Nutrition : Confused About Dog Nutrition? Read This
Giving your puppy good food, healthy treats, and the necessary supplements will not only help him grow strong and healthy, but it will also affect his behavior and his ability to be trained to learn new things.
Every dog is different, and there are certain factors to consider when determining the diet program that will fit the needs of his growing body. However, there are also general rules that owners must follow to ensure that their pets are getting the balanced food and supplementation that their bodies require.
You May Want To Avoid Giving Your Dog Human Food
Most vets and breeders do not recommend adding table scraps to your dog’s diet. They will also likely tell you that the majority of commercial vitamin and mineral supplements that are available today are only a waste of money. When you give your puppy human food, he will not only get used to eating that type of food, but the difference in the taste of human food and dog food will cause him to reject his own food. He will become a finicky eater and it will be more difficult to get him back to eating his regular food.
Take It Easy On The Supplements
It is also not necessary to give your dog a separate vitamin and/or mineral supplement along with human food and his own food. The majority of supplements out there are ineffective and can even be dangerous to some level.
For example, providing your puppy with an extra calcium supplement is not at all beneficial. It doesn’t aid in bone growth, but actually does the opposite. In some cases, extra calcium in your puppy’s body can actually develop to certain types of bone problems. Adding a combination of supplements is just as harmful to your pet because they can create an imbalance to his diet.
Keep It Natural
Your puppy is better off with his own food, which is a good, commercial dog food specifically tailored to his needs (ask your vet for recommendation). In addition to the dog food, you may also give him a multivitamin such as Omega 3 oil and occasional liver tablets which, in my opinion, are one of the best treats you can give your dog. Omega 3 and liver tablets are available in most health food stores, pet stores, and online catalogs.
Other supplements to give your dog are natural, whole foods. A few examples of these are wheat grass, brewer’s yeast, bee pollen, and barley. These are food that contain nutrients from nature and will not interfere with the nutrients in your dog’s diet.
