Energy Requirements For Our Omnivores
We know nutrition plays a key role in their health keeping their brains active and their weight maintained so...
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TAILOR THE CORRECT NUTRITION FOR ALL STAGES OF LIFE
a pizza has all the ingredients... but doesn't have all the nutrition​
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Puppies
...puppy's growth plates become vulnerable as we mentioned earlier, they are the long bones of this large breed can take up to approximately 12 months to close, as your puppy grows, how and when they exercise should match their development, only increasing their exercise as they grow.
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Neutering
...once a dog is neutered their metabolism changes affecting their energy levels, weight gain can become a risk if feed is not reduced, assess their nutrition changes to help your de-sexed pet remain fit and healthy by adapting their diet for optimum weight. (we supply information regarding this, as their growth is foremost in our decisions)
Adult
...80% of dogs by the time they are 3 years old will have signs of oral health issues
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Senior
...common signs of ageing include joint stiffness, reduced appetite, lethargy and changes to weight, they require support in correct nutrition for the degeneration that comes with age.
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MAINTENANCE
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Energy Requirements For Our Omnivores
Energy intake in pets needs to be monitored closely. An animal should only be provided with as much energy as they require, no less and no more. Incorrect feed can cause excessive amounts of protein which is converted to energy which contributes to problems with rapid growth and can damage skeletal tissue leading to malformation and degeneration of joints and can predispose them to diseases and obesity.
Energy needs are based on lifestage, level activity and hormonal status.
Many things affect their requirements, as your dog gets older: breed, body weight, body composition, life stage eg: puppy, pregnancy, lactating, critical care, weight loss or gain, arthritis, desexed, inactive, light, moderate and heavy work, so consider their life changes and consult your vets guidance for the new correct nutrition.
Why Their Diet is So Important
Human Food = Unbalanced Food
Puppy food supports the intense growth and development they are experiencing, growing at a much faster rate then we do, but their digestive and immune systems are developing slowly, so that is why puppy diet plays a critical role in providing the vital nutrients to sustain this key phase of their life supporting muscle and bone growth. This ensures your puppy is set up for a strong and healthy start to life.
If you do choose to select another type of feed from the one we have fed the puppies, be sure to transition your puppy over approximately 1 week period to ease digestion and follow the feed guide table suggested on your feed. Puppies have sensitive digestive systems, puppy food is formulated to be highly digestible, avoidable stomach upsets making it easy to absorb nutrients.
It is preferred that 2 meals a day are fed once they have transitioned from their 3 feeds per day as a puppy, this avoids overload on the gut by rapid consumption of food. Don't allow dogs to free feed, this is the practice of making food available to your dog at all times. What goes in all day, comes out all day and can lead to obesity.
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When to switch to adult feed
They should remain on a puppy diet until they reach adulthood then we can switch to adult feed - its not the size they are now, but the size they are expected to be as an adult, approximately 15 months of age.
Treats and Meal Time
You wouldn't feed your kids sweet treats consistently, ending up with a tummy full of lollies every day and expect they will feel ok, so select the correct treats for dogs and have them no bigger than the size of a M&M, they will work hard for a small reward and make sure you have enough for your training session.
Factor the treats into their daily feed allowance to avoid weight gain.
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For many years, it was once common belief that it was best practise to remove the food bowl from a pup while he was eating - now they want us to encourage the opposite and not want our pups to think we are stealing from them as this may give them reason to start guarding their food.
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