PEOPLE who own horses often keep dogs as well. Feeding dogs can sometimes seem more confusing and complicated than feeding horses so let’s try to simplify pet dog feeding.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

The canine and equine digestive systems are very different. Dogs have evolved as natural carnivorous omnivores with a short simple digestive system including a large stomach, designed to eat small numbers of relatively large meals.

Food is bolted with little chewing or saliva addition and then moves quickly through the digestive tract. Dog food must therefore be highly digestible, and dogs can’t digest fibre. As omnivores, dogs can utilise meats, cereals, and vegetables.

Premium dog foods like the Gain Elite Range Dog Foods include higher levels of meat with reduced levels of carbohydrates, but meat-free vegetarian dog diets are commercially available.

NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS

Dog nutrition has been extensively studied, and published research-based nutrient requirements are available such as the US Nutrient Requirement Council’s (NRC) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats, 2006.

There are 37 ‘essential’ nutrients that dogs must eat in their food, ranging from energy, protein, and omega fats, right down to micronutrient vitamins and trace minerals.

Dog owners can have complete confidence they are addressing all of their dog’s nutritional needs by feeding Gain Elite Range super-premium dry dog foods.

WET OR DRY

Dry dog food is highly convenient and good value. Super-premium dry dog foods are highly palatable and provide total nutrition for even the fussiest and most sensitive eaters. The hard kibbles allow the dog to crunch its food and clean teeth naturally.

DIFFERENT DOGS

Dogs come in all shapes and sizes and there are foods available that suit dogs whether they are small or large breeds, puppies or adults. Gain’s Elite Range of super-premium foods caters for all these diff-

erences while keeping things simple for dog owners. Just five foods cover the nutritional needs of all dogs, while each individual dog will require only three foods over its life: Puppy, Adult and Senior. Gain conveniently divide dogs into ‘big’ or ‘small’ based on their adult mature bodyweight, above or below 20kg.

HOW MUCH FOOD

Follow the bodyweight instructions on the bag. Gain Elite Range bags give typical breed weights. Now weigh your own dog. If the pooch won’t stand still on the scales weigh yourself, then weigh yourself while holding the mutt in your arms (assuming it is not a Great Dane) and then do the maths! Adjust the amount of food to maintain good body condition.

OVERWEIGHT DOGS

You should be able to feel, but not see, your dog’s ribs. Your dog’s waist should be visible behind the ribs when viewed from above, and an abdominal tuck should be visible from the side.

Hairy dogs are obviously harder to assess visually. Obesity is a very common problem with dogs and the causes and solution are the very same as for humans. It all boils down to balancing energy intake (food) with the animal’s energy expenditure (exercise).

Switching to a low-energy food such as Gain AllDogs Senior can help. Watch out for your dog snacking elsewhere such as the neighbour’s cat food bowl and make sure the horse feed store is dog-proof.

TREATS

Be responsible if feeding treats to avoid overfeeding. Reduce the size of the normal meal accordingly. The purists say ‘no table scraps’, but provided quantities are small and the normal food is cut back accordingly, why not?

HYPO-ALLERGENIC FOOD

Some dogs can work fine on many types of food, but other well-bred dogs can have quite sensitive digestive systems prone to food allergies and intolerances leading to digestive upset and skin itches.

Wheat, soya, beef and milk are typical suspects and can be completely avoided by feeding the Gain Elite Range. This range is based on chicken, rice, porridge oats and fish.

Milk produces lactose intolerance leading to flatulence and loose faeces, but Trucal milk mineral extract provides the bone-building benefits of milk in Gain Elite Range dry dog foods.

DANGEROUS FOODS

Like the horses, chocolate and caffeine products are dangerous for dogs, although for different reasons. Onions, grapes and raisins are out. Chewing gum with Xylitol sugar is very dangerous.

HOW OFTEN

Dogs have evolved to eat a small number of large meals so feeding once a day is fine for adult dogs, although most people like to feed twice a day. Late evening feeds are best avoided. It’s all very different for the horses! Where more than one person feeds the dogs, measure out the total daily food at the first feed to avoid overfeeding.

STOOL QUALITY

Premium quality food produces quality stools and vice versa. High quality foods require lower feeding rates and produce less indigestible residue with better odour. Gain Elite Range is designed to produce small volumes of dry, well-formed, scoopable poops.

PUPS

A good quality premium puppy food like Gain SmallDogs or BigDogs Puppy is a great investment to allow a dog to reach its breeding’s potential as an adult. All too often we see well-bred pups on mediocre-quality adult dog food, compromised for life.

FOOD STORAGE

Dry pet food should be fed before the ‘best before date’ on the package. Once opened, reseal tightly after each feeding and use within two months to preserve freshness. A clothes-peg or equivalent applied to the rolled top of the pack is useful. Gain Elite Dog Range bag sizes cater for different usage rates and to help keep feed fresh. Gain SmallDogs 8kg bags have a resealable slider opening.

WATER

Fresh, not just clean, water should always be available to your pet. So it is possible to feed the dogs well so that they are happy and healthy and look great, while keeping things simple and without spending a fortune.

Chis Miller is a nutritionist with Glanbia for Gain Pet Nutrition

Web: gainanimalnutrition.com