Dog Feeding Schedule: How Many Times a Day Should I Feed My Dog? 2/2

Dog Feeding Schedule for Puppies

Housetraining: With puppies, there is housetraining to consider in your dog feeding schedule. When beginning housetraining, you or someone you trust, such as a dog sitter, really needs to be on hand frequently, so you can catch your pup before or in the act and rush him outside. Older puppies can go between three to four hours between elimination. A sample schedule would be:



Outside upon waking.
Outside after breakfast.
Outside around noon after second feeding.
Outside around 4:00 p.m.
Outside after dinner.
Outside before bed.

Food: A puppy will ideally eat three times a day so schedule in a feeding around noon. Get a dog sitter to help if needed.

Sleep: A puppy sleeps more than an adult dog, averaging about 16 hours a day. But some will sleep for up to 20 hours!

Activity: A puppy will have bursts of energy and then flop down where he is and sleep. Try to get your puppy out as much as you can, starting with short walks and building up to 20 minutes.

Dog Feeding Schedule for Senior Dogs

Food: A good dog feeding schedule for senior dogs is feeding twice a day. Feed senior dogs smaller amounts since their activity is limited.

Water: Older dogs may need more water than their younger counterparts.

Sleep: A senior dog will sleep more than an active adult dog, on average 16 to 18 hours a day. Just like humans, the older a dog gets, the more his needs resemble that of a puppy.

Activity: It’s important for a senior dog to still get walks and mild activity. Ideally, you, or a sitter, could take your dog out three or four times a day for shorter walks. Avoid excessive activity and any rough play such as at dog parks.

Dog Feeding Schedule for Active Breeds

There are a few modifications on a dog feeding schedule for active dog breeds such as the Border Collie, the Vizsla and any Terrier. Sleep for these dogs is often less than an average breed and you will find they are usually running around even when dozing. It can help to feed these breeds three times a day because their metabolisms are higher.

Dog Feeding Schedule for Sedentary Breeds

Breeds that are very large such as the Mastiff and the Great Dane tend to sleep more than an average sized dog. Some of the large breeds, such as the Greyhound and many of the hounds, do as well. A sample dog feeding schedule is also often different with these types of dogs being fed only once a day since they are not burning off as many calories.

Every dog is unique and you may have to alter your dog’s feeding schedule depending on your dog’s activity level. You also may need to adjust your dog’s schedule to meet yours.

Dog Feeding Schedule: How Many Times a Day Should I Feed My Dog? 1/2

Have you ever thought, “How often should I feed my dog?” Dogs thrive on routine and, though they do not keep track of time like we do, their circadian rhythm, or internal clock, makes it possible for them to tell when it’s close to the time for a routine task. Whether you’ve just adopted a dog (congrats!) or are wondering about how much to truly feed your pup, we bet you’ve thought, “How many times a day should a dog eat?” at some point. We’ve compiled a dog feeding schedule for adult dogs, puppies, senior dogs, active breeds and sedentary breeds, configured around each dog’s play, activity, sleep and water schedules.



Remember: Any dog feeding schedule is just a suggestion. The best way to plan a dog feeding schedule is to consult with a vet, who can configure a course of action that’s customized to your dog’s needs.


Sample Dog Feeding Schedule of an Average Day with an Adult Dog


Food: Most adult dogs should eat twice a day. This keeps their metabolism stable and aids in digestion. You’ll find they quickly catch on to when feeding time is. A sample dog feeding schedule for adult dogs would be:


7:00 a.m. – Breakfast
6:00 p.m. – Dinner

Water: The next step after establishing a good dog feeding schedule is a having a schedule for offering fresh water to your dog. In general, it is best to leave a fresh bowl of water out for your dog every morning and every evening. Dogs should always have clean water after any activity. If you’re working on housetraining or have a dog who overdrinks, you can schedule the amount and times you provide it.

