To
a large degree, your dog's daily feeding routine is a
matter of common sense. You know that you need a
well-balanced diet to be healthy and your dog will
need the same type of balance in his diet. To be
healthy, your dog must have a diet of protein,
carbohydrates and fats with a balanced ratio of
vitamins and minerals. He will also need an ample
supply of fresh water and his diet must provide
adequate calories to meet his daily nutritional
requirements whether he is a growing puppy, active
adult or aging senior. While this may all seem pretty
simple on the surface, you've probably figured out
that NOTHING IS EVER THAT EASY!
"What's
the problem?" you ask. "All I have to do is run to
Wal-Mart and buy a bag of 'Ol Roy, right? The dog food
companies are regulated and they've done all the
research. The food is already bagged, stacked, and
ready to go. All I have to do is choose a flavor and
pick the correct "age" food, right?" Sorry, but it's
not going to be that easy.
While
all bags of commercial dog food have a nice label that
states "complete and balanced for all life stages"
(and they have all these wonderful flavors and age
appropriate formulas), you need to be aware that your
dog may not do well on a particular brand or type of
food. Like people, each dog is an individual and each
dog’s metabolism and nutritional needs are somewhat
different.
There
can be several reasons why your dog doesn't do well on
a particular food, but in many instances, the food in
question does not have the necessary nutritional
ingredients available in a form that your dog's
digestive system can actually absorb. In other words,
the protein, fat and other nutritional values listed
on the dog food label may appear to be adequate, but
the grains used in the food have not been processed in
a way that makes the nutrients readily available to
your dog; or there may be such things as chicken
feathers, beaks or animal hair added to the food that,
while upping the protein count, do not actually
provide those additional protein amounts in a usable
form. For a gross experiment, try soaking a few pieces
of cheap dog food in a bowl of water. After 20-30
minutes, you should be able to see hair floating on
the surface. If you study the dry dog food kibble, you
can usually find pieces of hair actually sticking out!
Unfortunately,
the practice of adding these "non-usable" nutritional
sources is not just a problem with the cheapest brands
of dog foods. There are some major "premium" brands
guilty of the same practices. Another problem with
commercial brands of dog food is the labeling and
identification practices used to identify ingredients
in dog food. Unless you know all the "rules and
regulations" for what the label descriptions actually
mean, the labels are mis-leading and confusing. You
might be unpleasantly surprised to learn that you're
feeding your best friend a diet no self-respecting dog
would ever touch!
In
many instances, the only reason a dog eats this
unattractive, unhealthy, over-processed meal is that
the nasty ingredients are heavily basted and sprayed
with fats, flavor enhancers and sugars. These
additives are used by the dog food companies to cover
up the poor quality product and tempt the dog into
eating it! (For articles on the ingredients in
commercial dog food and labeling information, click on
the links at the end of this article.)
"So,"
you say "I'll just ask my vet to tell me what to feed
my sweet little Fluffy and everything will be just
fine." Sorry, but this is not likely to solve all of
your problems either. Instead, this approach is many
times another stumbling block in trying to keep your
pet as healthy and happy as possible. The problem with
this course of action is that vets are general
practitioners. They have a "general" understanding of
all animals, not an in-depth knowledge of your dog's
breed and what that breed may need in the way of
nutrition. Do not get me wrong here! I'm not saying
that your vet can't offer sound advice and shouldn't
be consulted if your dog is having a problem that is
or could be linked to a nutritional deficiency. I'm
just saying, you need to consider the limits of your
vet's knowledge and keep these limits in mind when
making decisions about your dog's diet.
One
of the reasons I say your vet's nutritional knowledge
is limited, is the fact that many nutritional
veterinary teaching courses have, until recently, been
considered "elective", not required courses. In
addition, the courses offered tend to be an overview
of animal nutrition. They do not offer extensive
species, age, or health specific courses that teach a
vet how to manipulate a specific animal's diet to
improve the health of that particular breed or
individual. This "general" approach to nutrition tends
to lead many vets to a lump 'em together,
"one-size-fits-all" mentality when it comes to dealing
with animal nutrition. This approach does not work!
All dogs are different and even within a breed there
will be vast differences in what nutrients an
individual dog needs to maintain it in top condition.
Some dogs may require as much as 50% more of some
nutrients than others of the same age, sex and
condition.
Another
problem I see with veterinary nutritional education is
the fact that many of the nutritional courses and
seminars offered to vet students (and as continuing
education for licensed veterinarians) are sponsored by
the largest dog food manufacturers and the information
presented is based on the research, propaganda and
advertising claims of these companies!! Add to this
the fact that after graduation, these same vets are
getting "incentives" (free products, trips and
merchandise) to become dealers for these same
manufacturers. Some of the same companies are also
producing "prescription" diets that these vets then
have a closed market on! Seems like there'd be a
conflict of interest here somewhere, huh?
