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Things not to do when Feeding your Dog
By: Dr. Jane Bicks
* Dairy products may not be right for your dog.
While it's true that milk and cheese are excellent sources of
protein and fat, they can cause diarrhea in an adult dog. Dogs can
develop lactose intolerance just as we can.
* Too much liver for your dog can be harmful
While liver contains myriad nutritional components, a daily
diet of liver can cause diarrhea or vitamin A and D toxicity.
* Don't turn your dog into a vegetarian
Your dog evolved as a meat eater and needs to continue
to be. For his wolf relatives, small and medium animals
form their diet of choice. While grass is included in their
diet, dogs and wolves evolved with canine teeth to tear
flesh and enzymes to break down meats. Even though it is
available in stores, an all-vegetarian dog diet will not make
dogs healthier.
* Fat scraps for your dog are not healthy
While it may help the dog's coat shine, fat can make your
dog fat, and cause pancreatic disease and diarrhea.
Your dog should receive plenty of fat from his dog food.
* Never leave your dog without water.
Never restrict your dog's water intake. If urination
within the house is a problem, then it's time to confine
your dog to a crate or a room that's easy to clean,
lined with newspapers. A dog can dehydrate easily, and
your dog needs plenty of water.
* Don't feed dogs from plastic dishes
While they may not break easily, plastic dishes can
cause a sensitivity or allergic reaction on your
dog's chin, harbor bacteria, and retain odors
than can cause a finicky dog to reject his meal.
metal or ceramic dishes are your best choice.
* Don't feed your dog from combined food and water dishes.
Unless your dog has the table manners of Emily Post,
some of the food is bound to end up in the water,
creating a haven for bacteria growth.
* Bloat-Prone dogs should not be eating from a dish on the floor
Elevate the dog dish on a table or stand so that the food
is at shoulder level. Your dog will swallow less air
and have a more pleasant dining experience.
* Don't teach your dog to beg.
Dogs are taught to beg, either intentionally or otherwise.
Feeding table scraps to dogs occasionally will only
teach them to want more. The more often you succumb to
your dog's pleas, the more your dog will beg.
* Don't mix and match quality.
In other words, don't add a high quality canned dog food
to a dry dog food that's not manufactured by the same company.
* Don't over supplement
* Don't get carried away with adding one canine
nutritional supplement after another.
* Don't exercise your dog right after meals.
Wait at least one hour after eating before taking
your dog for his nightly or morning walk or run.
It doesn't matter if your dog is big or small.
Our daily dog or cat nutritional
systems ensure that your
pet gets all the nutrients needed to stay healthy. This is
important, since every pet is unique, and has different nutritional needs
For more information on Dr. Bick's Daily Nutritional Systems
for the Health and Well Being of your precious Dog or Cat, go here:
Dr. Bick's Daily Nutritional Systems
