Dog Health by LowchensAustralia.com

NUTRITION AND YOUR PUPPY

People want to get the very best they can when purchasing products. They research all of the alternatives and select what they feel is the best suited for their needs whether a car, washer/dryer or a pet. 

In selecting a puppy, many follow the same protocol to determine which breed would be the best for their family. 

They go to the library and take out books about particular breeds. They will call their local Veterinarians and Dog Trainers to ask for suggestions or recommendations on particular aspects of a certain dog’s characteristics. They attend dog shows to meet with and speak to various breeders. This selection process many take several months until the perfect pet is found. 

Upon bringing their new pet home, they will then do the unthinkable, putting their dog on any dog food. Dog food after all, is after just dog food, right? Wrong, dog foods are not at all the same in quality, nutritional aspects and as a support to your pet’s immune system. 

As a matter of fact, many commercial dog foods have chemicals and food derivatives which can and are harmful to your pet’s health! 

Think about this! If you go to the supermarket to buy food for your families’ dinner, you will buy the most wholesome, nutrient rich foods available, why? Nutrition is the building block and foundation our bodies need for health and longevity. 

Although the protein may all be labelled BEEF, all cuts and quality are not the same and cost vary depending on this quality. 

Dog food is the invisible protein! You can look at all the labels which will indicate protein or meat and there is nothing included with the label to identify the quality or source from which the protein is derived. The USDA has allowed a very broad interpretation of what dog food manufactures can use as meat sources. To save cost, manufactures use meats which are not suitable for human consumption in our dog’s food. The old adage of, "If you knew what was in a hot dog, you wouldn’t eat one!" applies here. 

Nature determines what your dog’s basic needs are. You should consider the balance of the food itself. A new trend is to sell designer foods for different stages of life. If each individual piece of kibble is perfectly formulated and works in balance with the next to ensure your dogs health, your dog will be able to take what it needs from the foods. Single source meat products do not meet the needs of a growing puppy nor the senior dog that needs to build and repair as they age simply because it lacks in all essential amino acids. Both ends of the age spectrum need the foods for the same exact reason, but their body’s individual nutritional needs will determine what and how much to take from each feeding. There are three proteins from chicken, fish and egg which are complete in Amino Acids and digest easily. 

The carbohydrates are complex and do not become simple sugars producing energy swings or highs and low behaviors. 

The Probotics in the food balance and digest more easily, which is not only perfect for the nervous or shy dogs, but ensures all dogs are receiving the nutrition they need from food. 

WAYS THAT NUTRITION EFFECTS YOUR DOG'S BEHAVIOR

Correct nutrition is crucially important for every aspect of your dog’s life. It affects their health and wellness by offering a vital balance of proteins, fats, complex carbohydrates and the trace nutrients and minerals their bodies need for the growth and repair of their immune systems'.

Nutrition is a vital part of your dog’s ability to think clearly, lower his/her stress levels and a produce a calmer demeaner. The act of thinking takes a lot of energy. Dogs involved in a training program expend a lot of mental energy focusing on the tasks they must learn. 

If your dog starts with minimal nutrition, they become lethargic, grouchy or hyper when they are asked to perform the simplest of tasks. They simply are not able to focus properly and lose concentration after a short period of time or they may become confused. If the dog is constantly being asked to do something they can't comprehend, their confusion can lead to an aggressive form of acting out. In training dogs, the first thing I look at is the dog’s diet. I work from the inside out. Training becomes less and less if the causes for the behaviors are not addressed. Hyper, unfocused and out of control dogs and puppies often are eating foods with extremely high levels of cereal foods such as wheat, corn, and/or corn meal. Aggressive dogs eat food containing higher levels of incomplete protein which do not digest well. Shy and stressed dogs do not digest their foods well at all and often suffer from intestinal complications such as diarrhea. Their coats are often extremely dry and shed heavily. One way to test the foods you are feeding is to soak the food in water for about fifteen minutes. If it swells in size and becomes somewhat mushy, it is mostly cereal. Are you dog’s stools often soft and loose or is the dog gassy? They are not digesting the food properly. By looking at their food, you will do more to help balance their behavior, as well as contribute to their health and longevity.