But watch your dog carefully and, if he seems to be thirsty, increase the amount. A sample schedule for monitoring water would be:


7:00 a.m. – Clean and fill bowl half-way.
Noon – Rinse out and refill half-way.
6:00 p.m. – Rinse and fill half-way.
Bedtime – Clean and fill bowl about 1/4 of the way.

Sleep: An average dog sleeps about 14 hours a day. Unlike humans, they sleep for shorter times more frequently. A dog’s REM cycle is more active than a human’s and may explain the phenomenon of “chasing in their sleep.” If your dog sleeps more than 16 hours a day, it is wise to check for any illness. By scheduling his activities throughout the day, you will naturally create a good sleeping routine.

Play: Play is imperative to keep a dog’s skills honed, to provide stimulation and just to have fun. Play can mean a game of fetch with you, a board game where your dog has to do tricks to earn a turn, a doggie play date, or even interactive toys when you are away. Try to get two play sessions in a day. A sample schedule would be:

8:00 a.m. – Spend at least 15 minutes playing with your dog

4:00 p.m. or Right after work – Schedule a play date or try something creative like a game of hide and seek.

Activity: Activity is imperative for a dog’s mental and physical health. Ideally, a dog should be walked twice a day for 30 minutes. An extra walk does no harm and, in fact, will benefit you both. In our hectic society, however, this can be tough, so consider enlisting the help of a dog walker. Also keep in mind activities other than walking such as the dog park. A sample schedule would be:

6:30 a.m. – Walk your dog before his breakfast
Noon – Walk your dog (this is where a dog walker could be helpful)
5:00 p.m. – Walk your dog before his dinner


Together Time: A dog feeding schedule isn’t the only thing you should establish. Together time is a bonding experience for you and your dog. This is the easiest thing to schedule as it can be on the couch while watching T.V. or outside reading a book, or on the bed at the end of the night. The key is to focus on your dog and pet and massage him. Dogs love a light massage and many are happy with your foot stroking their back. Even just sitting touching your dog is a bonding activity.

Basics of the canine digestive system in Dogs

Part 1: From mouth to stomach

The front end of a dog’s digestive system encompasses the mouth, esophagus, stomach and small intestine. Dog digestion begins almost immediately with saliva in the mouth. You may have wondered why dog tongues are so slobbery. Since they spend less time chewing food than humans tend to, all of that saliva kickstarts the process of breaking down and coating food particles for smoother passage through the esophagus. The esophagus is heavily muscled, actively pushing food into the stomach.

Part 2: A fantastic journey through the small intestine

A dog’s stomach is a super-acidic environment, which is useful for opportunistic omnivores, helping them more easily digest things like bone and raw meat. Yes! Dogs can digest bones! Here, solid food is rendered into a substance called chyme, which is made up of food, water, and acid. All food — from your Michelin 3-star-rated fine cuisine, to your dog’s canned chunks or dry kibble — ends up as this highly acidic gloop. As this chyme proceeds into the small intestine, the real work of digestion — the isolation of nutrients that can be used by the body— is done.

There are three parts of food’s journey through the small intestine. In the first part, the duodenum, chyme is treated with enzymes and hormones from the liver and pancreas, which reduce the acid level of the chyme. The gloop is now prepared to have the rest of its nutrients extracted and absorbed. This happens in the second part of the small intestine, which is called the jejunum. This part of a dog’s small intestine is basically covered in little probes, which, like fly paper, pick up and absorb useful nutrients into the bloodstream.

Part 3: The large intestine and waste removal

The final part of the small intestine is the ileum, which absorbs whatever nutrients remain. By this point, the once-acidic chyme gloop is now a sort of thicker pasty substance. You’d be surprised how little of the food you or your dog eats is actually used by your body. Did you ever wonder why your dog’s digestive system produces so much poop? It’s because the actual nutrients — proteins, vitamins, fats and so on — that your dog’s body can utilize are miniscule in proportion to the physical volume of most dog food.

