If you have more than one dog, each should have its own bowl and be fed a little way away from the others. Discourage your dogs from sharing each other’s bowls; the practice can lead to the following problems:
- One dog may become overweight through eating the “lions share”.
- Diffident dogs may get pushed out.
- Individual dogs may require a different diet or type of food from time to time.
- Fights can occur, even if your dogs are used to communal feeding.
- It can be difficult to detect if your dog is off its food through illness, since the other dog will often eat what is left over.
A dog likes to have a regular feeding place and is up to your personal preference. When it comes to dry dog food most dogs are tidy eaters, but it is sensible to choose a place which is easy to clean, like a kitchen or conservatory floor. A wipe down mat will also come in handy. Some dogs like to pull their food from their bowl to chew. In this case you will need to wipe up after them after every meal as the left over food will quickly smell and become dry and tasteless.
A dog can hear the rustle of a crisp packet or the snap of a biscuit from a very, very long way away – and they’ll be at your feet in seconds looking at you with those big brown eyes.
They love to eat but they are no good at all at deciding what’s best for them and absolutely useless at knowing when to stop – so that’s your job. There’s no need to restrict their diet to dull, tasteless food. But you do need to choose carefully to make sure the tasty diet you give them has all the balanced nutrition they need.
Harry the Basset, sent in by Sarah Simpkins
Like humans, dogs are omnivores, which means they can eat a variety of foods – including meat, fish, vegetables, cereals and egg. However, dogs don’t need the constant variety in their diet that we prefer. In fact, chopping and changing foods can upset a dog’s stomach – but that doesn’t mean they aren’t choosy.
Dogs have over 200 million scent receptors in their noses (we only have 5 million) so it is important that their food smells and tastes good.
If you wish to change to a new dog food, mix it with the old food first, gradually increasing the quantity of the new food over seven days.
Dogs have a short digestive system, so food must be easily and quickly digestible in order for them to absorb essential nutrients – if they produce a large amount of poo, which could mean a poor diet.
A balanced diet
Dogs need a diet with the correct nutritional balance. It must have the right quantities of:
- Water – essential for life
- Protein – to build and maintain muscle condition
- Carbohydrates – to provide energy. They also contain fibre which helps the passage of food.
- Fats – to provide energy in a concentrated form. Omega 3 and Omega 6 are essential fatty acids which are beneficial for heart, brain, joints, skin and coat condition.
- Vitamins and Minerals – required to help develop and maintain a healthy immune system as well as ensure good development of bones and teeth.