OK,
if you can't trust all the commercial dog food claims
and your vet doesn't have all the answers, how do you
feed your dog a healthy, nutritious diet? Well, first
and foremost, listen to your breeder! The person you
are buying your puppy from is, hopefully, a
knowledgeable breeder with years of experience in
keeping dogs of this breed in peak condition. Your
breeder should be able to give you the information you
need right now and should be available and ready to
help you with any concerns or changes that may become
necessary as your dog ages. Don't be afraid to pick
your breeder's brain for help if your dog's having a
problem. They sold you this dog and it's their
responsibility to be there for the dog's lifetime to
help if a problem crops up. Use this resource as your
first stop for information to help you make decisions
about your pet's welfare and as the first line of
defense for solving problems.
I
would also like you to keep a couple of other things
in mind when it comes to your dog and his daily diet.
Dogs are NOT vegetarians and trying to force your
prejudices on your dog can be harmful. Dogs do not
suffer the same cardiac artery/cholesterol connection
that their owners have to be concerned about, so
there's no health benefit for the dog in feeding a
vegetarian diet. In fact, these diets can actually
cause a number of serious problems, including urine PH
changes that can lead to bladder and kidney stones,
which can in turn, kill your dog! Along these same
lines, please don't get pulled into the latest "fads"
when it comes to feeding your dog. Just because
someone has found a new "miracle cure" human product,
this does not mean that said product will
automatically translate into a beneficial ingredient
in your dog's diet. For your dog's health, please
avoid getting sucked into trying the newest dog food
"de jour".
Additionally,
I would like you to realize that you are your dog's
caregiver and he must look to you to keep him fit and
healthy. He has no choice in what he eats; he has no
idea what will keep him healthy; and he must depend on
you to make sure he gets adequate exercise and proper
nutrition. Please remember that he is completely
dependent on you and you MUST NOT over-feed him or
allow him to become obese! Doing so is killing him
with kindness. Research has PROVEN that keeping a dog
at, or even slightly under, "ideal" body condition can
add TWO YEARS to his life!! Will you be able to live
with yourself if your dog dies before his time and you
know you could have kept him fit and healthy with
little or no effort?
Keeping
your dog lean and fit is not difficult. It only means
that you must monitor his body condition and adjust
his feeding amounts weekly to keep him at an
acceptable weight. This means that you won't continue
feeding your obese dog 1 full cup of food daily just
because the manufacturer listed that amount on the bag
as an appropriate amount for your dog's breed or
weight. This also means that you will keep treats and
"goodies" within limits that do not add excess weight
to the dog. Refusing to give extra treats (or keeping
them to a minimum) and limiting the dog's food intake
is not mean. It is, in fact, a sign of how much you
care that you make the effort to keep him healthy.
The
correct way to judge your dog's body condition is to
look at the dog from above and from the side. When
looking at the dog from above, the dog should have a
"waist" between where the ribs end and in front of the
hips. When viewed from the side, the tummy should
"tuck up" into the groin area. This is the ideal body
condition for all dogs over 8 months old. You should
evaluate your dog on a weekly basis, using these
guidelines, and adjust his dietary intake up or down
accordingly. This will prevent him from ever getting
seriously overweight.
So
what should you feed your new Cocker puppy or older
Cocker? Well here are the foods I recommend:
• Eukanuba Maintenance or Small Breed Formula.
They have this as a puppy and adult food. The medium
breed is also acceptable although I prefer the Small
Breed formula, especially for puppies.
• Purina Pro Plan chicken & rice formula. As with
Eukanuba, this comes in a puppy or adult formula.
• Eukanuba and Pro Plan also have a premium
"Performance" formula in each of their food lines
that are very good.
The
above foods are the only ones I recommend. I do not
recommend any other formulas or ingredients (beef,
lamb, etc.) or any other brands. I also particularly
recommend that you avoid Science Diet foods. My
Cockers in particular do not do well on Science Diet
foods and have been known to develop health problems
directly related to these diets.
Most
of the Eukanuba and Pro Plan foods are good, but
remember that the nutrient contents are different for
each variety and the reason I have recommended
specific formulas is that I feel these have the
ingredients necessary to help your Cocker be a happy,
healthy dog. I also believe that they supply the
correct balance of fats, vitamins and minerals to
support a Cocker's skin and coat, which can help
prevent "allergies" and other skin and coat problems.
