Younger dogs and puppies require a very large intake of protein, calories and nutrients than adult dogs. This is due to the demands of their rapidly growing bodies. Most commercial brands of dry dog food meet these requirements and are usually well balanced to support their proper growth and are designed to meet the age requirements of your dog.
The majority of dog foods that are now available are usually designed so that any additions are usually redundant and are not required for the health of your dog. The majority of ingredients of most dry dog foods are chicken, beef or lamb by products and corn, wheat or rice.
Higher meat content increases the percentage of protein. This will increase the taste and ease digestion. Protein percentages in dog food will vary due to the age and size of the dog. There are certain advantages of dry dog foods over semi-moist and canned dog foods that are available.
One of the best reasons to feed dry food is that it is less expensive than the semi-moist or canned foods of equal quality. Another good reason to feed dry dog food is that the chewing action required with dry dog food is better for the health of your dog’s teeth and gums. Dry dog food generally has a shelf life of approximately one year and the date is usually stated on the bag as a “best by” date.
The addition of supplements to a good dog food is usually unnecessary and might ruin the nutrient balance in your dog food. The addition of calcium supplements could cause improper bone growth. This may result in problems for your dog.
Dogs eating large amounts of canned or soft foods have a much greater chance of having calcium deposits on their teeth or developing a gum disease. Canned or semi-moist foods can be helpful for your dog in certain areas. Its main use is as a supplement. In moderate amounts, canned dog food or semi moist dog foods can be used to stimulate your dog’s appetite. They are also helpful if there is a need for additional weight gain. Unless certain very specific conditions are present, such as special dietary requirements due to a medical condition, dry dog food will generally be the best way for your dog to meet their nutritional needs.
Just as you depend on your dog, your dog depends on you. Don’t forget to include them in your preparedness plans.
Staying above the water line!
Riverwalker
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23 comments:
My dog of nearly 13 years is fed dry Old Roy dog food, and is still holding his own, though old age has obviously affected him. We do give a bit of water now, just to get the gravy going however.
I've been meaning to looking into homemade dog food. I doubt it would be cheaper,but nice to know how to make when you can't get dry food.I alway's get yelled at for giving my dog's leftover's,but my germ shep is 16 yrs old,getting slow,but well off.And they get a raw pig foot almost every day! I get yelled at for giving them raw meat too,but imagine.. 100,000 yr's ago,a wild dog is stalking across the plain's.. I doubt he's chasing a can of alpo! Remember,no onion's for dog's!
Dean
Hey RW...I'm sorry to say I had not given this topic much thought! Now I feel guilty as hell...even though I don't have a dog.
Cat's would probably do good with nothing but dry. Plus all the field mice they can catch, of course!
Good post!
Might even be a good barter item,if you don't have a dog. Food for your watchdog is as important as batterie's for an alarm system. And a good dog is better than a blanket! Remember the band 3 dog night? Don't forget flea powder,tick spray,nail clipper's,all the stuff they need too! My dog's are another part of my prep's,just as important as ammo to me.
Dean
To: Anonymous
Mine get occasional meat scraps and mostly dry dog food. One of mine is about 14 and still going strong.
RW
To: Dean
I don't think it can be made cheaper homemade. as it is already pretty inexpensive.
Meat scraps should be OK as they are basically carnivorous.
RW
To: HermitJim
Might want to get you one. They're great company and make excellent burglar alarms.
RW
RW:
Price wasn't my main issue,just want to do it right.
Dean
without pepper's..might have to sleep with them!
TO: Dean
Lots of other stuff...leashes, etc. could make good barter items.
RW
To: Dean
Or beans! LOL
RW
to RW:
OMG bean's??? bean's and pepper's?? NO WAY!! Anyway,I've seen some recipe's for hardtack,bannock and such. Simple enough for in the field,what if you "kicked it up a notch" with some rice,beef boullion,whatever. Something tasty to them,yet a simple mix. From looking at the treat's I give my pup's,it's a basic cookie recipe without the sugar and yeast,aside from the chemical crap.
Dean
Anonymous 12:39, believe there is a post or two about homemade dog food made by Alaskans, who live waaay off the beaten path. Might try finding a link or two - hope this helps.
Hey Dean, I started using a blogger ID so we don't get mixed up. I've tried a bunch of different dog foods for my dogs and they seem to do the best with Purina One Large Breed. They have to chew the bigger kibble instead of swallowing it and crapping some of it out. It costs more but they eat less of it. My buddy always said you can tell the quality of the food by the size of the pile. The bigger the pile the more filler they use. They get some wet food a couple times a week. I bought some food grade buckets at a donut shop and will be storing some dry dog food in them this weekend. Gulf Coast Dean
To: anonymous 12:39
Thanks for the info! Will check it out.
RW
To: sanjac
Thanks. That will keep me from getting things mixed up between the two Deans.
RW
RW, you mention that supplements are necessary. Maybe glucosamine isn't considered a supplement. For big dogs who tend to have joint problems, glucosamine really helps. Some of the brands have special mixes for big or old dogs that include glucosamine but the amount is too low to have much effect. I don't know what the shelf life of glucosamine is, but I keep a ready supply.
Wet dog food is also useful to encourage picky eaters to eat. I mix a couple of tablespoons wet food with the usual amount of dry food and that really works with my reluctant eaters. Of course, after doing that for a while, they won't touch plain dry anymore.
To: mockum
I don't think glucosamine is a regular supplement but is probably found in the specialty dog foods.
How much? I really don't know but an additional supplement probably wouldn't hurt. Thanks.
RW
Most dry dog foods are soybean, corn or rice based. Some of the better brands have meat or fish meal as the first listed ingredient. Although higher priced, they are worth looking into. Dogs eat less of the higher quality products, thus reducing the cost. Dry dog foods also have greater "caloric density" which means simply, there is less water in a cup of food as compared to a canned food diet.
Dog Stairs
To: della
That's great information. Thanks.
RW
Hey great post, I thought you (and your readers) might enjoy this top dog food. I think dry dog food is good because it cleans your dogs teeth, but don't forget to give your dog the odd veggie and meat snack! (even if you make them yourselves)
There are a specific benefits on every dog treats that you feed your dog. Let's take as an example, the dry ones, actually they help to develop the strength of your dog's teeth and coz' it exercises a dog's jaw. Moreover, dog treats have long shelf life and canned dog food is loaded with nutrients that are beneficial for your dog's growth.
As for me, I feed my dog with both dry and canned dog dog treats to help balance the strength and nutrients of long life and beauty.
Thanks for taking the time to discuss this. I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more information? It is extremely helpful for me. Thanks!
Information on how to take care of dog hair and skin can help the pet owners to provide special grooming for their pets. tick borne disease symptoms in dogs Different types of dogs posses a variety of hair coats and skins that require protection to avoid potential bacterial buildup.
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