1. Diet
Feeding a good quality diet is the most important thing you can do for your pooch. But what is in the food you are feeding?
Dehydrated poultry protein (this is not real meat and it is the top ingredient!! What part of the animal?), maize flour (grain which is tricky for dogs to digest), maize (grain which is tricky for dogs to digest), wheat flour (grain which is tricky for dogs to digest), animal fats, dehydrated pork protein (no fresh meat again), wheat (more grain based ingredients), hydrolysed animal proteins (these proteins have been treated at extremely high temperatures, often using a chemical. Very little nutritional benefits left due to heat processing), beet pulp, fish oil, minerals (of what origin? Natural or synthetic), soya oil (soya products are common cause of dietary intolerances in dog), yeasts and parts thereof, hydrolysed yeast (source of manno-oligo-saccharides (0.05%)). Nutritional additives: Vitamin A: Vitamin D3: E1 (Iron), E2 (Iodine), E4 (Copper): E5 (Manganese): E6 (Zinc) E8 (Selenium): Preservatives – Antioxidants. (these E number additives are listed in ingredients because they have been ADDED, they are not naturally present because of heat processing) In the top 7 ingredients, there is no mention or fresh meat, and 4 of them are grain based. For a carnivorous species this is less than ideal. “
Below is a list of ingredients from a leading brand, commonly recommended by vets.
What’s in our raw food?
Yes, that really is everything!! No grain, no filler, no synthetic vitamins or minerals, additives, or preservatives, no hydrolysed this or that! Just fresh human grade, DEFRA tested meat products that are certified free of bacteria and parasites.
A raw diet is perfectly balanced when you include meat, bone, and offal, feed a variety or proteins, and include fish once per week.
It’s basically health food for dogs!
What about treats? We all like a treat now and then, and we like to treat our pooches too, but there are healthy options too. Natural dried treats are healthy and delicious and complement a raw diet perfectly.
Don’t forget that some human foods aren’t good for the dogs and they soon add up to unneeded calories. If you really want to share your toast in the morning, make it small piece, avoid giving milk or milky tea, as this can upset their tummy and can lead to itchy yeasty skin.
2. Health checks at home
consider that some dogs need mental exercise as well as physical. For example, a terrier will be happy to run and play ball and be tired after a while. A border collie could run and play for hours and still not settle. They benefit from some mental exercise as well, such as learning a new trick, searching for something you have hidden or taking them on an agility course.
Exercise is important for all dogs, but it can be adapted to suit individual needs. Young growing dogs should have a more gentle exercise but several short walks per day is great. This is not going to damage their growing joints and bones. Some dogs love a long walk or run, or ball throwing session. Just avoid throwing sticks! Stick injuries are common and can be serious or fatal.
Older dogs or those with arthritis will benefit from short but frequent walks to keep the joints mobile and swimming is a great way for them to build muscle without putting strain on the joints. Glucosamine can be given to older dogs to help prevent or ease arthritis.
3. Exercise
Consider that some dogs need mental exercise as well as physical. For example, a terrier will be happy to run and play ball and be tired after a while. A border collie could run and play for hours and still not settle. They benefit from some mental exercise as well, such as learning a new trick, searching for something you have hidden or taking them on an agility course.
Exercise is important for all dogs, but it can be adapted to suit individual needs. Young growing dogs should have a more gentle exercise but several short walks per day is great. This is not going to damage their growing joints and bones. Some dogs love a long walk or run, or ball throwing session. Just avoid throwing sticks! Stick injuries are common and can be serious or fatal.
Older dogs or those with arthritis will benefit from short but frequent walks to keep the joints mobile and swimming is a great way for them to build muscle without putting strain on the joints. Glucosamine can be given to older dogs to help prevent or ease arthritis.
4. Enrichment
This is different to exercise. Enrichment is allowing your pooch to display natural behaviours that enhance their lives. Allowing a dog to chew on something releasing endorphins and happy hormones. Make sure it is something appropriate for your dog’s size and age. Some dogs like a safe wooden chew such as an olive branch, some prefer a marrowbone, and some might prefer to unstuff a doggy teddy. Other forms of enrichment could be allowing your dog some time to sniff on walks or play with others. As long as they know when it’s time to stop and allow you to remove the item! This can be achieved by rewarding them with a treat when they release the item.
5. Love, affection & bonding
Providing a loving stable home for your dog and forming a bond is vitally important for a dog’s wellbeing. This doesn’t mean they all have to live indoors and sleep in your bed! There are many dogs that are happy in a kennel providing they get kind human contact. You can also have an affectionate bond with your pooch while keeping them under control and teaching them commands. Most dogs love been stroked or petted. Ear tickles, belly rubs, gentle brushing or just allowing them to rest on you are all ways of forming a strong bond with your pet, and they are more likely to respond to your commands when they get a positive reaction from you.
To summarise, a healthy natural diet and healthcare, good exercise and enrichment, and a stable loving home leads to a long and happy life. At 4PAWSRAW we can advise you on how to make a change to a more natural and species appropriate diet.
