Proper nutrition of the dog with natural products. How and what to feed your dog. Fundamentals of a healthy diet. Basic feeding rules

Before you feed your dog natural food, you should consider whether the option is right for you and your dog. Feeding a dog natural food requires material and physical costs. You need to regularly prepare balanced food for the animal. This may seem like a bit of a burdensome procedure. However, the end justifies the means. If you approach the issue correctly, you will get a healthy dog.

Basic feeding rules

It must be understood that natural dog food and natural human food are two different things. It is contraindicated to feed the dog leftovers from the human table. Regardless of the feeding option, the animal should always have fresh water freely available. Change the water daily, during the hot period, you should refresh the bowl twice a day and pour clean water.

Feeding should be carried out according to the schedule, in accordance with the age of the dog. So puppies should be fed 6-8 times a day, and feeding an adult provides 2-3 meals a day. Feeding schemes are adjusted depending on the health of the pet, the presence of pregnancy and lactation.

Do not go on about the pet, and feed the animal on demand. Often dogs do not understand the sense of proportion, and are able to eat much more than physiology requires. A sharp increase in weight, obesity of the animal, can lead to health problems. In particular, these are problems with the cardiovascular system, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and joints. The amount of food for an animal is calculated individually for each individual, depending on the animal's body weight and health status. This is 7% by weight for puppies, and 3.5% by weight for dogs over 6 months old.

Many pet owners are interested in the question of how to properly feed a dog with natural food, before a walk or after a walk. In accordance with the recommendations of veterinarians, the animal should be fed after walking. This is due to the increased mobility of the pet during a walk and the peculiarity of the structure of the gastrointestinal tract, which can provoke intestinal volvulus.

With a persistent habit of the animal to empty the intestines only after full feeding, the walk should take place in a calm mode. With the main goal - to cope with the natural needs of the animal. Active physical activity is permissible only an hour after the main feeding.

Prohibited Products

When using prohibited foods when feeding an animal, there is a high probability of dog health problems, there is a risk of developing allergic reactions.

List of contraindicated products:

• peas, beans, beans;
• bakery products;
• smoked, salty foods;
• fresh white cabbage;
• seasonings and spices;
• potato;
• chocolate, sugar;
• semolina;
• tubular bones.

Often, owners notice allergy symptoms too late. This is due to thick hair, inattentive attitude towards the dog. The main signs of an allergic reaction:

• rashes on the skin and mucous membranes;
• disorder of the gastrointestinal tract (diarrhea, vomiting, smell from the mouth);
• suppuration, swelling of mucous membranes;
• increased hair loss.

With signs of allergies, it is necessary to reconsider the pet's diet. Products that can provoke allergies: chicken meat and eggs, milk, sea fish, mineral and vitamin supplements, flour products, wheat and oatmeal.

In the case of animals, it can be quite difficult to determine what caused the allergy. It is necessary to alternately exclude various products, monitor the condition of the pet. You can start a food diary. In childhood, there is no understanding of why it is impossible to treat something tasty. It is important to control the process of feeding the dog, optimally - when one person is feeding.

Eligible Products

The physiological and emotional state of the dog depends on proper and balanced nutrition. In order for your pet to be cheerful and healthy, you should know how to feed a dog on a natural diet. Option - drawing up an approximate menu for a dog for a week. Where all the needs of the animal's body in vitamins and nutrients are taken into account.

• meat (with caution pork and chicken);
• offal;
• vegetables;
• eggs;
• cottage cheese, dairy products;
• fish;
• fruits;
• bran;
• vegetable oils (olive, sunflower, linseed)
• cereals (rice, buckwheat, oats).

Useful and nutritious cereal soups in meat broth with the addition of vegetables. Cereals are the main source of carbohydrates. Vegetables are an extremely valuable product, both fresh and boiled. With caution, you should give the animal fresh cabbage, it can provoke bloating and fermentation in the intestines.

From fruits, apples, pears, bananas should be included in the menu. Dried fruits are an alternative to fresh fruits, they are not inferior in terms of the amount of trace elements, they are more attractive to dogs. Chicken eggs should be on the menu 1-2 times a week in boiled form. Fresh cow's milk is generally not used when feeding adult pets; medium-fat sour-milk products and cottage cheese are used.

Sample meal plan for one day

To properly feed your dog, you need to understand what should be the approximate diet of his diet. Veterinarians recommend the following types of food for one day for one adult animal:

1. First morning breakfast. It is best to give your pet some dairy products at this time. First of all, this applies to kefir, curdled milk, yogurt or cottage cheese. All of them are suitable for feeding a dog. An alternative would be porridge along with meat and vegetables. You can also cook fish. Not all owners consider cereals to be normal food for their dogs. Therefore, the amount of porridge can be limited to 10-15 percent of the entire morning diet.

