The Best Canine Chow for Little Pooch

Just like growing children, growing puppies need an optimal mix of nutrition for their health and well-being. Many dog food manufacturers have pure or mixed dog food products and it is a good idea to look into what will work best for your little canine treasure. The first thing to note is that puppies normally need a ratio of nutrients that includes about 40% protein food (meats), 30% vegetables, 15% carbohydrates and 15% fats per day. Any meat is good to feed the young pup but vegetables should be given in smaller doses. Some grains that are considered good for pups include rolled oats, brown rice, millet and barley.

Good quality pre-packaged food should contain the above nutrients in small variations and the only additives included should be vitamin E or C as preservatives. Chemicals such as BHT, BHA and Ethoxyquin should be avoided. Remember, always to try a bit of the dog food yourself before giving it to your canine companion; if you’re completely horrified by it, chances are your dog will be, too. And as far as candy goes, well, I’d follow my mother’s rule of thumb. Occasionally she’d give them a cookie from the tea-table, or a small piece of chocolate after dinner but otherwise, sweets were a big no-no for the dogs, especially when they were young pups. (Note: chocolate is generally not considered good for the dog, but ours would look up so longingly we had to give them a piece, however tiny.)

If you are worried that pre-packaged dog food, or kibbles, available in stores is way too processed, then you can consider giving them ‘real’ food. This can either be given raw, semi-raw or cooked. For instance, something my mother used to do was buy a whole bunch of chicken legs from the butcher, mix them in with some grains and cook the whole lot on a low fire for about an hour or two. This softened up the chicken legs and provided a great deal of nutrition. Our pups loved them! They were healthy and happy with glossy coats and ebullient natures. Sometimes they’d be given a raw joint-bone to gnaw on as a treat and you can think about doing this for your little canines as well.

If the dog is much younger, however, then it makes sense to start with softer foods such as pieces of meat or chicken mixed in with some rice. You can even make a kind of soup from it that will be very nutritious. Preparing food yourself can be much cheaper than buying it processed and packaged from stores and it will be even healthier too! It may take a little more time, but do it right and your dog will love you. It’s not too difficult as there are all sorts of easy recipes available online or from bookstores.

Dogs are meat-eaters for the most part, and although they would survive on a vegetarian diet, they wouldn’t be very happy doing it. Therefore, you need to check whether you’re giving them a balanced diet and one way to do this is to take note of your pup’s poo. If it is firm and relatively less odorous, then you are both in the clear. If it is gooey or has blood in it, then a visit to the vet is in order. And just as with people, dogs have food preferences as well, so keep observing your dog’s reactions to the food you give and eventually you’ll find the right canine menu that’ll keep you both happy!