8 Basic Tips on How to Feed Your Dog Right

While the nutritional needs for each dog depend on its age, breed, size, activity level, and other factors, there are certain tips on how you can organize the feeding of your dog in the healthiest way. So let’s not beat around the bush and start our discovery.

Tip #1: Don’t overfeed!

Remember: slight malnutrition will do no harm while being overweight will cause your dog to feel unwell, ill, and short-lived. So, the correct meal is when the dog finishes all the food, licks the bowl with pleasure, and calmly moves away from it.  

Tip #2: Never force your dog to eat!

If your furry friend refuses to eat, there should be a reason for it. Perhaps the food has gone off, or the previous meal was too plentiful.

Know that it's okay if your dog skips one meal and eats the next. But if the pet missed two feedings in a row, without touching the food at all, then most likely that it feels unwell. In such a case, visiting a vet would be a wise idea.

Tip #3: Keep a regular feeding schedule

While it's necessary to keep fresh, clean water freely available to your dog, all the uneaten food must be removed after each feeding, so that the dog understands that it receives meals only at the strictly allotted time.

Tip #4: Respect your dog’s tastes and preferences

The same to humans, dogs can be picky eaters. So if you notice that your furry friend drools on food with fish but turns its nose up at meals with chicken, respect your pet's tastes and provide it with food it prefers.

Tip #5: Meals of room temperature

A dog's food should be at room temperature: hot or cold meals can lead to an upset stomach.

Tip #6: No food before the walks

Unfortunately, not all dog owners know that their furry friend needs to eat after a walk, and in no case before it.  It is so because, for comfortable digestion, the dog needs peace, not active games.

Tip #7: Setting up an eating area

When you feed the dog, the bowl should be at the level of the pet's chest so that it does not tilt its head too low and its posture does not deteriorate. Ideally, you can set up a stand with an adjustable height, so you can change its height as your pet grows.

Tip #8: Food is in the safe area

It is better to place the food bowls in a cozy, quiet place so that nothing interferes with your dog when it eats. If you see that your pet grabs pieces of food and takes it to a secluded place to eat, or looks around all the time while eating, reacts to the slightest sound - move the bowl to another place.

Check more useful tips and hints, video lessons and training plans from dog experts on the App Store or Google Play. Walk tracking, family sharing, and reminder features included.