In this section, you will find helpful tips on creating the proper diet for an adult dog and a puppy. The dog’s age, the presence of diseases, and the time of year must be considered because feeding dogs is based on these rules. Together, we can adjust the diet and select the types of food for your pet.
External factors, such as outside temperature, should influence how much you eat. For example, in cold weather, a dog’s energy needs increase. Moderately active service dogs require up to 40% more food to meet their needs than regular domestic dogs. And for service dogs with high loads – by 50-70%. Service dogs include police dogs, guide dogs, and shepherd dogs.
The diet is affected by the dog’s age. At seven years and older, various metabolic and immunological changes occur. Some are unavoidable, but some can be controlled with the proper diet. Previous surgery and long-term illness are also factors on which the dog’s caloric intake and diet should depend.
How to create a proper dog feeding schedule
We recommend feeding your pet twice a day. Divide the daily requirement into two parts with a difference of 8-12 hours. Feeding can be carried out in several convenient ways for the owner and his pet: portioned, free feeding, and timed.
Feeding your dog in portions means monitoring the amount of food consumed and calories. The pet should be fed once or twice daily in portions of a predetermined volume. This method is often used for overweight animals on a diet.
An unrestrained dog feeding schedule means your pet will eat when he wants; food should always be in his bowl. Dry food is typically used for these purposes and can be left in the open air for a long time. Controlling the dog’s feeding standards is essential so the animal does not overeat, which can lead to obesity.
Feeding dogs at specific hours means that your pet is offered a bowl of food available for 30 minutes. If the pet does not eat the food, it is confiscated until the next feeding time.
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