Dairy food should be given to the dog at least once every few days. As for cereals, they should not be neglected either. It is worth adding a variety of vegetables to them so that the diet is as healthy as possible. In addition, the dog will not get tired of such food for some time, despite how often he will use it. Vegetables can be either completely raw or slightly stewed (that is, covered with boiling water). It is also important not to mix both meat and fish at the same time in one meal. Experiments should take place to the extent reasonable.

2. Second evening dinner. During this period, doctors advise giving the pet almost nothing but meat. It can be mixed with a small amount of different vegetables. If the dog is accustomed to eating only cereals, then it is best to give them at least half the usual volume in the evening, replacing them with alternative products. To make the meat more useful, and it was easier for the dog to digest it. To it should be added 0.5-2 tablespoons of ordinary sunflower oil. It can also be replaced if possible with olive or linseed oil.

If you practice feeding your dog three times a day, it is best to divide the morning dose into two. In this case, the animal should eat the evening diet at a time. When the dog eats four times a day, the morning dose and the evening dose should be divided equally.

The dog should eat twice in the first half of the day and twice in the second. An imbalance can lead to digestive disorders or other health problems. This applies to both the physical and psychological state of the pet.

The right amount of food for a dog

The development of a dog can only be ensured if he receives the right amount of food in the right way. But how much food a dog needs is influenced by many factors:

1. Physical activity. The more of them, the more energy the dog spends. In accordance with this, it is very important to replenish it in the body. Therefore, if the dog is significantly active, it is best for him to slightly increase the daily portions. This should directly depend on the loads in a particular period;

2. Place of residence. If the dog lives on the street, then it spends 15-35 percent more energy than if it is constantly in the apartment. In the yard, the animal always has more freedom, as a result of which it runs more, jumps, barks, etc. Therefore, street dogs should be given a little more food than fully domesticated ones;

3. Season. The temperature regime is largely capable of influencing both the need for food consumption and directly the desire of the dog to eat it. In winter, the dog needs to slightly increase portions. At the same time, in summer, the dog often has less activity due to the high air temperature, as a result, it does not require much food;

4. Estrus or pregnancy. Females that bear puppies require much more energy than other animals. Accordingly, their appetite also increases. The more fruits, the more they require nutrients and a variety of vitamins;

5. Age of the dog. Puppies should be fed about 3-4 percent of their body weight. At the same time, aging animals should be given 25 percent less food than normal. This is due to the fact that they are less active, as a result of which it requires less energy. Physical activity for a dog is a must. First of all, it concerns walking. The well-being of the animal, as well as the level of its health, depends on them.

An adult dog needs only two feedings a day. Despite this, some owners give food to their pets three or even four times, dividing the daily portion into several times.

Important rules for feeding natural food

In order for dog food to bring only benefits, it is very important to properly feed the dog. To do this, veterinarians have created a whole list of various rules that you should pay attention to when getting a dog at home:

• The volume of the daily diet should be moderate. Insufficient amount of food, as well as its excess, adversely affects the health of the animal;
• It is worth allocating about 15-20 minutes for one meal. After that, the food can be immediately hidden back in the refrigerator. This educates the dog and teaches her a certain food culture;
• A dog only needs two meals a day. They can be increased to four, but most veterinarians say that this is undesirable;
• Under no circumstances should food be salted. It is present in all types of natural food;
• Use a bowl holder. Food should be at chest level. This will eliminate the need to wash the floor every time after feeding;
• There should always be a certain amount of clean and fresh water. This is more important when using feed, but natural food also requires an appropriate amount of liquid;
• Valuable components of the diet should not be constantly replaced by alternative ones. Experts do not advise saving meat in favor of cereals;
• If the dog missed lunch, do not increase the next one. This can lead to digestive disorders;
• To find out how much food a dog needs, you need to evaluate how it eats. It is necessary to focus on the norms for each breed, but at the same time, you should not ignore the constant requests of the pet to give an additive;
• The diet must be constantly diversified. It is not necessary to give the same type of food every day;
• Two hours before exercise and one hour before a walk, the dog should not be fed. This can significantly adversely affect the health of the animal. This rarely happens, but it's not worth the risk.

If you follow the rules, you can ensure that your pet is properly fed with natural food. This can directly affect his physical condition, which in turn will affect his behavior.

