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Down the Hatch

© Lesli Richardson

It used to be, years ago, that family dogs ate whatever table scraps were laid down for them. Fortunately we've progressed to a point where processed dog food is available for nearly every imaginable doggy dietary need.

Some people buy whatever's cheapest and put it down for their dog regardless of nutritional content (or lack thereof). They may switch brands week to week depending on the sales specials, and probably give little thought to what's actually in the food they're feeding their pet. On the other end of the spectrum you have people who literally treat their packmate like part of the family, right down to giving them their own plate of table food at every meal.

Both of these scenarios are no-nos. While it's true that dogs are omnivorous - will eat meat, vegetables, and nearly anything else put down in front of them - to give them whatever they want whenever they want can lead to digestive, skin and coat, and other health problems. I had a personal experience with one of my Labs developing 20-Nail disease as a result of changing his diet from lamb and rice to lean kibble in a fairly well-known brand. As a result, all of my dogs got switched to a better premium brand that better suited their nutritional needs. (And the brand I fed them before was a well-respected name brand.) More expensive, but cheaper in the long run as my dogs will be healthier as a result.

Take Dalmatians for instance. Their specialized urinary system requires they have a diet low in purines, which usually means feeding lamb instead of beef products, plus keeping them away from foods high in purines. Otherwise, they can easily develop bladder and kidney stones. And pregnant/lactating bitches not only need more food, but food higher in nutrients to keep her and her puppies healthy.

Take a look at the nutrition table on your dog's food, and talk to your vet about your dog's particular needs. You need to take into account activity level, age, and any health concerns such as diabetes or obesity. Find out what your dog's nutritional requirements are and then spend the money to buy a good quality dog food that meets or exceeds those needs. That doesn't mean you have to buy the food the vet sells in his office, but you can go online and do a little research and find one that's comparable. Expensive foods aren't necessarily the best choice for your dog, which is why you should always go by nutrition content rather than price. And often with a good premium brand there are less fillers, which means you can actually feed LESS food to your dog for them to get the same nutritional content, bringing the per-meal price down to a fairly comparable level.

The copyright of the article Down the Hatch in Dogs Etc. is owned by Lesli Richardson. Permission to republish Down the Hatch in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.