In our country, in almost every second family, a beloved pet lives , which requires not only attention, but also thorough care. Keeping a dog at home is fraught with many difficulties. They need to be looked after, bathed, walked, vaccinated and fed on time. The latter should be given special attention, since the health of your pet depends on the proper feeding. It is important to understand that not all foods that you eat can be given to a four-legged friend. It is best to use dry food, which contains a large amount of nutrients necessary for the growth and normal development of the animal. But is it possible to transfer a puppy to dry food and how best to do it? This and much more will be discussed later.
What is the best way to feed your pet: nutritionist recommendations
In young puppies, taste preferences are not yet developed, so they are not demanding on their diet. You can feed your pet the same foods every day. However, some dog owners want to pamper their pets with various delicacies, as a result of which the animal begins to sort out food.
At the same time, one should not forget that the dog belongs to the group of predatory animals that prefer to eat meat. But for normal development, they need not only fats, but also carbohydrates, as well as other groups of useful substances. Simply put, your pet's diet should be balanced.
An essential component of a dog’s proper diet is bones. They are rich in protein, collagen and other substances vital to the pet. But there are a number of products, such as goodies, corn, potatoes and others, which are strictly forbidden to give the animal. All this makes dieting a real problem. Dry food, which contains all the nutrients necessary for the animal, comes to the aid of dog owners. Therefore, it is very important to know how to properly transfer a puppy to dry food.
A few words about dry feed
Many breeders are afraid to give dry food to their pets, because they think that they are dangerous to the health of the animal. Therefore, they feed them homemade food, which they themselves consume. As a result, the dog receives an insufficient amount of nutrients and macronutrients, and its health is deteriorating. If you follow the advice and recommendations that the manufacturers of dry feed indicate on the packaging, then you will not only not harm your pet, but, on the contrary, will do a lot of good. How to properly transfer a puppy to dry food will be discussed further.
A few tips for feeding dry feed
A too sharp change in diet is undesirable, since the animal’s body does not have time to get used to new food, as a result of which its health can be harmed. The most common problem associated with
feeding dogs is food allergies. Therefore, many pet owners are interested in the question of how to transfer a puppy to dry food.
To do this, there are several rules that should be followed:
- Never mix dry food with homemade food. This can cause hypervitaminosis.
- Do not buy cheap feed. Quality products are always expensive, and dry feed is no exception.
- Buy food for your pet exclusively in trusted stores. This is due to the fact that during storage of feed certain conditions must be observed, otherwise they may disappear.
- Never buy products by weight, because in this case you will not be able to check the expiration date.
- Change your pet's water regularly. Dry food provokes thirst, so the dog should always be able to get drunk.
Follow these tips and tricks, and you will never have any problems switching your four-legged friend to dry feed.
Types of dry feed
Before we talk about when you can transfer your puppy to dry food, let's look at their varieties. There are four types of feed:
- Economical option. Foods of this category are produced from cereal crops and have low energy value. Not the best option, because with prolonged feeding, the animal ceases to shine, and its development slows down.
- Premium feed. Made from cereals and meat waste. They contain too much protein, which can cause the development of various diseases of the genitourinary system.
- Super premium feed. The best option, since such feed is already made from natural meat and have good calorie content.
- Holistic. The most expensive feed, which are made from high quality products, as well as as close as possible to a natural diet. The only drawback is the very high cost.
When it is possible to transfer the puppy to dry food, it is recommended to check with the veterinarian, as he will tell you the most suitable period for this. However, whenever you do this, remember one thing: never mix different types of food, as this can cause an allergic reaction.
How to feed when transferring a pet to dry food
So, how to transfer a York puppy to dry food? For this, there are certain standards that must be followed. The main thing is to calculate the optimal amount of feed required for the animal. How to do this can be read on the packaging. In addition, you can do it yourself, if you take into account the following criteria.
Age
If you do not know how to transfer your puppy to dry food, then the first thing to consider is the age of your pet. It depends on it the number of feedings. The younger the dog, the more meals it needs, because the developing body needs more nutrients.
Depending on age, the following number of feedings is required:
- from 1 to 2 months - 6-7;
- from 2 to 3 months - 4-5;
- from 4 to 6 months - 3-4;
- from 6 to 12 months - 3;
- after 12 months - 2, in the morning and in the evening.
In this case, one should take into account the fact that you need to feed strictly at the same time, since a violation of the diet can adversely affect the health of the animal.
Weight
If the dog’s weight is approximately 10 kg, then every day she will need only 200 grams of feed. But here it all depends on its variety, so it is better to carefully study the instructions. Each manufacturer indicates this information on the package.
Dosage
You already have an idea of how to transfer your puppy to dry food. But it is also very important to observe dosage when feeding. The daily norm should be divided into a certain number of feedings in equal portions. In this case, the animal will get used to the size of the servings and will not overeat or feel hungry.
Body type
When switching to dry food, the physical characteristics of your four-legged friend should be considered. If the pet has long legs and a small body, then it is best to use high-calorie foods. Moreover, the serving size should be less. Large breeds require more food, so it’s better for them to buy lower-calorie foods.
Activity and habits of the animal
Dogs that lead an active lifestyle and move freely most of the day require more feed than animals sitting on a leash or in an apartment. Therefore, their daily diet should be greater.
How to teach a pet dry food
So, how to transfer a puppy to dry food? This should be done gradually so that the animal can adapt to the new menu. As a rule, the addiction process takes about two weeks, during which each day you should gradually increase the amount of dry food. The following factors should be considered:
- learn about the diet of the animal that he had before;
- accustom to the new menu gradually;
- observe how the pet’s body responds to dry food;
- exclude from the diet all high-calorie foods;
- For puppies under one and a half months of age, give chopped food.
You already know how to transfer your puppy to dry food. In just two weeks, your pet will eat normally. If at the same time you notice something is wrong with the pet’s health or well-being, you should immediately show it to the veterinarian. Problems may not be associated with dry food, but with various diseases.
Transfer a pet from one type of feed to another
How to transfer a puppy to another dry food? The answer to this question is of interest to many pet owners. For example, the most common problem is food allergy. In addition, some owners feed their canine friends four-legged friends, and then decide to replace them with dry food.
Changing the feed should also be done gradually, because otherwise the animal may have a malfunction in the normal functioning of the digestive system, which is manifested by prolonged constipation or loose stools.
Start with canned foods to give a small amount of dry food, every day gradually increasing its amount, until over time there is a complete replacement of the diet. It is important to understand that both types of food should be given independently of each other, without mixing them. Alternatively, you can feed one feed in the morning and give another in the evening. Also, do not forget to change the water in time, because after eating dry food the animal will want to drink. The situation is similar with the transfer from feeding one dry food to another.
Transfer pet from feed to natural food
There are no problems with changing the feed, but replacing it with natural feed is no longer an easy task. The main problem with this is that it is very difficult to independently create a balanced diet. Therefore, if such a need arose, you should consult a nutritionist. At the same time, it is also necessary to gradually transfer the animal from dry to natural food so that its body has time to adapt and rebuild under a new diet. The only way you can not harm the health of your pet.
If you decide to have a pet at home, then remember - this is a big responsibility. In order for the animal’s health to always be in order, it is necessary to draw up the correct diet for it, surround it with attention and care, and also regularly visit the veterinarian with it.