. Part of the marketing strategy is to get puppy owners hooked into a particular emotional commitment to the manufacturer through a puppy or kitten food. If you start off with ABC puppy food – the marketing goal is for you to stay loyal to that company later with ABC adult dog food. The pet food manufacturers have become SO successful at this marketing technique – several manufacturers that make a quality maintenance pet food (not a specific puppy food or kitten food) have been forced to package their food in a puppy or kitten format.
I am not saying that puppy foods and kitten foods are bad – it still boils down to ingredients in the pet food. What I am saying is that it is not a requirement to feed a puppy or kitten specifically a puppy food or a kitten food. As long as you provide them with a quality pet food that meets the protein percentage they need – you are fine.
Always, always, always – consult your veterinarian.
And one more quick bit of information – I wish I could tell you that when you find a good puppy food or kitten food, with quality human grade US ingredients, and added health bonuses such as chelated or proteinated minerals and probiotics – that you can stick with that same manufacturer for your adult pet food and treats…but that is not always the case. Actually it is more just the opposite. From reviewing many lines of pet food and pet treats from one manufacturer for Petsumer Report, I have found that many pet food manufacturers make some pet foods that have quality human grade ingredients and then their pet treats are close to junk food. While others might have one or two varieties of pet food that are good, and have several more varieties that I would never recommend a pet owner to feed. It’s just not that easy. You must look at the ingredients, ask the questions, and look at the Guaranteed Analysis and Best By Date on everything.
Wishing you and your pet the best.
Sitegrinder
Tags: Cat Food, Compare Cat Foods, Compare Dog Foods, Dog Food, Kitten Food, puppy food
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Saturday, September 12th, 2009
This article focuses on some of the nutritional foundations needed to insure your puppy grows into a healthy adult.
The mother’s milk provides the puppy with all the nutrients and antibodies he needs for the first four weeks of life. You can introduce moistened puppy kibble around the age of four weeks. This will be introduced to the puppy as he continues to nurse. You may feed the puppy his kibble twice a day as long as he is still getting enough of his mother’s milk. Whenever he gives up his nursing, which will be around the age of seven to eight weeks, his dry food feeding will increase. It is still advisable to moisten his dry food with warm water for a few weeks until he has adjusted. Unless your breeder or vet advises, it is not necessary to add canned puppy food to your puppy’s dry kibble. The dry puppy kibble is sufficient as long as you use a high quality puppy food.
Giving your puppy the right nutrition will provide him a healthy beginning for a healthy life. During a puppy’s first six months, he will need a highly digestible diet consisting of more protein and fat. A puppy is usually fed three to four small meals a day until he is about four months old. The amount at each feeding will be determined by the brand of food and the advice of the breeder and your vet. It is very important not to over feed the puppy as this may lead to problems later in their life. Along with the vet, your breeder will be able to guide you on the proper feeding plan of your new puppy.
When the puppy is four months old, you may start feeding him three times a day. Once again, the amount of each feeding will be determined by many factors including brand of food, breeder and vet advice. Around nine months of age a puppy is fed twice a day. Some vets recommend feeding a puppy once a day when they reach a year in age. There are some who think you should continue feeding a dog twice a day; just feed them smaller amounts in the morning and evening. This will help avoid gastro-intestinal problems, especially in larger breed dogs. This varies of course and should be discussed with the vet and breeder.
There are many commercial pet foods available for puppies and the quality of these foods vary. Normally the higher quality foods cost more as they use higher quality ingredients and less fillers. This means your puppy will be able to get more nutrients while consuming less food. During a puppy’s growing stage is not the time to try to save money on cheaper pet food or to feed your puppy table scraps. A quality puppy food will have all the necessary vitamins, proteins and nutrients the animal needs. Also, it is not necessary to give your puppy extra vitamins or supplements if the animal is on a quality pet food unless your vet advises you to do so. Along with quality puppy food make sure your puppy has fresh water at all times.
Large breed puppies actually need less calories and calcium in their diets. A puppy who consumes too many calories and too much calcium may develop joint problems. Large breed dogs have a slower metabolic rate and actually reach their adult weight later then smaller breed dogs. It is essential that large breed puppies don’t grow too fast or put on too much weight as puppies as this could cause developmental skeletal problems in later life. Large breeds are usually kept on puppy food longer then smaller breeds; sometimes from one year to eighteen months. Ask your vet or breeder when the large breed puppy should be switched to adult dog food.
As discussed before, table scraps are not recommended for dogs. Any human food that contains salt, sugar or other addictives may upset the puppies or dogs gastro system. Animals don’t need salt or sugar in their diet and human food is loaded in these ingredients.
Good nutrition for your puppy is the stepping stone to a healthy, happy dog. A well cared for puppy is easier to train and will make an obedient and trusted member of the family.
