Diahrea Dogs

Choosing The Right Food For Your Dog

When you get a new dog, one of the most important decisions you can make for him is what kind of food you will feed him. If you get the dog as a puppy, this decision is even more important. Not all commercial dog foods are created equal and some will simply not give your dog the nutrition he needs for optimum health. If you care enough to get a dog, you should care enough to provide him with the most nutritious food you can.

Walking down the pet food isle at the local supermarket can make one envious at the selection Fido has to choose from. There is food for big dogs, little dogs, puppies, adolescent dogs, old dogs, dogs with health problems and even dogs who are vegans. People often wonder if there is all that much difference among all the types and if there old dog really needs his own type of food. The answer is maybe.

Puppies generally should be given food designed especially for them. Besides being softer and in smaller pieces, it is also packed with more energy and nutrients that puppies need for growth and development. Depending on your breed, once your dog reaches 6 to 8 months, you can switch them to normal food or keep them on the puppy chow for up to a year.

The next consideration is food for your particular size dog. The smallest Chihuahua can eat croquets designed for the largest Mastiff, but why make them? There is no difference in the food except for the size of the pieces. Do your little dog a favor and give him something he can handle easily.

Food for old dogs is designed with their special needs in mind. Often it is softer, to allow for aging or missing teeth and it may or may not contain less sugar to help dogs with diabetes. If your dog's health is fine, there's really no need to put him on geriatric dog kibble, but keep in mind that it is available and is an option should the need arrive.

The next question is whether premium dog food is really better than the cheap stuff. The answer quite simply is yes. Cheap dog food uses cheap fillers to add bulk and calories. This won't hurt your dog in the short term, but over time it will take a toll. Premium dog food is made from whole ingredients and is much healthier. If you absolutely can't afford premium food for your dog all the time, at least try to mix some premium food in with his normal food to ensure that he's getting all the proper nutrients.

Many people have begun going the route of a purely raw diet for their dogs, to mimic what they would eat in nature. Raw meat, chicken, and other food is likely better for your dog, but the bill can quickly add up. It's easy to supplement your dog's regular commercial food by adding precooked scraps to his food. It's very difficult to give a dog food poisoning, but occasionally they will react with diahrea or vomiting when eating a food for the first time. Introduce them to new foods gradually and they should be fine.

Tony is an avid pet lover and also writes articles for Discount-Pet-Mall: A site that sells pet supplies such as dog beds and bark collars.

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