Caring for a pregnant and lactating dog

During the pregnancy period, the animal needs more vitamins and nutrients. The outcome of childbirth and future puppies depend on the state of health of the bitch. Every breeder wants to get a healthy full-fledged offspring. Therefore, it is necessary to understand how to properly feed a natural dog during pregnancy and feeding puppies.

It is important to increase the amount of a serving of natural food already in the first month of pregnancy, or alternatively, introduce one additional feeding. Half a month before the birth, there is a need to adjust the nutrition of the animal. Reduce the amount of carbohydrates and fats consumed, feed mainly proteins. Also, do not forget about the multivitamin complex and fish oil. After the delivery process and during lactation, the animal requires a diet with a high calorie content.

Feeding a malnourished animal

The diet of an emaciated animal must necessarily include foods rich in proteins and carbohydrates, a variety of dairy products, chicken eggs, lean meat, cereals and vegetables. If you have a starving animal that has not received normal nutrition for a long time, then you need to be attentive to the state of health of the dog.

The requirement of a dog's body for dietary salt is significantly lower than that of a human. When preparing food for a dog, dishes to your taste should not be salty. Do not forget about vegetable oils, this is an extremely tasty and healthy supplement for dogs. Knowing how to feed a natural dog, following simple rules for compiling a diet and eating schedule, you will get a healthy and cheerful dog. For each breed of dog, depending on age and body weight, an individual amount of necessary food is calculated.

In addition to proteins, carbohydrates and fats, the diet must contain vitamins necessary for maintaining health and normal life. Lack, excess or complete absence of vitamins in feed leads to beriberi - diseases of a non-contagious nature.

Vitamin A (retinol). It is present in products in its pure form and in the form of carotene - provitamin A. It is necessary for dogs to maintain the structure of the epithelial, nervous and other tissues of the body in a normal state, provides a number of vital physiological functions - growth, development, vision.

The need for dogs in vitamin A is on average 100-200 IU per 1 kg of body weight. At least 1/3 of the need for this vitamin should be met by the vitamin itself, and 2/3 by provitamin - betacarotene (1 IU corresponds to 0.3 μg of pure vitamin A or 2 μg of betacarotene). The place of transformation of carotene into vitamin A, which is reserved in the liver, is the walls of the small intestine.

With a lack of vitamin A in the diet, intensive keratinization (keratinization) of the epithelial tissue occurs, pathological changes are observed in the skin and mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, digestive tract and generative organs.

A lack of vitamin A causes degenerative changes in the nervous tissue, leading to impaired coordination of movements, muscle weakness, etc. In beriberi dogs, reproductive functions are often observed: in males, sterility appears due to degeneration of the testicular epithelium, in females - disturbances in the sexual cycle, accompanied by keratinization epithelium of the birth canal, poor fertility, and with prolonged A-vitamin starvation, fetal resorption, abortions, or the birth of weak non-viable offspring occur. To ensure normal reproduction for breeding dogs during the period of preparation for mating, during pregnancy and lactation of bitches, the A-vitamin nutritional value of the diet is increased by 1.5-2 times compared to the minimum requirement for dogs during the rest period.

Vitamin B (calciferol) is an anti-rachitic vitamin. It takes part in the regulation of calcium and phosphorus metabolism, in the growth and mineralization of bone tissue, and accelerates the absorption of calcium in the intestine.

The average requirement of dogs for vitamin B is 7-20 IU per 1 kg of body weight. In puppies and young dogs, the need is higher, in adults it is lower. This requirement is increased in pregnant and lactating bitches.

With a lack of vitamin B in the diet, puppies suffer from rickets, which manifests itself in skeletal deformity, curvature of the tubular bones, spine and chest due to insufficient ossification. The composition of the blood also changes, since the content of inorganic phosphorus is greatly reduced (up to 20-25%) with a small change in the content of calcium. According to this indicator, rickets differs from tetany, in which the calcium content in the blood drops sharply, and the phosphorus content remains normal.

In adult dogs with a lack of vitamin B, osteomalacia is observed - a painful softening of the bones. One of the important reasons for the development of B-vitamin deficiency is the deprivation of the dog of the sun. Under the influence of ultraviolet rays in the skin, vitamin B is formed from ergosterol (provitamin B).

Ergocalciferol preparations and fish oil are used to prevent and treat B-vitamin deficiency. Large doses of vitamin D (1 thousand IU or more per 1 kg of body weight) have a toxic effect on the body.

Vitamin E (tocopherol). It maintains the normal state of reproductive functions in the body of dogs, the development of striated muscles, the resistance of blood erythrocytes to hemolysis, cellular respiration and other physiological functions.

The minimum requirement for vitamin E averages 2 mg per 1 kg of body weight. The need for it increases when dogs are fed food with a large amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids contained in fish.

