Content
- Natural dog food: first steps
- Natural dog food: BARF diet
- Natural dog food: quantity
- Natural Dog Diet: Getting Started
Natural food is an excellent way to control the proper weight of our pet, besides generally containing less additives and being more digestive. A healthy option. One of the issues that most worries caregivers who choose a natural diet is offering too much food or in much smaller quantities to their dog. Do you also have these doubts? In this article by PeritoAnimal we will talk about natural dog food, an organic and healthy option that will help dogs with allergies, puppies or just any dog. Keep reading and discover our advice:
Natural dog food: first steps
Before starting natural dog food, you need observe and weigh your puppy to understand what his food needs will be at the moment.
A good way to calculate the nutritional or caloric needs of the dog you are caring for is observation. It should be noted that the abdomen is narrower than the chest, and that the ribs can be felt but should not be visible. However, there are exceptions, such as the case of the Spanish greyhound, in which you can easily see the ribs even when you are not thin. It's your natural constitution.
When switching to natural food, it is recommended to weigh the animal and repeat the process at least a month later. If he was overweight, it is expected that he will gradually lose weight and if he was very thin, he should increase in weight. Sudden changes in weight in pets can indicate some pathology or an error in the nutritional management of our dog.
Carnivores draw energy mainly from proteins and fats, therefore, they represent the basis of food.
- If the amount of food or the number of calories is below the appropriate level, the dog will lose weight. And otherwise, if you exceed the amount of food or calories, the animal will gain weight.
Therefore, it is important to periodically weigh your dog and observe his body condition.
Natural dog food: BARF diet
ACBA or BARF power, acronym for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, suggests that an adult dog should ingest 2-3% of its live weight. The percentage of 2% corresponds to more sedentary animals and 3% corresponds to more active and athletic animals.
However, each individual has their own nutritional needs. For example, the feeding of a puppy, an adult dog, and an elderly dog will be different. Even the caloric needs of dogs in the same group will vary individually according to age, health status, breed, etc... See an example of a dog BARF or ACBA diet and learn more about these types of diets.
Natural dog food: quantity
On the other hand, the types of meat differ from each other with regard to proportion between meat and fat, but it also depends on which part of the animal you intend to serve. There are cuts of beef as fatty as pork or chicken parts as lean as turkey.
You should not always give the same cut of lean meat, as this can cause the dog to progressively lose weight. Seeing this weight loss, the tendency is to increase the amount of food, but this does not solve the problem.
It is essential that you understand that feeding your dog in a natural way does not mean giving him only meat, since like the rest of the animals, they also need other nutrients in smaller proportions, such as fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals...
A small proportion of the dog's diet should consist of fruits and vegetables recommended for puppies and appropriate for good physical development. Don't forget to check which foods are prohibited for dogs.
Also remember that there are foods that, despite not being toxic, are not the most suitable for a dog, as is the case with wheat. Replace it with rice.
Natural Dog Diet: Getting Started
Everything we've already explained, you'll learn little by little with practice and with progressive reading of all possible information. But remember: your best teacher is your four-legged friend. On the other hand, it will be essential to consult the veterinary professional to guide you and show you the steps to follow, as it is not logical to start a diet without knowing if your puppy may suffer from anemia or if it is free from all diseases.
Also see our YouTube video about natural dog food: