May 24th, 2009 by admin

FEEDING TIP

You must store your dried dog food carefully. Open packages of dog food quickly lose their vitamin value, usually within 90 days of being opened. Mould spores and vermin could also contaminate the food.

DIETARY AND FEEDING CONSIDERATIONS

Today the choices of food for your St. Bernard are many and varied. There are simply dozens of brands of food in all sorts of flavours and textures, ranging from puppy diets to those for seniors. There are even hypoallergenic and low-calorie diets available. Because your St. Bernard’s food has a bearing on coat, health and temperament, it is essential that the most suitable diet is selected for a St. Bernard of his age. It is fair to say, however, that even experienced owners can be perplexed by the enormous range of foods available. Only understanding help you reach an informed decision.

Dog foods are produced in three basic types: dried, semi moist and tinned. Dried foods are useful for the cost-conscious for overall they tend to be less expensive than semi-moist or tinned. They also contain the least fat and the most preservatives. In general, tinned foods are made up of 60-70 percent water, while semi-moist ones often contain so much sugar that they are perhaps the least preferred by owners, even though their dogs seem to like them.

When selecting your dog’s diet, three stages of development must be considered: the puppy stage, adult stage and the senior or veteran stage.

TEST FOR PROPER DIET

A good test for proper diet is the colour, odour and firmness of your dog’s stool. A healthy dog usually produces three semi-hard stools per day. The stools should have no unpleasant odour. They should be the same colour from excretion to excretion.

PUPPY STAGE

Puppies instinctively want to suck milk from their mother’s teats anda normal puppy will exhibit this behaviour from just a few moments following birth. If puppies do not attempt to suckle within the first half-hour or so, they should be evcour-aged to do so by placing them on the nipples, having selected ones with plenty of milk. This early milk supply is important in providing colostrums to protect the puppies during the first eight to ten weeks of their lives. Although a mother’s milk is much better than any milk formula, despite there being some excellent ones available, if the puppies do not feed, you will have to feed them yourself. For those with less experience, advice from a veterinary surgeon is important so that you feed not only the right quantity of milk but that of correct quality, fed at suitably frequent intervals, usually every two hours during the first few days of life.

Puppies should be allowed to nurse from their mothers for about the first six weeks, although from the third or fourth week you should begin to introduce small portions of suitable solid food. Most breeders like to introduce alternate milk and meat meals initially, building up to weaning time.

By the time the puppies are seven or a maximum of eight weeks old, they should be fully weaned and fed solely on a proprietary puppy food. Selection of the most suitable, good-quality diet at this time is essential, for a puppy’s fastest growth rate is during the first year of life. Veterinary surgeons are usually able to offer advice in this regard and, although the frequency of meals will have been reduced over time, only when a young dog has reached the age of about 12 months should an adult diet be fed. Puppy and junior diets should be well balanced for the needs of your dog, so that except in certain circumstances additional vitamins. minerals and proteins will not be required. St. Bernard’s grow rapidly and sporadically during the first year of life, sometimes gaining as much as 25 pounds in a month. Be in contact with your breeder or vet during the first year to help regulate the puppy’s growth. Excess poundage in the first year can cause damge to developing muscles and ligaments, so proper maintenance is crucial.

ADULT DIETS

A dog is considered an adult when it has stopped growing, so in general the diet of a St. Bernard can be changed to an adult one at about 12 months of age. Again you should rely upon your veterinary surgeon or
Dietary specialist to recommend an acceptable maintenance diet. Major dog food manufacturers specialize in this type of food, and it s merely necessary for you to select the one best suited to your dog’s needs. Active dogs may have different requirements than sedate dogs.

SENIOIR DIETS

As dogs get older, their metabolism changes. The older dog Usually exercises less, moves more slowly and sleeps more. This change in ifestyle and physiological performance requires a change in diet. Since they changes take place slowly, they might not be recognizable. What is easily recognizable is weight gain. By continuing to feed your dog an adult-maintenance diet when it is slowing down metabolically, your dog will gain weight. Obesity in an older dog compounds the health problems that already accompany old age.