Don't
get confused as your dog ages either. Beyond switching
to an adult food when your puppy is about a year old,
there's rarely a need to switch to "weight control",
"senior" formula or any other flavor or variety of
food. As a general rule, you should be able to manage
your dog quite successfully on her regular diet, no
matter her age or condition. Should your dog have a
health issue (dental, intestinal, etc) or other
problem that requires a special food or formula, be
sure and discuss this with your breeder to see if
he/she has any ideas that might be beneficial.
For
dogs that have proven to have a food sensitivity to
the foods above; or that may need an all-natural food
alternative, I will sometimes recommend Solid Gold
Hund-N-Flokken Adult food or Hundchen Flokken puppy
food. (I strongly recommend using the Solid Gold
Seameal supplement listed below when feeding this
food.) For dogs that have contact or airborne
allergies or other skin conditions in which a diet
supplement may be helpful, I recommend Solid Gold
Seameal Powder w/Flaxseed Meal or The Missing Link.
If
kept on a quality diet, your Cocker should not need
additional supplements. Adding additional vitamins and
minerals could, in fact, be detrimental to your dog as
the amount of these ingredients in your dog's diet
must be kept in a delicate balance. Too much of one
mineral could interfere with the absorption of another
mineral or could be toxic to your dog.
Adult
dogs should be feed twice a day, but will survive if
you are only able to accommodate a once a day feeding
routine. Feeding amounts will vary with your dog's age
and activity level. Adjust feeding amounts weekly to
keep your dog in the best physical condition. Limit
treats and don't feed table scraps. Feed your dog on a
regular schedule and stick with her regular food. Keep
in mind that feeding your dog a well balanced diet
with good quality ingredients can be completely
undermined by over-feeding her with unbalanced treats
and poor quality snacks.
Young
puppies (8-12 weeks) should generally be fed as much
as they like at 3-4 scheduled feedings a day. By the
time the puppy is 6 months of age, you can reduce
feedings to twice a day. Unless your puppy is a light
eater or very finicky (in other words if you have a
serious concern about keeping sufficient weight on the
puppy), you should not just leave food available for a
puppy all of the time. By making the puppy eat on a
schedule, you will be able to regulate the puppy's
need to go outside and relieve himself and this will
make crate and house-training much easier and quicker.
Always
give the puppy access to slightly more food than you
know he will eat, for 10-15 minutes and then pick up
the bowl. As the puppy grows and he begins to finish
the amount of food you are setting out, increase the
amount of food to the point that he is once again not
quite finishing what is available. You should continue
to monitor the puppy's food intake and adjust the
available amounts without limits, until he is about 8
months old.
Unless
your puppy is exceedingly fat, you shouldn't worry
about him being over-weight or eating too much until
he is 8 months to a year old. Around this time, you
should begin to monitor his body condition as
described above and you should begin to limit feeding
amounts (if necessary) to keep the dog in correct body
condition. If your puppy should become too fat at some
point, do NOT cut his food intake! Instead, just leave
the available food amount at a consistent level,
without increases, until the puppy has grown into a
better body condition.
If
your dog is having nutritional problems and you have
exhausted your breeder's and vet's knowledge, or if
you just want to explore more information about
feeding your dog, check out your library and/or the
internet. There is an endless supply of information
available about alternative food choices and what
problems they can "cure". Just remember that you are
ultimately the responsible party where your dog's
health is concerned and you know your dog best. You
also need to keep in mind that just because someone
has a web-site up and a product for sale or maybe
they've published a book, this does not make them
experts on the care of YOUR dog. Investigate all
claims thoroughly and if you find something of
interest that you think might help your dog, take this
information back to your breeder and vet for another
opinion.
While
there is a growing group of consumers who promote and
follow an all natural RAW or fresh food diet plan for
their dogs,
I do
not recommend this unless you are willing to devote a
significant amount of time to research and on-going
canine nutritional education. This type of
feeding can be very tricky for beginners, so caution
and education are a must. I also recommend that
owners wishing to feed their dog a natural diet find a
number of e-mail groups or lists that they can be a
part of and from which they can receive support, help
and information. I do believe that a natural
diet can be beneficial for many dogs, but this type of
diet MUST be carefully orchestrated and followed to
ensure the dog receives the correct balance of
nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Since each dog
is different and a dog's needs may change
significantly over time, feeding RAW can be difficult.
Please do not attempt an all natural diet for your pet
unless you have the time to thoroughly educate
yourself as to the benefits and risks involved.
If you are interested in feeding your Cocker a natural
diet, I suggest joining the
CockersNaturalDiet list.
You
may also find the following links interesting:
