If your dog is to be healthy and happy, it’s vital that you feed them a correct, well-balanced diet.
Eat what you want day for your dog
Thousands of years of living as a domestic companion to man has led to the dog’s intestinal tract evolving to prefer an omnivorous diet.
That said, your dog should not be allowed to just eat what they want, regardless of what day it is! Whatever their breed, your dog should receive a balanced diet.
What is a balanced diet?
A balanced diet for a pet dog must include:
• Fresh water
• Carbohydrates
• Fats
• Protein
• Vitamins and minerals
• Essential fatty acids from proteins and from fats
Together, all these components are vital for building and maintaining the body’s tissues and allowing vital biological reactions to occur within the cells.
When choosing a suitable prepared diet for your dog, choose one that is appropriate for your pet’s age. Puppy and senior diets are specially formulated to contain everything your dog needs for that particular stage of his life.
Breed-specific diets
All breeds require a balanced diet. However, working Siberian huskies are usually fed a diet that consists exclusively of raw meat or fish.
What’s best, wet or dry food?
There is no nutritional difference between wet (tinned) and dry dog foods.
Dry food is good for most dogs and is better for their dental health than tinned food. The crunchy kibble pieces contained in dry diets help to scrape away bacteria and plaque from the dog’s teeth that could lead to periodontal disease.
However, many dogs prefer the juicy texture and flavour of wet food – it’s really down to personal doggy preference!
Treats and human food
Although it can be tempting to give your dinner leftovers to your dog, it is better not to. Many of the ingredients used in human food can cause digestive upsets in canines, and some ready-meals have a very high salt content, which can cause kidney problems in dogs if eaten to excess.
If you want to reward to treat your pet, always choose dog-specific treats. DO NOT feed your dog chocolate, grapes, or cake that contains raisins – these foods are highly toxic to dogs!
In summary
Always feed your dog a balanced, dog-specific diet, and ensure that fresh water is always available.
If you are unsure about what to feed your dog, ask your vet for advice.