For more information, visit http://LargeBreedFamilyDogs.com
safety video
Tags: Puppy Dog Training, Puppy House Training, Puppy Kennel Training, Puppy Obedience Training, Puppy Training, Puppy Training Crate
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Thursday, September 10th, 2009
Puppies should be eating solid food and should no longer be nursing at around 8 weeks of age. At this tender age, puppies are ready for their new homes and life without their mother.
* Choose food designed specially for Puppies. Puppies over the age of 8 weeks no longer require milk. In fact many puppies develop diarrhoea if you feed them milk.
* Raw meat should not be given to puppies. Dogs are just as susceptible to Salmonella or Campylobacter diarrhoea as you are. If you feed your dog with raw meat and it catches these bugs, you might catch them from your dog too.
* Human foods should be given in moderation. There are no major reasons as to why you cannot feed your puppy or dog food such as breakfast cereals, table scraps and other titbits once in a while but it is best to avoid them for the following reasons:
- If fed in large quantities and regularly it causes an unbalanced diet.
- You will teach your puppy bad eating habits. It will quickly get used to tastier human foods and refuses puppy food.
- It will cause serious behavioural problems by elevating the puppy’s status in the household through the feeding of human foods. You should always start your puppy on less palatable puppy/dog food, not human foods. Dogs have a pack instinct, with a dominant leader in a strict hierarchy. You must train your puppy to know you are superior to him to overcome dominance and aggression issues in the future.
* Additional vitamin supplements and minerals should only be prescribed to your puppy following advice from your veterinarian to treat a specific condition. There is a high risk of skeletal damage when adding supplements that are unnecessary for a normal healthy puppy.
* It is important to measure the total amount of food given daily to suit your puppy’s nutritional needs. Dietary requirements are not fixed. Factors such as age, activity, the type of breed and health of a puppy play significant roles in determining the amount to be fed. But generally for a 10-week old puppy, it should be fed 4 times a day.
* If you change the type of food your puppy has been fed with, do it slowly over 3 or 4 days. Feed your puppy a proprietary puppy food designed to supply all the essential nutrients that a growing puppy needs. Check the package label to ensure it provides a complete and balanced ration, and that the Association of American Feed Control Officials (or the appropriate food control body) has approved the food. Their official stamp of approval ensures that the food has been tested and found satisfactory for feeding puppies that are growing rapidly.
* Your puppy can be fed both dry and wet food. Dry food is generally cheaper but is less palatable than wet food. Try mixing in a little chicken or beef stock over the dry food with a little warm water – this will make the food more appetising and softer for your puppy.
* Try not to make food readily available to your puppy (i.e. dry food always available in its food dish) as this encourages your puppy to over-feed and become overweight which puts undue stress on their soft growing bones and joints at a most vulnerable time. Not only it makes house-breaking much more difficult as there are no predictable regular feeding times, it also makes it harder for you to spot any problems with your puppy’s feeding behaviour. By 12 weeks of age, feeding can be reduced to 3 times a day, and by 16 weeks to twice daily. Try and keep to a regular schedule, as puppies are creatures of habit. An easy schedule consists of waking up around 7 a.m., with a quick trip outside to empty his bladder, followed by breakfast. After 5 minutes of feeding, take another trip outside to a designated potty area as your puppy will need to both pass faeces and urine, and when it’s successful, reward your puppy with praises.
* Nap time is next, followed by play time (you can include obedience training such as sitting and staying). At around noon to 1pm is lunch time, with the next meal at between 5 to 6pm and possibly a small snack or treat at bedtime. At 10 weeks old, your puppy is too young to go without food from 5pm to 6 or 8am the next morning.
* Be consistent about where you feed your puppy and keep to a time schedule for feeding. If your puppy gulps his meal down very quickly and then looks for more, the amount may need to be increased. If there is still food left in the bowl after 15 minutes, pick it up and feed a little less next time. Look at the size of your puppy. Viewed directly from above, she should appear to have the indication of a waist. If the puppy looks round with no waist, then she may be a little too fat.
* Treats may be used as a reward for good behaviour when training a puppy, but don’t over do them. Treats should be small and used sparingly; otherwise they could cause an imbalance in the diet. Words of praise work very well for housebreaking, reserving treats for when training the puppy to come when called and other basic training. At this age puppies get more than enough exercise running around the house and yard and do not need to be taken for walks. In fact, excess exercise may be detrimental to their development and predisposing your puppy to various joint problems later.
* Never feed your puppy scraps from the table at meal times, as this will lead to begging and pestering people at meal times. This may be cute in a puppy, but irritating in an adult dog, and once the habit has been formed it is very difficult to break.
