What Should Be In Their Diet?

We get asked on a daily basis, "what food should my pet be eating; what should he eat for his age" Well this of course depends on the breed and needs of your pet.

Life stages Guidelines for Feeding Pets:

Puppy Birth - 6 Months
ADOLESCENT 6 MOS - 18 MOS
ADULT 18 MOS - 7 YRS.
Senior 7 YEARS +

Kitten: Birth to 6 Months
JUNIOR - 6 months to 2 years
ADULT - 2 years to 11 years
SENIOR - 11 years to 14 years

These guidelines are very generic and will depend on the breed and size of your dog. Before changing food, you will want to consider, weight, activity level of your pet, size of your pet and general health of your pet. Dogs age at different rates, with large dogs generally maturing more slowly than small dogs.

Puppies exert nearly four times the energy than adult dogs, and they need extra protein to help build new tissue. So an energy-rich diet including protein, fat, calcium and phosphorous is important during this phase.

A puppies' needs vary according to breed. Small breed dogs need higher levels of nutrients, while large breed dogs need less protein to control their growth rate. Medium-sized dog breeds are between the two.

Kittens, due to the small size of their mouths and digestive systems, can't eat much at one time and should be fed three to four times a day.

A kitten's food should be high in moisture and an easily digestible, good quality animal protein. Other important nutrients include fiber, essential vitamins and minerals, and taurine, an amino acid found in chicken and fish sources.

Kittens/cats should never be fed a dry-food only diet which contains little to no moisture and is higher in carbohydrates. By the way, your cat has no need for carbs in their diet. Cats are true carnivores and therefore require meat and more meat. Raw meat and canned are the best as you can avoid carbs. If you are feeding dry, depending on the brand, it will have high levels of carbs for your cat.

It is important to rotate your pet's food as they will get optimal nutrition by giving them a variety. If you rotate your kitten's food, you will have less chance of your cat becoming finicky.

Look for DHA in your puppy food. If it does not contain DHA, you may want to supplement it. DHA-an essential fatty acid that improves brain development. Fish contains DHA.

Remember, dry food is highly processed and puppies and kittens need fresh food in their diet. For puppies raw or cooked meat and lightly cooked veggies can be beneficial to your pet's health. Kittens will thrive on a high protein, raw or canned food diet.



Kristina
 

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