What's a healthy diet?

jezading · 11-16-2009, 05:16 AM

As a new dog owner I'm confused at what I need to feed my four legged friend.

Can I feed him the same every day? Is it important to give him a varied diet? Should I stick to the same brand or is it a good idea to vary them? Does what he eats vary his behaviour? How do I know when I've got the right balance?

Does variety matter to a dog?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

ioreks_mom · 11-16-2009, 05:46 AM

I personally think that food rotation is best for your dog as long as he can handle it.

If your dog does not do well with food rotation then what is best for him is whatever food he does best on.

Foyerhawk · 11-16-2009, 08:31 AM

I change protein sources routinely. I have five dogs and none have GI issues.

Labsnothers · 11-16-2009, 08:53 AM

Dogs may want variety. After all, my puppies always do what they can to supplement their diet. Picking a chow and sticking to it is quite workable and has a very successful history.

There are 2 theories on allergies. Pick a food and stick to it, so that if the dog ever does develop allergies, it is easier to work around them. Or keep changing foods so the dog doesn't become allergic to the same thing all the time.

My opinion is that allergies have more to do with breeding than how the dog is fed. Those dogs coming from lines with a history of allergy problems have a better chance of developing allergies than ones from lines with fewer problems no matter how they are fed.

The service dog schools place a high priority on avoiding allergies, but still have some problems. Each school sticks to a single type of food for a dog's entire life, usually a common brand with corn and other grains in it. I know a lady whose dog guide eventually became allergic to the chicken it ate all its life. A simple switch to a lamb based food was all it took.

Michiyo-Fir · 11-16-2009, 10:54 AM

I rotate a protein source after every bag of food. I go like chicken, fish, red meat in that order. But I definitely don't do anything like change food every day for the dog.

nac1089 · 11-16-2009, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michiyo-Fir

I rotate a protein source after every bag of food. I go like chicken, fish, red meat in that order. But I definitely don't do anything like change food every day for the dog.

Same here.

My dog seems to enjoy her food more if I do this and it keeps her interested in her food. She isn't much of a picky eater anymore.

Jordan S · 11-22-2009, 01:08 PM

Yes I think it's important Chocolate get plenty of variety in his diet. I always stick to
Wellness CORE dog food(Reduced fat and ocean) as his base. But I give him plenty of supplemental foods like canned tripe, pure canned beef(from wellness), raw egg, and raw meaty bones, this makes up 25% of his diet.

bella's mommy · 11-22-2009, 02:13 PM

hi everyone,
i have 2 female dogs one is Bella-Kehi is 2 years old and the other is Shasta Bella is 3 years old. I have both of my girls on orjans but i know that it is a lot of money i pay per week $68.00 per bag.

i have a friend that just got 2 new puppies they are from the same litter one is a male and the other is a female.i was trying to tell them my education on training new little puppies. But they went off of what someone at pets-mart told them about wet food and dry food and they ended up getting some cheap brand because that is what the person at pets-mart told them my question for you all is what is the best food for these 2 little 9 week old little puppies?

Labsnothers · 11-24-2009, 10:18 PM

Chances are, they would have been better off to have stuck to what the breeder was feeding at least for a month or 2.

For large breeds, I suggest sticking to the breeder's puppy chow to 4 months and then switching to an adult food watching the calcium level.

Pet store employees are way down on my list of good sources of information. Usually they suggest something with a high mark up.

tnis0612 · 11-25-2009, 08:06 AM

$68 for a bag every week?????...I dont know their breed but, assuming a 30lb bag...which for orijen adult is about 115 cups so for 2 dogs is a little more than 8 cups/day each

I know that wasnt your question but..i'd look into how much you're feeding them if you do actually go through a 30lb bag every week. For example my golden retriever who is very active gets 3 cups/day.

GreatDaneMom · 11-25-2009, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labsnothers

Chances are, they would have been better off to have stuck to what the breeder was feeding at least for a month or 2.

not really. all you need is a couple weeks. a week for settling in, and then slowly transitioning foods. not nearly 2 months worth.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labsnothers

For large breeds, I suggest sticking to the breeder's puppy chow to 4 months and then switching to an adult food watching the calcium level.

absolutely not. puppy chow is just crap. most of it is completely unbalanced. ALSO you need not watch only the calcium. you need to watch the calcium/phosphorus ratio. this is VERY important in large/giant breeds.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnis0612

$68 for a bag every week?????...I dont know their breed but, assuming a 30lb bag...which for orijen adult is about 115 cups so for 2 dogs is a little more than 8 cups/day each

I know that wasnt your question but..i'd look into how much you're feeding them if you do actually go through a 30lb bag every week. For example my golden retriever who is very active gets 3 cups/day.

thats what i was thinking! we go through a large bag of taste of the wild in a little over 2 weeks with 2 danes. one dane eats about 4 cups, the other 3.