Feeding your dog might look very easy at first. But it’s not just randomly picking the food you think would be safe for your dog, there will be a lot of things to consider before choosing what and how to feed your dog. The choices you make can affect your dog’s overall growth and well-being. Here are a few things to consider before preparing your dog’s meal.
1. The stomach is really crucial
All the microorganisms and bacteria inside your dog’s stomach is very important when it comes to their digestion, these are the ones that break down the food your dog eats which makes it easier for your dog’s body to absorb and use the nutrients inside of it. So when your dog is still a small cute puppy, their body is still on the early stage of developing the right bacteria for their stomach.
Development of the right types of bacteria inside your dog’s body is crucial for your dog’s growth. The right type and amount of bacteria will dictate the strength and efficiency of your dog’s immune system that guards of the different diseases your dog might get from everyday life. If your dog gets an irregularly non-consistent diet, this could lead to a great imbalance to your dog’s stomach bacteria. This, in turn, can cause a lot of trouble to the different functions of your dog’s body, especially the immune system. Your dog might easily become sick because of an unhealthy immune system.
You should consult your local veterinarian on what type of diet your dog should get. Your dog’s diet will depend on their breed, age, and overall style of life, so leave this decision making to the experts.
2. Do not rush in your dog’s change in diet
Once you’ve established that your dog’s diet is somewhat inadequate for their current state of being, you should not immediately change their diet. Having your dog suddenly change the things that he’s eating might actually affect him. This can cause some unwanted stress, and would greatly affect your dog’s appetite. A sudden shift in food might also lead to stomach problems like diarrhea.
To avoid this unwanted problem, you should try to slowly change the food that you feed your dog. You should at least put in a few portions of the new diet your veterinarian has recommended yours to your dog’s current daily food. You must not prevent him from have the food that he has grown accustomed to eating and gradually change the diet until it’s fully transitioned to the right type of food that is necessary to your puppy. This method used to avoid shock to your dog’s stomach.
3. Be careful about what you feed your dog
You should always carefully read the label on the food then you are feeding your dog. Take note of the number of nutrients that you are feeding your dog. But if you are still skeptical about what’s written on the label, you can always search the nutritional value of the product on the internet.