E-vitamin deficiency causes morphological changes in the reproductive organs, leading to infertility. In bitches, the embryo dies or is absorbed due to the accumulation of toxic substances in the body of fat metabolism; in males, spermogenesis is disturbed, the formation of sex hormones, spermatozoa become less mobile. With a chronic lack of vitamin E, muscular dystrophy occurs as a result of metabolic disorders in muscle and nervous tissues. In E-vitaminous dogs, increasing muscle weakness, discoordination of movements and paralysis of the limbs are observed.

For the prevention of E-vitamin deficiency, vitamin and selenite are given alternately. Sodium selenite is introduced into the feed at a dose of 0.1 mg per 1 kg of dry weight of the feed. The main food source of vitamin E is vegetable oil, especially unrefined. Vitamin E is found in buckwheat and oatmeal.

Vitamin K (phylloquinone) is an antihemorrhagic vitamin. It is involved in the processes of blood coagulation, is necessary for the synthesis of functionally active forms of prothrombin and other proteins in the liver.

The minimum requirement of adult dogs for vitamin K is on average 30 mcg, puppies and young dogs - 60 mcg per 1 kg of live weight.

With a lack of vitamin K in the diet, subcutaneous hemorrhage is observed - hemorrhages in the neck, chest, legs and other places. Vitamin K deficiency is caused by malabsorption of vitamin K due to bowel disease. K-vitaminosis develops in diseases of the liver and biliary tract.

Vitamin K is rich in white cabbage, spinach, pumpkin and tomatoes. Vikasol is used as a K-vitamin preparation. It is given to bitches before whelping twice - 10 and 5 days before at a dose of not more than 1 mg per day. In large doses, the drug is toxic, can cause dyspepsia, vomiting and increased salivation.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is involved in the metabolic processes of the body of dogs. It is necessary for the formation of collagen, which is part of the main substance (endothelium) of blood vessels and connective tissue, and for the synthesis of corticosteroids in the adrenal glands. Vitamin C helps to improve the absorption of iron in the intestine and affects the glycoregulatory and antitoxic function of the liver, protects dogs from scurvy.

The vitamin C requirement for dogs is 1 mg per 1 kg of body weight. For pregnant and lactating females, this rate is increased by 25-50%. Severe forms of C-vitaminosis are characterized by a sharp increase in the permeability of the vascular wall, leading to multiple hemorrhages in the skin, internal organs, etc. With hypovitaminosis C, bleeding gums and hypochromic anemia are observed.

Vegetables are the main source of vitamin C, which is why every NaturalFoodForDogs daily meal recipe contains vegetables and fruits with vitamin C.

Vitamin B 1 (thiamine) plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism. With insufficient intake of thiamine into the body of dogs, the breakdown of carbohydrates stops at the stage of pyruvic acid, which, accumulating in the blood and tissues, exhibits a toxic effect and causes dysfunction of the central nervous system and muscle activity. The need for dogs in vitamin B] averages 20-30 mcg per 1 kg of body weight. In puppies and young dogs, this need is higher, in adults it is lower. With a lack of thiamine in the diet, dogs lose their appetite, indigestion, muscle weakness, impaired coordination of movements, paralysis and convulsions occur.

One of the important causes of thiamine deficiency is the one-sided feeding of processed grains with an excess of carbohydrates and raw fish in the diet.

The richest in thiamine are bread and bakery products made from wholemeal flour, cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal, millet), liver and other organ meats, as well as yeast, especially beer yeast, which are used in medical practice as an additional source of B vitamins. In preventive and therapeutic For this purpose, synthetic preparations of vitamin B (thiamine chloride and thiamine bromide) are used, which are highly soluble in water and have low toxicity.

Vitamin B 2 (riboflavin) is involved in enzyme systems that provide redox processes in the body, as well as in carbohydrate and fat metabolism and amino acid metabolism.

The optimal need for adult dogs in riboflavin is on average 40 mcg, puppies and young dogs - 90 mcg per 1 kg of body weight. For pregnant and lactating bitches, the dose of riboflavin is increased. With an increase in fat feeding, the need for riboflavin approximately doubles.

With a lack of riboflavin in the feed, hair loss, hair depigmentation, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and muscle weakness are observed. In the hot season, the disease is characterized by dermatitis, lesions of the mucous membranes of the lips with vertical cracks and seborrheic peeling of the skin around the mouth, nose and ears. Dogs that do not receive riboflavin in their diet die.

Feed and brewer's yeast, milk, liver and kidneys are the richest in riboflavin. Fish, grains, and vegetables contain little riboflavin.

Vitamin B 3 (vitamin PP, nicotinamide, nicotinic acid). Participates in redox processes in the cell, especially in the transfer of hydrogen, as well as in the construction of coenzymes that are part of the redox enzymes - dihydrogenases, the total number of which in the body of dogs is more than 100. They oxidize mainly milk, malic, glutamic and other acids. B 3 is directly involved in the metabolism of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and energy.

In grain crops and oilseeds, it is found in a bound, hard-to-use form. In feed of animal origin, on the contrary, it is well absorbed: fish, liver, kidneys and heart, meat and bone meal, dairy products and yeast. The requirement is 0.24 mg in adult dogs and 0.4 mg in puppies per 1 kg of body weight. With beriberi PP develops pellagra, "blektong" (black tongue), sometimes vomiting, bloody feces, ulcers on the body are observed.

Vitamin B 4 (choline) is involved in the metabolism of phospholipids and sulfur-containing amino acids, is part of acetylcholine, the most important transmitter of nervous excitation. It protects the liver from fatty infiltration and promotes the removal of excess fat from the liver.

The optimal need for choline in dogs is: adults - 33 mg, puppies and young dogs - 55 mg per 1 kg of body weight.

The lack of choline in the diet causes fatty liver, which leads to the development of necrosis with subsequent proliferation of connective tissue. Hemorrhagic degeneration of the kidneys can be a consequence of choline deficiency.

Choline in the body of dogs is synthesized from the essential amino acid methionine and partly betaine, so choline deficiency is most often observed when dogs are fed food with a low content of methionine.

A lot of choline in the liver, brain, meat and yeast. For prevention, dogs are given 30-40 mg of choline chloride, for treatment - 50-70 mg per 1 kg of body weight.

Vitamin B 5 (pantothenic acid, calcium pantothenate). The absorption of pantothenic acid by the body is stimulated by vitamins B 12 and C. Vitamin B 5 is sensitive to heat, up to 50% is lost during heat treatment, so cook for your pets only on low heat and do not use strong heat treatment of products. Vitamin B entering the body turns into pantethine, which is part of coenzyme A, which plays an important role in the processes of oxidation and acetylation.

The lack of vitamin B 5 in the diet leads to inhibition of the production of antibodies, causes growth retardation, skin lesions - dermatitis, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, provokes a violation of the function of the central nervous system. It develops with a lack of intake from food, a high fat content in feed or a violation of the synthesis of vitamin B 5, when fed with dry and boiled feed. Contained in yeast, cattle liver, chicken egg, cow's milk, rice bran, potatoes, carrots, fodder beets.

The optimal need for pantothenic acid in adult dogs is 0.05 mg, in young animals - 0.2 mg per 1 kg of live weight.

Vitamin B 6 (pyridoxine). The biological role of pyridoxine is determined by its participation in amino acid metabolism and the construction of the phosphorylase enzyme, which breaks down glycogen. It is necessary for the conversion of linoleic acid into arachidonic acid in the body of dogs.

The optimal need for pyridoxine in dogs is on average: adults - 20 mcg, puppies - 50 mcg per 1 kg of body weight.

With a lack of pyridoxine in the diet, diseases of a dermatitis nature with damage to the mucous membranes that cannot be treated with nicotinic acid (seborrheic dermatitis, angular stomatitis, cheilosis, glossitis, degeneration of the heart muscle and anemia) are observed.

Vitamin B 12 (cyanocobalamin) is involved in hematopoiesis, the work of the red bone marrow and the biosynthesis of nucleic acids, affects growth, activates protein metabolism, promotes the absorption of amino acids.

The optimal requirement for cyanocobalamin in dogs is 0.7 µg per 1 kg of body weight. For prevention, it is recommended to give 3-5 micrograms of this vitamin, for therapeutic purposes - 10-15 micrograms per 1 kg of body weight. The vitamin preparation is non-toxic and does not cause hypervitaminosis in case of excessive introduction into the body.

With a lack of vitamin B 12 in dogs, macrocytic hypochromic anemia appears with damage to the nervous system and digestive organs.

Sources of vitamin B 12 are the liver of animals and fish (especially cod), cottage cheese and milk. Plant foods do not contain this vitamin.

Vitamin Bc (folacin) is a product of the interaction of pteridine, para-aminobenzoic and glutamic acids, it is an anti-anemic factor. The optimal need for folacin in dogs is 15 mcg in adults, and 8 mcg in puppies per 1 kg of body weight. The maximum dose of folic acid is 2 mg per 1 kg of body weight.

