Feeding Your Dog
What should my dog eat when I first bring him home?
It's really important that when you first bring your dog home that you stay on the same food he was on prior to you bringing him home and then if you have another food that is your preference, you gradually wean it onto that food. It might take seven to ten to two weeks to get that dog on the new food. Dogs have very, very sensitive gastrointestinal systems and therefore, it's really imperative that you introduce a new food slowly. Change needs to be done slowly.
What type of dog food should I buy?
After you bring you dog home and you feed it the same food for a while, then it's up to you what you want to do. I'm a person who uses very organic whole foods. I actually feed a lot of raw foods to my dogs. I feed my dogs a lot of real food. The idea that dogs should not eat 'people food' is insane, and simply arose because dog food came out of the cereal industry. Dogs were not meant to eat corn or wheat or all those things that are in most of the dry dog food that is out there today. However, having said that, if you want a really good dry dog food or can dog food, just find the one that is most natural; that has the most whole foods, whole vegetables, whole fruits, and maybe some grain.
When should I change from puppy food to regular dog food?
The truth is that puppy food is not necessary. If you think about it, wolves, when they're weaned, don't go on to wolf puppy food, they go on to adult food. This is something that was born out of the dog food companies. It's fine for you to put your puppy on adult dog food. However, again, make it as natural and organic as possible.
What is the difference between dry and wet food?
Interestingly enough dry food does not keep dog's teeth clean. It doesn't have the power to scrub your dog's teeth. That's the sort of idea we've all been brought up on and fed as a result. Wet food, actually, is healthier for your dog because it has a higher concentration of protein. It's more expensive but the dry food is actually is a lesser form of feeding your dog and it doesn't have any benefits.
Should I add water to my dog's dry food?
Absolutely; you should add water to your dog's bowl of dry food. I always say to clients that if you don't put some water on it it's like feeding your dog a bowl of dry cereal. It also enhances the flavour for your dog.
Is organic dog food better for my dog?
Absolutely; just like for us humans. Organic food is much healthier for your dog. Anytime you can feed your dog organic food, that's a better choice for your dog.
Does my dog need vitamins to supplement its diet?
Just like with humans the world's food population is diminished in its nutrients. And therefore it is advisable to use good vitamin supplements for your dog.
Can I give my dog table scraps?
The more real food you feed your dog, the healthier your dog is going to be, therefore table scraps would be healthy. You shouldn't feed him such table scraps as pizza or burritos, but you could feed them your table scraps of good chicken, steak, hamburger or beef. You could also feed them your table scraps of yams, carrots or green beans. These are all wonderfully acceptable items to feed your dog.
Can I give my dog bones?
Ironically, the situation with bones is that you don't want to ever feed cooked bones to your dog. This is because these bones have been molecularly changed to be very brittle and cause bowel obstructions. However, dogs were designed to eat real, raw bones, and most dogs accept these readily.
How much and how often should I feed my dog?
You can feed your dog two times a day. For young puppies, if they're in the weaning period, I advise three to four times a day. However, I think that two times a day is good; it keeps the blood sugars level.