* Do not feed raw meat to your puppy, as it may be contaminated with a variety of bacteria that can cause life threatening vomiting and diarrhoea. Many people do not feed any sort of human food table scraps as they think it leads to fussy feeding, but a few cooked steak remnants added to the regular meal does no harm, especially for Labradors, which normally do not develop any hang ups over feeding. Greed is more of a problem than finicky feeding.
Tags: Advice, Care, Crate, Dog, Dog Advice, Dog Care, Feed, feeding
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Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
Small plastic feeding dish. Comes in assorted colors.
Tags: Dish, feeding, Puppy
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Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
So far, we have discussed the first three steps for tube feeding a puppy. Listed below is the four remaining steps on how to properly administer the procedure.
Step 4: With the puppy’s mouth open, insert the end of the tube into the groove formed by the top of the tongue. Carefully push the tube back into the pharynx. You have to push the tube straight in until it reaches the depth of the pre-determined mark. If it does not go down smoothly to the depth of the mark, it is not where it should be. If the tube is accidentally inserted into the trachea, healthy puppies will cough and struggle violently. In addition, a tube that is inserted into the trachea will usually stop about half-way to the mark where it encounters the division of the trachea. Once the tube is successfully inserted to the depth of the mark, slip your thumb and forefinger from the cheeks to the tube, and hold it firmly in the mouth at the level of the mark. Slide your other fingers up and around the puppy’s head, leaving the little finger behind the front legs to give it a steady hold.
Step 5: While the tube is held firmly in place, stick the open end of the tube into a small jar of water. If a series of bubbles are produced in the water, it is likely an indication that the tube has slipped into the trachea. It may also indicate that the puppy has a little gas in his stomach. In any case, however, the tube should be removed and blown clear of water, then reinserted until no air bubbles appear in the water.
Step 6: Once the tube is safely inserted in the stomach, continue to hold the tube firmly in the puppy’s mouth with the thumb and forefinger. With the other hand, place the open end of the tube between the forefinger and middle finger of the hand that holds the tube in the puppy’s mouth. Once again, with the opposite hand, pick up the previously filled syringe and insert it snugly into the open end of the tube.
Step 7: With the syringe firmly attached, apply gentle pressure with the thumb to the syringe plunger and deliver the substitute mother’s milk. Continue to deliver the food until the correct amount has been administered. Then, draw back slightly on the plunger and gently slip the tube out, still attached to the syringe.
Tags: Dog Food, Dog Nutrition, Tube Feeding Puppy
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Friday, September 4th, 2009
A puppy always tells his dog owner whether he is getting too much or too little dog food in several ways. Crying is one of the most often recognized, but least likely to be always accurate. Although hungry puppies do cry, so do cold puppies, hot puppies, puppies that were disturbed from a nap, lost puppies, sad puppies, etc. Crying is simply nature’s way of giving a puppy a means of telling everybody that he is unhappy. (more…)
Tags: Dog Food, Dog Nutrition, feeding your puppy, Puppy Health
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Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
No description for this product could be found, but have a look over at Amazon for reviews and other information.
Tags: Breeder's, Care, Guide, Intensive, Newborn, Paperback, Puppies, Puppy
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Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
You are bringing your new bundle of joy home finally. You have done your research, know you have the right breed and you have complete faith in the breeder of your new pup. (more…)
Tags: Dog, feeding, Food, Health, Information, Kibble, Puppy, Weight
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Monday, August 31st, 2009
Age Specific
Choose food specifically made for puppies. As a general rule, it’s better to buy brand name puppy food rather than generic or low-priced food. Y (more…)
Tags: Dogs, Pet Care, Puppy, Puppy Care, puppy food
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Saturday, August 29th, 2009
Just when you thought it was safe to go home, you walk inside and take off your coat. Then you walk into the living room and you see it. Yep your puppy has gone to the bathroom on your rug… again. (more…)
Tags: Tips On House Training A Puppy
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Thursday, August 27th, 2009
One of the most joyful moments is when your golden retriever greets you as you enter your home. It does not matter if you have been gone for an hour or a week, you will always be greeted with love and dedication. (more…)
Tags: Golden Retriever, Golden Retriever Breeders, Golden Retriever Puppies, Golden Retrievers, training
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Tuesday, August 25th, 2009
Puppy’s are sweet to have around, they are not only beautiful to cuddle, but also make great company, to ensure that they are in the best of health and live long, a well balanced puppy meal is mandatory. (more…)
Tags: best puppy diet, feeding your puppy, puppy diet, puppy feeding, puppy food
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Friday, August 21st, 2009
This article will discuss pet feeding and how to properly feed your pet to ensure they receive all the nutrition they need to live a long and healthy life. However, more and more pet owners are resorting to making meals for their pets or feeding pets raw food. (more…)
Tags: Cat, Dog, Feeding Pet, Pet, Pet Feeding, Pet Food
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