Dog Food and Common Sense

play biting
training puppies not to bite

hyper time
puppies and
active behavior

puppies and their care, advice from a professional groomer

housebreaking

Join our newsletter/list for dog training tips, dog behavior, and puppy information, as well as updates on what we’re up in the dog world. You don’t see a lot of ads on this site and I don’t send a lot of ads in the email either, I don’t use pop ups, and I will not sell your name.

Dog Food Tips and Common Sense

Proper feeding seems obvious as part of normal dog husbandry. While feeding the dog seems a trivial matter, people don't always consider how feeding or providing clean water can affect their dog. Feeding a new dog can even impact if there's an easy transition into a new home or if the dog will develop housebreaking problems.

Feeding regimes also affect how easy it will be to train your dog.

The way you feed your dog can influence training your dog
The first step is to avoid changing the dog’s food too abruptly. It's not uncommon for a dog to develop diarrhea if its food is suddenly changed. If you must immediately change the dog's diet, only feed small amounts the first few days. It's also best to feed a little less than the normal amount of food during this transition period.
Clean water is also important for maintaining a healthy dog. If birds are going potty in your dog's water this too can lead to diarrhea. I am usually not as worried about a moss lined water bucket as I am about a water bucket or bowl with bird dropping in it.

There is some debate as to how valuable it is to feed a premium dog food compared to a cheap dog food or grocery store brand. I have had dogs live to an old age on both. However in this day and age I would recommend a food with ingredients sourced 100 percent in North America. And I mean all the ingredients MADE in North America, not just mixed in North America. I may also consider a food made 100 percent in some European countries. If an ingredient comes from Asia especially China I would recommend not buying that food. There are Asian countries I would trust, but it is very difficult to know that they are not using ingredients sourced in China. The same may be true for Europe.

The proper dog food can not only improve your dog's development, but also its health. Most dog food today is rigorously tested for good taste and nutrition. This is true for many of the cheap dog foods as well as the premium all natural dog foods. In the past it was not uncommon for dogs to have lifelong problems from eating a cheap adult food when a puppy.

Dog treats are good for training but should be given in moderate amount. If your dog is being fed small amounts of food you can use its regular kibble as training treats. If you are using treats for training give very, very small pieces of the treat as a training reward. The idea is to give just enough to reward the dog without filling the dog up.

There is a growing trend to feed all natural and organic dog food. Feeding raw dog food is also becoming more popular. I am not so sure this is necessary. Although I will say that feeding organic food is one more step in avoiding Chinese ingredients. Most pet shops now carry natural dog food as well as organic dog food. And these can be a good choice for those who can afford them. Remember to stick to food with NO Chinese ingredients. Premium dog food may cost more, however many experts consider premium foods much better for a dog's health.

My Dog On A Shirt custom Dog t Shirts