HOW DO I KNOW THAT I AM FEEDING MY DOG CORRECTLY?
People often ask me how do I know that I’m feeding my dog in a proper way? The answer is usually so simple that people won’t believe it: just look at your dog.
We are more and more separated from the nature nowadays, and I guess this is the main reason people are afraid that they will not notice the changes in the well-being of their dog. It is true these things are sometimes hard to spot – especially when you see your pet every day, and the changes are happening really slow (for example that if the dog is feeling pain).
However, the impact of proper nutrition is so remarkable, unsuitable feeding is quite easy to notice.
What things should I follow?
- Dog’s fur should shine
- Dog’s hair is not supposed to break
- Dog’s breath is not supposed to smell anything else than dog
- Dog’s nails should grow evenly
- Dog’s nails should not break into pieces while cutting
- Dog should act lively and active
Some of the things mentioned above depend of the individual qualities of the dog. As an owner you are the best one to judge if your dog is behaving “normal”, but also dog’s nails, fur and breath are good indicators.
The following question is usually how do I know I am feeding my dog enough or too much if the quality of the food is fine. Many people give an advise to try out the ribs of the dog, but I found this method a bit ambiguous considering individual body structures of different breeds. In my opinion it is easier to make sure that the dog has a waist. By waist I mean the area between the last chest rib and the hind leg. In this area there should be a hollow no matter what the breed is. If this hollow does not exist, the dog is over-weight. At controversy if the hollow is too deep and the bones of hip, spine and shoulders are visible, the dog is probably too skinny. However, there are some differences between breeds, for example the bones of the Greyhound are always visible even if the dog’s weight is normal.
