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The Importance Of Good Nutrition For Dogs

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Many dog owners can be overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks needed to properly care for their dogs. Training seems to be the main focus of many new dog owners. While Canine obedience training is essential in ensuring a dog’s appropriate behavior, proper nutrition for your dog is something to keep a close eye on.

The Need For Healthy Food

Like humans, dogs also need proper nutrition in the form of a balanced diet. Many dog owners assume that table scraps are enough to cater to a dog’s nutritional needs. 

They are under the impression that as long as their dogs have enough to eat then all is well. However, this is not the way you should approach a dog’s diet. Our company emphasizes the need for a dog meal that constitutes a balanced diet. Mixing dog treats with vegetables and an assortment of meat products, for example, will go a long way toward maintaining the good health of your dog.

Many dog owners mistakenly believe that food provided to a dog equals love. Granted, giving your dog a few mouthfuls from your dinner table can be a beneficial social bonding experience. This can, however, have the added negative effect of sending mixed signals to the dog. Such feeding from dinner tables can be irregular in both frequency and the amount of food proffered to the dog, creating opportunities for overeating. While the thought might seem slightly bizarre, obesity is a real problem in many dogs. As such, having a balanced diet in the right amounts can make a huge difference in the dog’s physical and mental health.

How to Tell if Your Dog Needs a Diet Overhaul

It is important to keep a close eye on your dog to notice any changes in their physical appearance, changes that may indicate a dietary imbalance and hence a need for correction. While other factors like age and activity levels determine weight gain in dogs, diet is a key factor. Failing to feel your dog’s ribs, for example, indicates excessive fats in its abdomen. This is a good indicator of weight gain, meaning a tweak in the diet is needed. 

Foods high in protein and fat content tend to “bulk up” your dog. While a little weight is ideal, overconsumption of such foods can quickly make your dog gain unhealthy pounds. A good diet to counter this problem could include vegetables and meat in specific amounts. A serving of broccoli mixed with zucchini slices and some meat, for example, is a good diet for your dog.

Conversely, weight loss indicates a lack of enough caloric intake. Introducing more proteins and fats can quickly remedy this problem. Alternatively, you can feed your dog specially-designed foods. These kinds of foods have high proteins and fats, making them ideal for the weight loss problem.

All such dietary changes should be gradually, usually spread out over 5 days to a week. This gives the dog’s digestive system time to adapt to the new diet. To learn more, visit our site at https://spectrum-canine.com/.

Spectrum Canine Dog Training

34060 Rowland Dr Fremont CA 94555

(510) 629-9494

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