Nutritional Advice
What should I feed my dog?
Nutrition plays an important part in maintaining your dog’s health and vitality. As your dog grows and ages, his nutrient requirements will also change, and there are some premium diets such as Royal Canin or Hills which have been specially formulated to keep your dog healthy at each stage of his life. We usually recommend a commercially produced, premium diet rather than a home-made diet, which needs careful research and careful formulation in order to provide the complete balanced nutrition your dog needs. We stock both Hills and Royal Canin pet foods.
Puppies.
Foods which aren’t balanced to meet a growing puppy’s needs may lead to health problems. Large breed puppies (weigh > 25 kgs as an adult) have different nutritional needs compared to smaller breed puppies.
When you first bring your puppy home, it is best to carry on feeding him the food he is used to. If you want to change over to a food that your vet recommends, do so over a 5 to 7 day period, mixing the new food into the old food gradually. This will help prevent tummy upsets.
Remember to weigh your puppy and feed him according to feeding guides and your vet’s recommendation. Adjust the amount you feed as the puppy grows. It is best to feed several small meals a day.
NEVER give your puppy Calcium supplements – a good, complete puppy diet will contain all the minerals he needs, and these extra supplements can disturb the delicate balance and even lead to some joint diseases.
Adult Dogs
When changing over from a puppy food to an adult food, make sure to introduce the new food gradually. The amount you feed may need to be adjusted depending on your dog’s body condition – your vet will check your dog’s weight at each annual health check and advise you to make any changes if required, to maintain your dog at an ideal weight.
Senior Dogs
When your dog is over 7 years old, he is considered to be mature or senior. You may find that although your pet is eating less, he still puts on weight. This could be due to his metabolism slowing down or a decrease in activity. Other senior dogs have the opposite problem – they lose weight as they age, sometimes as a result of medical conditions. They may find it more difficult to bend down to a food or water bowl on the floor due to obesity or arthritis, try an elevated feeding station to help maintain your pet’s comfort. Senior dogs require a high quality, palatable diet with easy to digest protein, lower calorie levels, and a careful balance of essential nutrients. You may wish to move your dog onto a specially formulated senior diet, depending on veterinary advice and any underlying medical conditions.