These days , when you stroll down any grocery store pet food aisle you will see row upon row of prepackaged, dry and canned dog food products. Almost, no Lab owner ever thinks about what their Labrador Retriever actually needs in their diet. They usually grab the cheapest bag and assume their dog is getting the nourishment they require to maintain their health, feeding them whatever Labrador food they’ve always used.
Truthfully, a retriever has very clear-cut nutritive requirements like our own. If those requirements are not your Lab can develop digestive difficulties, or in my dogs case develop kidney stones. Often times they will not have healthy, normal, bowel function and I don’t have to tell you what that means.
What your Retriever Doesn’t Need
First, your Labrador doesn’t need to have people food or table scraps, it needs Labrador food made specifically for a dog. Further more, they truly don’t know the difference, if you don’t give them Table scraps in the first place.
Sadly, store bought dog foods are usually lacking the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients your Lab requires, so if you’re utilizing regular dog food you might need to supplement it. In nature dogs would obtain their food from freshly killed prey, fruit, roots, berries, grass and bugs if other food was not available
I know you aren’t going to pick your retriever some fresh berries but there are things you may want to do to add to your dogs diet.
Guidelines to Giving Your Retriever the Proper Nutrients
To start with, you might want to rethink the regular food you give your dog. If it’s a tasteless, store brand with corn base, it isn’t doing the trick. There are a few organic and natural foods that have less fillers and a great deal more nutrients.
If you’d like to go the natural way, think about the nutritional requirements of a canine. This means getting poultry or beef to their food to ensure they get the proteins they need. Organic meats are ideal to lessen the chances of unwanted chemicals and antibiotics in non natural foods.
You’ll also want to minimize the fat in your dogs diet. Steer clear of cheese or wieners for instance. Despite the controversy that they are meat eaters, canines can get a lot of nutrients from fruits and veggies.
Nonetheless, some vegetables and fruits aren’t very good for them. Stay with foods containing fiber. Whole grains as well as apples and certain grasses work well. Furthermore, fatty acids from eggs or fish are beneficial, but keep away from any fish that may possibly contain bones.
3 Tips When Feeding Your Labrador
Your Lab shouldn’t be eating too much A 65 pound dog only needs to eat 3-4 cups of food per day maximum, divided into two meals. Your retriever doesn’t need to have any more than that unless it is very active such as hunting all day and every day.
Also, have distinct feeding times for yourLabrador. Merely filling up a bowl and leaving it is a sure fire way to having a very fat pet on your hands. Dogs tend to consume what ever you set before them, and they’ll quickly grow lazy as a result.
One more awesome suggestion is to have your Labrador work mentally and physically for their food. Training or a walk before feeding is great, as is getting them sit and wait for the dinner. This enhances the instinctual tendency to hunt for food each day.
Feeding your retriever isn’t like feeding a child. You don’t have to add variety to their meals. If you’ve ever noticed how excited your Lab gets for bland, dry food, you know that they are completely content eating whatever you give them. In addition, they will be healthier and happier if you maintain a consistent well balanced diet plan.