How long is this part of a dog’s digestive system? It varies by size. If you stretched out a dog’s small intestine, it would be nearly three times as long as the dog. The back end of a dog’s GI tract is fairly short by comparison, just over a foot long, give or take, depending on the dog. Its primary components are the large intestine and the anus. The large intestine is basically a water remover and garbage compactor. Having spent the first half of its journey being mashed up, dissolved and sifted, any parts of a dog’s meal that cannot be used is treated by bacteria, and reconstituted into a solid package we call poop.

Pet Food | Nutrition Basics for Senior Cats

Your cat may be a kitten at heart, but from a nutritional standpoint, some experts consider him a senior by 8 years old and geriatric by 10 to 12 years old. Some older cats experience a decreased immune response, altered glucose tolerance, decreased kidney function and several other changes that can be affected by diet. Cats entering old age may benefit from eating food that is modified to meet some of their changing nutritional needs.

ANIMALIX RECOMMENDS 

Although some cats entering old age may need to watch their waistlines, cats who are even older may have a hard time keeping weight on. Some older cats, mostly those over the age of 12, stop gaining weight and start losing weight, actually requiring more calories. Studies show that most cats over the age of 12 have a decreased ability to digest fat, and about 20 percent of cats over age 12 have a decreased ability to digest protein. Older cats, especially if underweight, can benefit from a diet with increased levels of high-quality protein and fat. Although some age-related problems respond favorably to increased fiber intake, feeding high-fiber foods is not recommended across the board for all senior cats, in part because fiber may decrease the absorption of some essential nutrients.

Older cats often don't drink enough water. Especially if the cat has impaired kidney function, as some older cats do, this can lead to dehydration. Offering wet food and placing additional bowls of fresh water throughout the house may help increase your cat's water intake.

Cats are very sensitive to oral pain, and dental problems can make chewing painful, causing a cat to swallow food whole or avoid eating altogether. If your cat seems interested in food but does not eat, he could have oral pain. Be sure to schedule regular wellness visits for your aging feline. Wellness visits include a physical examination and a brief examination of your cat’s teeth and gums (a full dental examination requires sedation). Depending on the findings, your veterinarian may recommend a professional dental cleaning to address your cat’s dental issues. Dry foods designed for tartar removal may improve oral health if the situation is not advanced, but for some older cats, wet food or softer kibble is needed.

Some older cats have decreased senses of taste and smell. If that's the case with your cat, you will need to feed him particularly aromatic foods. Warming food slightly will cause its aroma to increase, which will often appeal to older cats. Just be sure to avoid overheating the food, and always check to be sure it isn’t too hot before offering it to your cat. Some cats eat better if they are petted while eating. Some also do better with several small meals a day.

The nutritional needs of older cats are influenced by any health problems they may have, many of which — such as kidney failure, diabetes mellitus and heart disease — are more common in older cats and often benefit from special dietary modifications. It's essential to monitor your cat's eating, since lack of appetite is one of the more common signs of disease. However, a good appetite does not rule out disease, because certain conditions (such as hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, malnutrition from malabsorption or maldigestion, parasites, and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, among others) may result in normal or increased appetite.

Your veterinarian is the best person to talk to about your older cat's individual diet needs. But for most healthy older cats, a commercial senior diet, or sometimes even a diet formulated for adult cats, will be fine. Diets developed especially for senior cats often have increased digestibility to offset weight loss and decreased absorption of nutrients; increased antioxidants to help boost a weakening immune system; and increased palatability and softer kibble.

It's sometimes a challenge to keep your older cat eating what you want him to, and you may have to make compromises. Talk to your veterinarian if your cat has changes in appetite or weight. Every cat, and every situation, is different.

