Wendy Turner DVM

"So what about feeding my dog?"

Dogs don't need as much of a specialized diet as cats - they are omnivores and can even survive on a vegetarian diet, whereas cats cannot. Dogs are well suited to commercially available diets as long as they are complete and balanced. Here are some tips:

* Make sure you choose a *complete and balanced diet*, meaning the food contains well-sourced proteins, carbs, and fats, *and* includes the vitamins and minerals required to keep dogs healthy.

* Proper amount? Enough to maintain a lean body weight. For any dog, this varies based on breed, metabolism, and to a lesser degree, activity level. This will almost always be less than the bag says you should feed. My 39 lb dog ate 3/4 c food twice daily, even when he was running 30 miles per week with me. It seemed like this was his amount, no matter what brand I was feeding him, based on his body weight.

* If your dog is healthy and "doesn't seem interested in food," avoid the temptation to start adding more enticing food unless your veterinarian says your dog is too thin. Very commonly, we are simply offering dogs too much food. When it's just dry food (the "baked chicken and steamed broccoli"), they're more inclined to eat just what they need. When we add goodies on top (the "cupcakes and cookies"), of course they will eat more! (I do the same thing - when I'm eating healthy food I don't overeat. But put a dozen cupcakes in my reach...)

* It is shocking sometimes, how few calories our dogs need. Take a look here: https://petnutritionalliance.org/resources/calorie-calculator?type=dogs to calculate your dog's caloric needs. If you are unsure about your pet's body condition score, ask the vet next time you are in.

* If you are going to cook for your dog - an exercise of which I am very supportive! - **make sure the diet is balanced.** Check out www.BalanceIt.com for guidance from a board-certified veterinarian. Not all recipes on Google are good, healthy, or adequate! Some are actually harmful - so watch your sources. I have treated dogs with nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism - basically, low calcium caused by inadequate nutrition, resulting in very thin bones that could not support her body weight. No bueno. (She survived - it was a long haul but she made it).

* Sometimes the fanciest-looking foods are not the best for your dog. There is an organization called AAFCO which is a huge help with determining which food contains good nutrition and which doesn't. Look here:
https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=8808771

* Grain-free foods: best to just not. Some of them are causing heart disease in dogs, and while we have general ideas we don't know exactly why. If your dog is allergic to a grain such as corn or wheat, feeding a grain-free food probably won't help because that food was most likely made in the same plant as the food containing the allergen. If you think your dog has food allergies, check with your vet for an appropriate diet as well as proper feeding and challenge trials.

* Go easy on the snacks. Your dog doesn't need a treat every time he comes inside, or every time she's staring at you while you're eating. That is, however, a great way to teach your dog to go outside a lot or stare at you! Praise is good, too, ya know. Sometimes your dog is staring because she's bored, or wants to go for a walk; it's not always about food.

* Low-calorie treats I like: small baby carrot pieces or celery, small watermelon pieces, air-popped plain popcorn, pieces of unflavored rice cake, watermelon pieces, other low-calorie fruits and vegetables such as cucumber, zucchini, apple slices, freeze-dried chicken breast or other protein cubes, tiny training treats. Remember that even though these are lower in calories, they still contain calories! Same with those mini Milk Bones treats - just because they're small doesn't mean you should give your dog a whole handful. Dogs don't care about the size of the treats as much as they do about getting a treat, so break those suckers into tiny pieces!

* Have your dog "ask" for meals and treats: have him show off what he knows before you give him his food. Mix it up, so he doesn't learn how to anticipate! This could look like: "Sit!" followed by "Down," or "place -> OK -> sit," or "Down -> sit" Use your imagination!

* Your dog will survive without that entire pizza crust, I promise. OK to give them a little tiny bite, but you're rewarding begging in the meantime. Teach "place" then give them that crust! If you want to feed your dog while you are also eating (I don't encourage this but to each his own), use a small bowl with a "treat allotment" that includes part of your dog's daily food ration and/or some of the treats mentioned above.

Lots of info here, so ask away!

(NB: this picture is not dog food, and your dog should not eat it because it's essentially fat, with another flavor of fat, coated in fat. This is poutine, a Canadian dish from Québec that is just heavenly, made of French fries, cheese curds, and brown gravy. This particular poutine has braised short ribs - delectable. I fortunately did *not* get pancreatitis, like a dog might if she ate this culinary delight).