What Dog Food - When to Feed – How Often

Dog food is usually available wet (in a can) or dry (in bags, sacks and boxes). Price and convenience may be the factors that govern your choice, but it is essential that you know what is actually in the food you are giving your dog.

Commercial pet foods are of two types: complete and complementary. Many canned foods are complementary which means that they require an additional mix of biscuits or meal to add bulk to the diet and balance their components.

Most dried foods are complete, which means additional food is not required - in fact, adding to them can upset the nutritional balance of the food.

There are also products for life stages such as puppy hood and old age, and some companies even produce diets for conditions such as kidney disease and obesity.

These need to be fed under veterinary guidance. Most dogs like to be fed twice a day, and this regime encourages the effective working of the digestive system and helps to balance your dog's blood sugar levels.

Being hungry can make dogs irritable and grumpy - and such mood swings can be avoided by feeding little and often.

Giving human food to dogs is a contentious issue, who can resist those big, sorrowful eyes?

However, biscuits and sweets manufactured for people make dogs pile on the calories and add to the risk of tooth decay.

Treats made especially for dogs are a better idea and can also be used as training rewards. However, always be careful to ensure you do not overfeed your dog.

All the recipes in this chapter include food that is safe for your dog to eat, but different foods can affect dogs in different ways. Start by giving small amounts of a recipe, and you will quickly discover what your dog's favourite is.

Some foods that are fine for humans can be harmful if given to dogs. Chocolate meant for humans is toxic for dogs, even in cakes or as an ingredient in other dishes. Dogs are unable to deal with the bromine it contains and have been known to die after eating chocolates intended for human consumption.

If you want to give your dog something sweet, look out for specially prepared dog chocolates, which contain very low levels of the bromine and are therefore safe for dogs to eat.

Dogs need to be fed according to their lifestyle. Owners are often under the illusion that just because they own a working breed it must be fed a working dog's diet.

However, dogs that are genuinely active for eight hours a day will clearly need different food, in both quantity an type, from a less active dog of the same breed.

See what you can do for your dog's health. John's been involved with arthritis in dogs for over 15 years and you can view his site at... http://www.dogarthritissite.com