LINKS TO OTHER PET FOOD ARTICLES :

http://animalix9.blogspot.com/2018/05/be-aware-what-you-feed-your-pets.html

http://animalix9.blogspot.com/2018/05/pet-food-normal-premium-super-premium.html

http://animalix9.blogspot.com/2018/05/pet-food-normal-pet-food.html

http://animalix9.blogspot.com/2018/05/pet-food-premium-pet-food.html

http://animalix9.blogspot.com/2018/05/pet-food-part-44-super-premium-pet-food.html

Dra Janer Hornwell

Pet Food - Part 4/4 | Super Premium Pet Food

Why Super Premium food?

Super Premium food is vitamin-rich, nutritionally dense food with quality proteins, fats and carbohydrates for healthier pets. This means that they need less in their bowls (smaller serves) and leave less in the backyard or litter tray (less waste to clean up). This food is specifically formulated to support the needs of various breeds of pets at different stages of life. This means your pet will get all the nutrition they need and in the right proportion at every meal.

Benefits of a Super Premium food diet

Super Premium pet food is formulated to give your pet the optimal nutrition they deserve. Here are some of the reasons why:

– Guaranteed and quality source of protein and precise levels of fats and carbohydrates so you know exactly what ingredients are in your pet’s food

– Complete and balanced recipe including catering for specific breeds, lifestyle and health conditions

– DHA to enhance brain and vision – making your pet smarter

– Omega-3 fatty acids to encourage healthy skin and coat

– Highly digestible ingredients – leading to smaller, firmer and less-odorous waste for you to clean up

– Support for a developing immune system

– Ingredients to encourage strong joints and lean muscle development

– Healthiest option with a high digestibility for superior nutritional value.

Dr. Phill Trew for Animalix

Home of all Animals and Pets 

Traduction by Jane Mill

Pet Food - Super Premium Part 3/4 | Premium Pet Food

Premium Pet Food

They are top quality products in canine nutrition - so they are more expensive. They have a formula based on chicken, sheep, turkey. These ingredients, of animal origin, have higher digestibility, thus, dogs have less "work" to metabolize the food. As the digestibility is higher, the daily feed intake is lower. Premium Pet Food promote a healthier life and reduce the volume of animal feces.

They only use the best, high-quality ingredients. Premium food includes high-quality ingredients, which are easy for your pet to digest, compared to low-quality ingredients. Eating premium food means your pet is able to utilise the nutrients in the food - they will look and feel great and will live longer.
They are ‘complete and balanced'. Not only does this mean that premium foods contain all the essential nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, which your pet needs each day, but also that these are provided in the correct ratios for the body to be able to function properly. This means your pet is getting everything it needs for it to flourish at every life-stage.
They are packed with extras. Premium foods contain extra-special ingredients which support your pet's vital body systems. These can include DHA for brain development, glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health, and special enzymes to help prevent plaque and tartar formation on your pet's teeth. There are also foods which are formulated to help combat allergies which can lead to skin problems, including itchiness, red, dry or flaky skin and even ear infections.

Dr. Phill Trew for Animalix

Home of all Animals and Pets 

Traduction by Jane Mills 

Pet Food - Premium | Super Premium Part 2/4 | Normal Pet Food

Choosing the best pet food is not one of the easiest tasks, is not it?

There is a great variety of rations and these are distinguished by type, size, composition, etc. With such diverse options, you need to know which fits best to the needs of your furry friend.

Today, i will  explain the  normal pet food.

Normal Pet Food (the cheaper ones)

Also known as common rations, they are balanced products, however the quality of the protein used is inferior. Contains meat-and-bone meal, animal fat, corn gluten, etc. Pets live well with these rations, but it is necessary to take in a large volume to get the required amount of nutrients.
By having soy and gluten in its composition, the common ration provides a lower digestibility. Therefore the amount of feces will be higher, because the body of the puppy can not absorb many nutrients.

These rations usually have a large amount of palatabilizers. Dyes and preservatives are also widely used by producers.