Lack of folacin in the diet is accompanied by the development of hypochromic anemia with symptoms of leukothrombocytopenia, leading to damage to the digestive organs (stomatitis, gastritis, enteritis). Often, folacin deficiency occurs in dogs when they are treated with sulfonamides, which slow down the synthesis of the vitamin in the intestine.

Folacin is found in yeast, liver, cauliflower, buckwheat and oatmeal, millet and beans. Heat treatment leads to a significant loss of folacin, so we do not use it in our recipes.

Vitamin H (biotin) in the body of dogs regulates the condition of the skin, takes part in carbohydrate, lipid and purine metabolism.

The need for biotin is on average 0.5 mg per 1 kg of body weight. With a lack of biotin in the diet, dogs get sick with a kind of dermatitis - the soles of the feet become rough, calloused, bleeding cracks appear on them, and hair loss is observed. Paralysis of the hind limbs may occur.

If there is a deficiency in the diet of biotin, give 1 mg of biotin for 5 days, after which the dogs recover. Biotin is found in yeast, liver and kidneys of animals. When cooking food, about half of the vitamin is destroyed.

The optimal need of adult dogs and puppies for vitamins per 1 kg of body weight is given in the table from the textbook by Khokhrin S.N.

The activity of vitamin preparations used in feeding dogs is calculated in weight and international units (IU). To convert the activity of vitamins from international units to weight units and vice versa, you must use the following data:

Vitamin A:

1 IU of vitamin A = 0.33 mcg of vitamin A;

1 mcg of vitamin A = 3.3 IU of vitamin A;

1 IU of vitamin A = 1 mcg of total carotenoids or 0.6 mcg of beta-carotene.

Vitamin D:

IU of vitamin D 2 and = 0.025 μg of vitamins D 2 and D 3;

1 µg of vitamins D 2 and D 3 = 40 IU of vitamins D 2 and D 3;

1 IU of vitamin D 3 = 30 IU of vitamin D 2;

1 µg of vitamin D 3 = 30 µg of vitamin D 2;

1 IU of vitamin D 2 = 0.033 IU of vitamin D 3;

1 µg of vitamin D 3 = 1200 IU of vitamin D 2 .

Vitamin E:

1 microgram of vitamin E = 1 IU of vitamin E.

Vitamin B 2:

1 μg of vitamin B 2 \u003d 0.4 IU of vitamin B 2;

1 IU of vitamin B 2 \u003d 2.5 μg of vitamin B 2.

To meet the physiological norm of dogs in vitamins, it is necessary to add vitamin preparations in liquid form to the feed drop by drop, while taking into account the content in 1 ml of 20-30 drops, in 0.1 ml - 2-3 drops, in 0.05 ml - 1-1.5 drops.

Despite the fact that now in the assortment of any pet store you can find dry and canned pet food for every taste and budget, many owners, for various reasons, prefer natural feeding of dogs. It is to such owners that the article by Vladimir Nikiforovich Mitin, which was published in the January 1992 issue of the journal Science and Life, is addressed. In this article, he talks in detail about what natural foods should and should not be given to dogs and why, how to process foods and what to combine them with.

What is most important in this article is that Vladimir Nikiforovich gives a clear rationale for each recommendation, which ultimately leads the owner to an understanding of the basic principles of the gastrointestinal tract of pets. And this, in turn, helps to avoid health problems. After all, in order for our pets to live a full and happy life, it is not enough just to love them. To know, understand and be able to help is what is required of a real owner and friend.

It would seem that feeding a dog is not difficult. Any food on the owner's plate, exuding a delicious aroma, will please the four-legged friend. Of course, he cannot savor the food and he will not feel any special taste. But his sense of smell will tell him that a fried piece of meat smells more appetizing than raw. The question is, will such food be useful? The resistance of the liver and kidneys to harmful effects in dogs is much lower than in humans. Therefore, all spicy seasonings, sauces, pickles, smoked meats, confectionery and flour products for a dog are harmful and can lead to metabolic disorders, obesity, shortness of breath, and various diseases of internal organs. Even if a dog occupies the same place in your life as the closest family members, it does not become a person from this and you cannot feed it with everything that you eat yourself.

For 10 - 15 thousand years of domestication by man, in comparison with the wolf - his distant ancestor - only the psyche and hormonal system have changed. The digestive system, as it was the system of a predator, a meat-eater, has remained. The dog does not chew, but tears off and swallows large pieces of food. Its developed predatory jaws require active work, they are not intended for semolina and sweets. A dog has different properties to digest food than a person, so it needs a uniform feeding with concentrated feed. There should not be any soups, talkers, liquid cereals with a displacement of a bucket, even if you have a very large dog.