FOODPREFERENCE

Selecting the best dried dog food is difficult. There is no majority consensus among veterinary scientists as to the value of nutrient analyses (protein, fat, fiber, moisture, ash, cholesterol, minerals, etc.) .all agree the feeding trials are what matters, but you also have to consider the individual dog. Its weight, age, activity and what pleases its taste, all must be considered. it is probably best to take the advice of your veterinary surgeon. Every dog’s dietary requirements vary, even during the lifetime of a particular dog. Dietary requirements vary, even during the life time of a particular dog.

If your dog is fed a good dried food, it does not require supplements of meat or vegetables. Dogs do appreciate a little variety in their diets so you may choose to stay with the same brand, but vary the flavour. For St. Bernard’s, add water or a little flavored stock to dried food to guard against bloat.

FEEDING TIP

Dog food must be at room temperature, neither too hot nor too cold. Fresh water, changed daily and served in a clean bowl, is madatory, especially when feeding dried food. Never feed your dog from the table while you are eating. Never feed your dog leftovers from your own meal. They usually contain too much fat and too much seasoning. Dogs must chew their food. Hard pellets are excellent; soups and slurries are to be avoided.

Don’t add left overs or any extras to normal dog food. The normal food is usually balanced and adding something extra destroys the balance. Except for age-related changes, dogs do not require dietary variations. They can be fed the same diet, day after day, without their becoming ill.

GRAIN-BASED DIETS

Some less expensive dog foods are based on grains and other plant proteins. While these products may appear to be attractively price, many breeders prefer a diet based on animal proteins and believe that they are more conducive to your dog’s health. Many grain-based diets rely on soy protein that may cause flatulence ( passing gas).

There are many case, however, when your dog might require a special diet. These special requirements should only be recommended by your veterinary surgeon.

As your dog gets older, few of his organs function up to par.the kidneys slow down and the intestines become less efficient. These age-related factors are diet and a change in feeding schedule to give smaller portions that are more easily digested.

There is no single best diet for every older dog. While many dogs do well on light or senior diets, other dogs do better on puppy diets or other dogs do better on puppy diets or other special premium diets such as lamb and rice. Be sensitive to your senior St. Bernard’s diet and this will help control other problems that may arise with your old friend.

WATER

Just as your dog needs proper nutrition from his food, water is an essential ‘nutrient’s as well. Water keeps the dog’s body properly hydrated and promotes normal function of the body’s systems. During housebreaking it is necessary to keep an eye on how much water your St. Bernard is drinking, but once he is reliably trained he should have access to clean fresh water at all times, especially if you feed dried food. Make certain that the dog’s water bowl is clean, and change the water often.

EXERCISE

All dogs require some form of exercise, regardless of breed. A sedentary lifestyle is as harmful to a dog as it is to a person. The St. Bernard is less active than many other breeds, but enjoys regular exercise with his owner. Regular walks, play sessions in run free in the garden under your supervision are sufficient forms of exercise for the St. Bernard. For those who are more ambitious, you will find that your St. Bernard also enjoys long walks, an occasional hike, games of fetch or even a swim! Do not stress the young St. Bernard with Strenuous exercise as this may have an adverse effect on the puppy’s developing frame. If your St. Bernard is Lethargic and doesn’t welcome exercise, it is your responsibility to encourage him to play. Bear in mind that an overweight dog should never be suddenly over-exercised; instead he should be encouraged to increase exercise slowly. Not only is exercise essential to keep the dog’s body fit, it is essential to his mental wellbeing. A bored dog will find something to do, which often manifests itself in some type of destructive behaviour. In this sense, exercise is essential for the owner’s mental well-being as well!

CHANGE IN DIET

As your dog’s caretaker, you know the importance of keeping his diet consistent, but sometimes when you run out of food or if you’re on holiday, you have to make a change quickly. Some dogs will experience digestive problems but most will not. If you are planning on Chaging your dog’s menu, do so gradually to ensure that your dog will not have any problems. Over a period of four to five days, slowly add some new food to your dog’s old food, increasing the percentage of new food each day.