Dr. Phill Trew for Animalix

Home of all Animals and Pets 

Traduction by Jane Mill

ALSO READ : https://animalix9.blogspot.pt/2018/05/pet-food-normal-premium-super-premium.html

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Pet Food - Normal | Premium | Super Premium Part 1/4

The dog is an animal that has nutritional deficiencies different from ours, so your diet should be directed to meet those needs. When we feed dogs with homemade food, most of the time (almost always), we do not promote proper nutrition. However "bland" it may seem, the grain is in most cases the best option. Because?

VIEW THE VIDEO HOW PET FOOD IS MADE IN THE END OF THIS POST

Let me give some arguments favorable to the use of grains instead of homemade food:

DOG NEEDS - As varied as Rover's food, we can not offer you a complete and balanced diet. Even giving meat, vegetables and eggs, we still can not balance this ration; and noodles, rice and cornmeal are not dog food.

THE PRACTICE - Few people today have time to make their own lunch, let alone the dog's food. To prove, it is enough to observe that sales of frozen and dehydrated food have increased significantly.

THE COST - If we put at the tip of the pencil the expense in elaborating a diet for a dog, with: meat, eggs, vegetables, vitamin supplements and minerals, and the work that we will have adding each ingredient in the right measure to balance it . Compared to the daily cost of feed-based feed. Undoubtedly, the most economical option will be the ration (even if this is an imported super-premium).

Today, many people are providing Natural Food, which is a great option to replace the feed. In natural food, it is not enough to give homemade food to the dog. There is a whole study of nutrients so that the dog's body does not miss anything and there are professional nutritionists who help owners balance the dog's diet. AN (Natural Food) is considered to be healthier than feed and it is said that dogs tend to get healthier and have fewer skin and allergy problems when eating AN. However, it is necessary to follow a veterinary nutritionist and you need to have enough space in the freezer to freeze the portions.

Dr. Phill Trew for Animalix

Home of all Animals and Pets 

Traduction by Jane Mills 

Pet Food | What a Hell are you Feeding your Pet

Researchers in Chapman's Food Science Program bought commercial products for dogs and cats (both wet and dry food) and used DNA analysis to determine the types of meat they contained.

Almost 40 percent of the products had a meat that was not listed on the label. Of the 52 samples, 31 were labeled correctly, 20 were potentially mislabeled and one had a meat ingredient that could not be identified. Assistant professor Rosalee Hellberg, co-author of the study, told that both dog and cat food samples were mislabeled, and that wet food was more likely than dry to have the problem.

“We found a lot of undeclared pork in certain products,” Hellberg said. “We found some products that would claim to have beef, even as a number one ingredient, and there was no beef in the product at all.”

The researchers said it’s impossible to know if the mislabeling was accidental or intentional, and that there was no way to know where it took place — at the supplier level or at manufacturing plants.

“It is a form of economic fraud,” Hellberg said, and when you consider that Americans are expected to spend more than $22 billion on pet food this year, according to the American Pet Products Association, the economic harm could be substantial.

Hellberg told she was surprised by the high rate of mislabeling. The reason she decided to test pet-food products was to see if they contained any horse meat, which would be a concern to some people. None did.
The Chapman report did not include a list of the products tested or those that were found to be potentially mislabeled. Hellberg told us the study was done to investigate the industry as a whole rather than single out any pet food brands. “We are hoping to raise awareness of the issue which would result in increased scrutiny to make sure pet foods really contain what they claim to contain,” she said.

The Pet Food Institute (PFI), an industry trade group, told it’s still trying to learn more about the Chapman study. In an email, Kurt Gallagher, PFI’s director of communications, pointed out that the majority of products sampled were labeled properly.

“Pet food is one of the most highly regulated food products,” Gallagher wrote. “Responsible pet food companies collaborate with FDA and AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) and work hard to ensure their products are in compliance with federal and state regulations, which include rules for proper labeling.”