In nature, carnivorous predators eat their prey whole - with a skin, with an abundance of blood, with the contents of the stomach and intestines, with small and large bones. Feeding dogs only muscle meat is not recommended. Scientists have proposed: to replace the missing blood with water and salted herring, bones - with bone glue and raw bone, the skin and fur of prey - with the skin of a sheep or rabbit, the contents of the stomach and intestines - with boiled rice.

Most of all, the dog loves raw meat (an excess of it does not lead, as some believe, to poisoning). But, if it is really necessary, he will not refuse raw fish. The desired delicacy is cartilage and tender beef bones. Gnawing them, the dog strengthens the teeth, and most importantly - satisfies the need for mineral salts.

Meat for a dog should not be only lean. You also need fat. The dog tolerates the amount of fat in the diet up to 15 grams per kilogram of its weight, and rancid fats do not cause poisoning. It is quite possible to feed dogs with pork, there is no need to fear that it may contain worms. Before going on sale, the meat undergoes a sanitary and veterinary examination.

If the meat is suffocated in a plastic bag, it is just as harmful for a dog as it is for a person. Under anaerobic conditions, toxic substances are formed in it, which can cause poisoning. Therefore, it is better to store meat in the freezer by wrapping it in parchment paper.

Depending on the individual metabolism, the dog needs from 10 to 25 grams of raw meat per 1 kilogram of animal weight daily. Of course, not all owners can feed their four-legged friend with enough meat, but we must try to make it still at least 5% in the daily diet.

From one and a half years the dog is considered an adult. If she does not perform special work, like hunting or watchdog, then for small and medium breeds one feeding per day is enough, which usually coincides with lunch, and for large breeds - two or three feedings per day in small portions.

Raw meat and raw fish (cod, pollock back, hake) cut into pieces are placed in a bowl in the ratio: 2/3 meat - 1/3 fish. As a supplier of carbohydrates and a filler that causes a feeling of satiety, boiled rice mixed with animal fat or vegetable oil can be added to meat and fish. Separately, without meat and fish, rice cannot be given, since the dog's intestines are not adapted to digest cereals.

So, meat, fish and fatty rice are mixed and put in a bowl. Add a piece of raw liver, very small - from 5 to 15 g, depending on the weight of the dog. The liver contains vitamins A, D, E.

In the dog's diet, you can also include cottage cheese (but only not subjected to heat treatment, cottage cheese pancakes or cottage cheese pancakes are not absorbed by the body), boiled egg, herring. Useful bone carpentry glue. It contains a sufficient amount of macro- and microelements and there are no chemical impurities. But in principle, a raw bone with fat replaces it perfectly.

Milk is useful mainly for lactating females and puppies. It is given only fresh or fermented, and in small quantities. Sour milk can cause severe indigestion, especially in young animals. Prolonged milk feeding leads to fullness and lethargy of the digestion process.

On the floor in a flat bowl should always be fresh, not contaminated with food residues. A wide food bowl is needed, as the dog opens its mouth wide and draws food into the stomach like a vacuum cleaner.

Large breeds of dogs need at least 600 g of meat per day, 200 g of dairy products, 300 g of boiled rice or bread, 50 g of fat, 40 g of bone meal; for medium breeds, this diet should be halved, small - four times and dwarf - six times.

In cases where the dog's workload is increased, the amount of calories can increase three times, but only from proteins and fats, not carbohydrates.

If you feed the dog correctly, then she will receive all the vitamins, macro- and microelements she needs. As for pharmaceutical vitamins, a healthy dog, as a rule, does not need them. An excess of vitamin D, phytin, calcium glycerophosphate in the body can lead to directly opposite results.

Vitamin C is synthesized by the dog's body, as, indeed, by the cat. That is why these animals do not suffer from scurvy.

One fasting day a week, when they give some crackers and fresh drinking water, will not harm any adult dog. She will always have a good appetite and will not be picky about food.

Leguminous plants - peas, lentils, beans - dogs instinctively reject: their intestines are not adapted to digest these products, they cause fermentation and gases.

Of course, you can not give too hot, sour, fermented or frozen food.

Boiled bones are very harmful. During the cooking process, their constituent components are so denatured that the dog is practically unable to digest them. Eating boiled bones leads to the formation of calcareous stool, which is difficult to pass and irritates the walls of the rectum. There are also frequent cases of intestinal puncture with boiled bones. Note that it is boiled. Raw bones, even if tubular, almost never damage the intestinal walls. Veterinarians came to this conclusion.

