Superfoods For My Canine | Pros & Cons Of Certain Nourishments

Superfoods for My Canine | Pros & Cons

I assure you that feed is the most fascinated factor in your dog's life. Through the diet he has to absorb everything his body needs: from the energy he needs to continue chasing the ball to the incredible range of nutrients that form each tissue and continue the different cellular processes, all this must be delivered through diet. Too much or too little of any food can cause problems, and if something that should not be there is part of your dog's daily food, the problem will certainly not be far away. From weaning to old age, diet is the reason that will determine the quality and length of your dog's life.

Choosing right fare is something you owe to your canine, but don't worry, we are here to help you to the end!

What Should I feed To My Four-legged?

The eternal question ... what should I give to my dog?
Unfortunately, there is no single answer. We can help you choose pup treats with best ingredients, but no edible is suitable for every dog.

Different canines are better off with different nourishments, so choosing food will always include a lot of trial and errors.

That being said, by reading pet food labels and knowing what to look for, finding the right food can become a lot easier, and that's where we can help.

First of all, you will have to choose which category of feed you would prefer to use: wet, dry or uncooked, complete foods or meat (cooked or raw) and a mix. No category is better than the other because each includes good and bad examples. Each type of food has its pros and cons and the choice on which to use really concerns which one best meets your needs.

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Complete Foods

Complete foods are by far the most popular choice for dog owners in Italy. To be 'complete' they must contain every nutrient necessary for a dog in sufficient quantities to keep the dog healthy, which means that only these must be used. Complete foods can be dry, wet or raw.

Complementary foods and mixer biscuits

Complementary foods are usually wet or raw foods that do not contain all the variety of nutrients required for a dog or contain them in wrong proportions. For this reason, other foods must be added to the diet, such as those prepared at home, mixer biscuits or complete foods.

Mixer biscuits are basically cereal-based fillers, occasionally with vegetables or herbs. Nutritionally they are incomplete (they do not contain all the necessary nutrients for a dog) and therefore must be given together with wet or raw foods. As with all dog food, the quality of these biscuits ranges from excellent to very bad.

Dried Foods

Dry dog ​​food

The majority of Italian dogs are fed complete dry foods . Their popularity is certainly due to their convenience, as they require no preparation and have no special storage requirements.

Dried foods are made with dried and ground ingredients and can be cooked in various ways:

Extrusion is by far the most common cooking method for dry foods. In the extrusion process, raw foods are first ground and then passed through what is a giant steamer. After extrusion, the food is dried, cooled and covered with a coating of fats and oils to improve its flavor. Critics say that the high pressures and temperatures involved in extrusion destroy some of the nutrients contained in food, including vitamins, some amino acids and enzymes. For supporters instead, the cooking process increases digestibility and kills parasites.

In the Oven ,that's  another cooking method by which we cooks food with a lower pressure than extrusion and therefore could leave many nutrients intact. However, baking relies on a certain grain gluten content to bind the biscuit.

Cold mold allows the production of dry food without the need to use potentially harmful high temperatures or pressures. Cold-formed foods are a relatively new innovation and are not yet widely available.

Air drying includes exposing food to a hot air stream that gradually removes air from food through evaporation. Air drying reduces damage to proteins, vitamins and enzymes compared to conventional cooking methods.

Dry foods can be used together or mixed with wet and raw foods. When mixing with complete diets, be careful not to give too much. The easiest way would be to give half the suggested portion of the first food with half the recommended ration of the second.

Even moist foods are very popular and can be found in cans and pans. Wet food does not need any added preservatives since the cooking process kills all microorganisms inside sealed containers. Wet foods can be complete or complementary. Since wet foods contain a lot of water, the quantities needed are much higher than those of dry food, which often makes them more expensive.

RAW FOODS

If you have noticed an increasing number of freezers in pet stores, the reason is raw food. Raw feeding is seen by many as the most natural way to feed a dog and in recent years it has become the trend with the highest growth in Italy. Many prepare raw diets (BARF)on their own, but some companies have developed complete raw foods prepared in the form of frozen blocks or bites that provide all the benefits of raw feeding with all the convenience of conventional dog food. Ok, maybe not all the convenience - carrying frozen food for long periods (for holidays and so on) can be complicated and thawing them overnight before giving them to the dog is not as easy as opening a bag or can, but for the number growing raw feeders out there, it's a small price to pay. Like wet foods, there are both complete and complementary forms of raw foods. And still like wet foods, raw foods inevitably contain large quantities of water.

Once you have decided which category of food you prefer to use, we can help you choose some of the best varieties from the hundreds available.

Even with our help though, all we can do is an estimate of which food is likely to do your dog good. All dogs are different, and while some will thrive even with apparently low quality food, others may have difficulty even with the highest quality diets. The health of your dog, therefore, will always be the definitive indicator of the compatibility of a food.

3 Mistakes To Avoid When Feeding your Dog on RAW Foods(BARF)

How Much Food To give?

Giving the right amount is just as important as using the right food. All dog foods have feeding guidelines on the packaging. You should always start by following these dog weight guidelines. Your vet will be able to tell you the weight of your dog or you can get on the scale while holding your dog in your arms and calculating

at home.

Weight Forms Dogs

Once your dog has become accustomed to a food, keep an eye on its weight, this is the easiest way to understand if you are giving it the right amount of food. Compare the shape of your dog's body with the photos of the dogs above. Your dog is in good shape when you can feel, but not easily see, the last two or three ribs and when there is an easily identifiable life looking from above. If your dog is overweight, check out our guide for dogs prone to weight gain. If your dog is too skinny, try increasing the amount of food by 10% or switching to a higher calorie diet.

Sometimes, supercharged dogs don't gain much weight, instead they develop digestive problems or other health problems. If a dog is fed more than it should, his body may respond by expelling food in a form of diarrhea that over time could lead to weight loss. If your dog has health problems, check out our guide to feeding dogs with minor health problems below or for other more serious conditions, consult your veterinarian.

Feeding Time 

For most healthy adult dogs, the number and time of meals are not particularly important. Once the quantity has been established, you should simply divide it into the number of meals you want and give them in the times that suit you. Most dog owners choose 1-3 meals a day.

Many dog ​​owners prefer free feeding. This is when the food is left in the bowl and the dog can choose when and how much to eat. Although free feeding may work well with some dogs, it is always best to dose the recommended amount at the beginning of the day and top up the bowl afterwards. Once it's over, it's over. This is important to avoid overfeeding and it also helps prevent tantrums۔
There are, however, some exceptions. For example, if the dog becomes easily hungry it is usually best to give it several small meals to make sure that the stomach does not remain empty for long periods. For dogs that sometimes go to the bathroom in the house at night, it is often helpful to stick to morning or early afternoon meals to make sure that food has time to make its way before going to sleep. Some health problems, such as diabetes, also require attention at mealtimes.

For puppies and pregnant bitches, take a look at the sections below for the number and frequency of meals.