Who’s minding the store?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the product labeling of both people and pet food. Hellberg told us the FDA was aware of the study. We contacted the FDA and were provided with a statement, which reads in part:

“Consumers should be able to trust that what is on the label is in the product. Pet foods do not require the FDA’s approval before being marketed; however, all ingredients are required to be listed on the label using their common or usual name. The FDA has taken action in the past when ingredients are not properly listed on the label or when one ingredient is substituted for another ingredient.”

Not the first time

Back in 2012, ELISA Technologies tested 21 commercial dog food products are found 12 instances of mislabeling (two products had more than one labeling issue.) As reported in PetFoodIndustry, eight of the products had animal protein not listed on the ingredient label. Two labeled as gluten- or grain-free, tested positive for gluten.

“As in the human food industry, this type of mislabeling is typically not intentional on the part of the manufacturer,” Dr. Laura K. Allred wrote on PetFoodIndustry. “Rather, it is most often the result of mistakes during formulation or the receipt of mislabeled product from a supplier.”

Potential health consequences

In the Chapman study, about a third of the samples (16 of the 52) had a meat ingredient not listed on the label — most often pork, which is a common food allergen for pets.

“This does not shed a very good light on the pet food industry,” said Dr. Joseph Wakshlag, an associate professor of clinical nutrition at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

Professor Wakshlag told that just a small amount of pig liver added to the product — and not disclosed on the label — would be more than enough to cause a problem for an allergic dog or cat.
If you have a pet with a food allergy, talk to your vet to make sure you’re using a food that’s appropriate and safe.

Dra. Jane Willfred

ALSO SEE : Pet Food | Be Aware what you feed your pets

Pet Food | Be Aware what you feed your pets

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Grains can be a long-term source of energy and energy storage for dogs, but they can also be used as a cheap filler in order to boost the food's protein percentage. Watch out! Any grain you feed your dog should be used in whole form so that it supplies more fiber, vitamins and minerals. The best grains for dogs (when used in the proper percentages) are rolled oats, barley, quinoa, millet, and brown rice.Often, low quality dog foods will list a meat ingredient first, which will be followed by several by-products and fillers. In this case, although meat is listed first, there are actually MORE fillers, which changes the ratio noted above.


A well-planned vegetarian diet can work for dogs, although dogs are carnivores by nature. Dogs need animal protein. Would a dog naturally be vegetarian? No. Most veterinarians and holistic practitioners agree that although a dog can survive on a vegetarian diet, they may not thrive on it.

Be aware that while preservatives may be necessary to keep the food edible, preservatives do not have to be artificial chemicals that might be cancer-causing agents. Avoid pet foods that use chemical preservatives BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin. Vitamin E & vitamin C are great preservatives that are much better for your dog.
Choose Premium Brand dog foods instead of Economy Brand dog foods. The cheapest ingredients are rarely the healthiest ones.

Go holistic. Holistic foods are 100% natural and 100% nutritious. They contain human-grade ingredients. One holistic pet food manufacturer provides anFREE online video "The Truth About Pet Food" you can watch here. (Actually, the term "human-grade" is a marketing technique. As is "holistic". To be able to MARKET a food as "human-grade" the food has to be run through a series of trials and tests that AAFCO officiates. If the food does not pass ALL of these tests and trials it is actually illegal to put the term "human-grade" on the bag.)
Some may consider this rule of thumb: If you wouldn't eat it, your dog probably shouldn't eat it either. (Think animal fat and added salt or sugar.) But there are some things you would eat (such as chocolate, grapes, raisins, white flour and onions) that are NOT good for your dog. Don't make the mistake of thinking all human food is appropriate for your canine. Canine and human nutritional needs and likes differ, such that what is appropriate and appealing for your dog may not be something you care to eat. In addition, some ingredients considered undesirable by US consumers (eg, bi-products) are enjoyed by humans in other cultures.

What to Expect Puppy to Dog

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