Wondering if your dog is hungry by lunchtime after he or she eats a scoop of dog food in the morning. A healthy dog will let you know when they are hungry. It’s a good sign when the dog is sitting in the kitchen staring at you while making food for yourself. Read on for tips to Feeding Your Dog Healthy
An active, healthy dog will decide on there own when to eat. Fill the dog’s bowl with dog food once a day and also fill their water bowl. The dog will choose when to eat. I have found that the dog will eat a little at a time throughout the day. At the end of the day, the bowl is empty—Ready for more.
This works well for one dog that doesn’t have any competition. The food bowl becomes a territory with multiple dogs in the same house. If this is your situation, put out two bowls and separate them. Maybe put one bowl in the kitchen and one in the bathroom or on opposite sides of one room.
I’ve had multiple dogs, and sometimes one dog will eat the food out of the other bowl while you’re not looking and then stand guard by theirs.
This method works best with dry dog food. You can leave food out all day, and it won’t spoil.
Suppose your dog or dog stays outside. Just feed and water once a day.
One downside to feeding outside or in a garage is rodents. Rodents like mice, rats, raccoons love dog food. They will sneak in and get the food as often as they can. Mice and rats will find places to store it up.
While spring cleaning the garage, I found an old boot in the corner full of dog food and moldy. Another place I have found food is in the heater vents in your car. I’m not sure how the mice got in there, but there was food in the heating ducts. You could hear it rolling back and forth when rounding corners. The heated air had a slight dog smell. You got to love your dogs.
Before we move on, let’s talk about food quality. The quality of food will determine how much your dog eats. It’s tempting to get the cheapest food in a fifty-pound bag to feed your dog day after day. Feeding the most inexpensive food to your dog is like eating fast food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. After a while, you don’t feel so good. Your dog is the same. The nutritional value isn’t there. The dog eats more, trying to make up for the lack of nutrition.
Do some research on types of food. Look for high-quality food; it will be better for the dog’s health in the long run.
Low-quality food will seem less expensive in the short run, but your dog’s health will suffer later in life. Pay for the higher quality food you’ll be glad you did in the long term.
Controlling portions is another way to feed. Suppose your dog is overweight or doesn’t do well deciding on its own. This way will be more work for you, but if your dog has a health issue, it’s worth the effort. Look up the amount of food a dog should eat by weight. Most manufactures have this info printed on the back of the bag.
Dog treats are a great way to reward your dog. But use it in small quantities. Break up the treat into small pieces to use for training. There is nothing wrong with giving your dog treats just because you love’em.
Another Article by Thenoahsbark: Looking For A Dog Name? Here are some tips.
