Diet and Nutrition
Most dogs are fed entirely on tinned or packaged food and in general good quality food will contain a balance of all nutrients required to keep a dog healthy. The main parts of a dog's diet will be protein (meat) and carbohydrates (dog biscuit). Protein is used to build the body tissues and carbohydrates provide energy. Animal fat is important both as energy source and because it contains essential vitamins like vitamin A. Fat also gives flavour and texture to the food. There are many other essential ingredients of the diet such as vitamins and minerals. Most of these ingredients are either naturally present in, or added to, commercially prepared dog foods.
So what should I feed my dog:
We recommend Royal Canin, a high quality, tailored nutrition food which has many health benefits for your pet and is easy and convenient to feed. These diets are tailored to your pet’s individual needs, taking into account their age, lifestyle, size and even their breed! Just one bag can last you for many weeks and a dry food will often work out at a low cost per day when compared with feeding a wet food.
That’s not to say there isn’t a role for tins and pouches but as vets we tend to use these foods in special situations – post-surgery convalescence for example, when pets have different needs. A tin or pouch of food is usually about 80% water which makes it an expensive way to feed your pet.
Dogs come in many shapes and sizes and have very different feeding requirements. Obviously smaller dogs tend to eat less than bigger ones and dogs that take a lot of exercise will need more food than ‘couch potatoes’. Some dogs do not have good appetites and other breeds, such as the Labrador, are notoriously greedy. Every dog is an individual and any feeding recommendations are only a guide.
Please consult us if you have any queries about your dog's diet or weight.
So what should I feed my dog:
We recommend Royal Canin, a high quality, tailored nutrition food which has many health benefits for your pet and is easy and convenient to feed. These diets are tailored to your pet’s individual needs, taking into account their age, lifestyle, size and even their breed! Just one bag can last you for many weeks and a dry food will often work out at a low cost per day when compared with feeding a wet food.
That’s not to say there isn’t a role for tins and pouches but as vets we tend to use these foods in special situations – post-surgery convalescence for example, when pets have different needs. A tin or pouch of food is usually about 80% water which makes it an expensive way to feed your pet.
Dogs come in many shapes and sizes and have very different feeding requirements. Obviously smaller dogs tend to eat less than bigger ones and dogs that take a lot of exercise will need more food than ‘couch potatoes’. Some dogs do not have good appetites and other breeds, such as the Labrador, are notoriously greedy. Every dog is an individual and any feeding recommendations are only a guide.
Please consult us if you have any queries about your dog's diet or weight.