Often, owners add eggshells to dog food. It has been proven that as a source of minerals, this is, in general, a completely useless product, no more than 3% is absorbed from it. For the same reason, do not give the dog and chalk.

More attention should be paid to the feeding of the pregnant and lactating females. To build the skeleton and muscles, the embryos primarily need proteins and minerals. If in the first three weeks you can stick to the usual diet, then in the future, before giving birth, it must be doubled. The food should be easily digestible and not too bulky. The meat, if possible, is not very fatty and high-grade entrails, bones with fat, cottage cheese, cheese, boiled egg. The amount of liquid should also be increased.

In the last third of pregnancy, the daily amount of food is distributed over 3-4 feedings in order not to overload the digestive organs, which are already cramped.

With the advent of puppies, the need for food in a lactating female increases 4 times, since the body loses up to 70 g of protein per liter with mother's milk. So that a plentiful diet does not contribute to the relaxation of the walls of the stomach and the formation of a sagging abdomen, the dog continues to be fed 4 times a day.

Puppies usually suck their mother's milk up to 1 - 1.5 months. From the 23rd day of life, they can already lap milk from a bowl. From about this time, the mother's diet is gradually reduced.

Weaning puppies begin with a mixture of warm cow's milk with raw egg yolk (one yolk per glass of milk). Dogs do not tolerate changes in feeding, so complementary foods are started even when the puppies suck their mother's milk.

It is criminal to sell puppies up to 6 weeks old, as some owners do, taking 26-day-old babies from their mothers. In the morning, their mother still feeds them, and in the afternoon they are sold, without even starting complementary foods with solid food.

The transition to solid food should also occur when the mother sucks. Gradually, from the 32nd day (not earlier! Since the gastric juice for proper digestion begins to be produced precisely by this time), the puppies begin to be given raw meat (first a skewer, then minced meat, pieces of meat), raw fish. The need for vegetables and fruits, in principle, the dog does not. But if they are given, it is better in boiled or mashed form.

Food for puppies should be of high quality. You should not give baby food, as the balance of the main nutrients in it, namely proteins, fats and carbohydrates, is not suitable for dogs. Most of this mixture is carbohydrates, and the dog primarily needs proteins and fats.

During the period of rapid growth, puppies should be fed plenty of raw meat, and only raw. They have a normal need for food every 2 to 3 hours.

When changing teeth, puppies are in dire need of beef bones, which they can chew. They can be given from the 35th day of life. Beware of feeding puppies small and splintering bones. Puppies given bone glue don't chew on furniture or look for lime and chalk.

Up to two months, babies are fed 6 times a day at regular intervals (4 times non-meat and 2 times meat food). From two to four months - 5 times a day (the ratio of non-meat and meat food is 3: 2). From four to six - 4 times a day (2:2), from six to nine - 3 times (1:2). And from nine to twelve months - 2 times a day (1:1).

After each feeding, as well as after sleeping, puppies should be taken out into the yard. This is how they learn to be clean.

With good care, dogs live 10 to 15 years. The most resilient - up to 20 years, which corresponds to 100 human years. But such records are extremely rare.

A caring owner always chooses only the best food for his dog. Some people have a preference. Buying is not lower than the premium class, since such products contain the necessary nutrients in the right proportions. If the pet is accustomed to natural food, the diet should be enriched with vitamin supplements. The dog will not be able to get vitamins from food in full.

You can find different types of feed additives for animals. There are multivitamin complexes that have a narrowly targeted effect - for the skin and coat, the cardiovascular system, the digestive system, etc. In addition, the manufacturer takes into account the condition of the dog:

• breed;
• puppy growth period;
• excessive physical activity;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• pregnancy;
• allergies and some other chronic diseases;

Based on these data, it is convenient to select suitable specialized complexes for each pet.

Be sure to study the instructions on the package to give the dog exactly the vitamin complex that will be useful to her. If in doubt, it is better to consult with professionals.

Feed additives are produced most often in the form of tablets. They have a pleasant taste and an attractive aroma for a pet. Tablets are not only a useful addition to the diet, but also a favorite delicacy. Powdered vitamins are also popular - they are mixed with food. You can also find vitamins in drops that are added to water or applied directly to the tongue.

E (tocopherol)

It is important for the pet's muscular system, skin and coat, and is involved in the process of fat absorption. Contained in cereals, meat and offal.

PP (nicotinic acid, niacin)

Essential for skin health and proper metabolism and digestion. Obtained from offal, fish, nutritional yeast, legumes.

K (phyllochonon)

It takes part in hematopoiesis, is important for the musculoskeletal system. Contained in seafood (fish, seaweed), egg yolks, vegetables.