How do you know if your dog is well fed?
Feeling lost when it comes to choosing the right food for your dog? You are not alone… There are so many brands, different mentalities, different ingredients… Indeed, for the average person, it is not an easy task!
One of the things you can easily do to assess whether you are feeding your dog a good food is to look for certain signs…
Here are the signs you should look for when evaluating the food you are feeding your dog:
Digestion and stools
Yes, whether we like it or not, stools are a reflection of digestion and the quality of the diet. A good diet is reflected by a limited quantity of firm stools. If your dog has several stools per day, or if they are soft, or bulky (sometimes almost as much as the amount of food we give), you should raise a red flag and ask yourself questions. In fact, undigested nutrients end up in the stools and increase their volume… so fewer stools equal better assimilation of nutrients. Some dogs will have soft stools due to food intolerance, this is also something to watch out for. We therefore want stools in limited quantities and firm. In addition, other digestive disorders, such as frequent vomiting, gastric reflux, are also not normal, and if this is the case for our dog, we must also question the diet and consult a veterinarian if necessary.
Skin, hair and smell
When the diet is adequate, the nutrients needed for healthy skin and hair production are sufficient, and this is visually reflected in the dog. A shiny, silky coat with normal shedding is a sign of a good diet. If your dog has a dull coat, itches, dandruff, or has endless shedding, this may be due to an unsuitable diet. Also, a well-fed dog often has little or no body odor. Finally, itching and especially licking between the pads can be signs that the animal is not tolerating its food well.
Secretions from the ears and eyes
Increased discharge from the ears and eyes can be a sign that your dog's diet is not optimal. Poor absorption of nutrients irritates the digestive system and therefore the immune system, which can cause increased discharge from the ears and eyes, and even promote the development of ear infections, for example.
The weight of the animal
Let's not hide it, many humans are overweight and the same goes for our dogs. Several studies have shown that obesity is very harmful to health and joints. It is therefore important to monitor your dog's weight regularly. As I often say to help people, generally speaking, you should be able to slightly feel the ribs, but not the dog's spine. I advise you to establish your dog's healthy weight with your food advisor or veterinarian and to weigh your dog at least once a month to be able to readjust the diet if necessary. Excess weight in dogs is very common and very harmful to their health. We see far too many dogs with the barrel shape, as I call it.
Dental health
A good diet will be reflected by a dog that has beautiful, healthy teeth without tartar. Bad breath, excessive tartar build-up can be a sign of poor diet balance and digestive problems. Check your dog's teeth regularly, tartar is harmful to health.
Dog behavior
Over the years of my experience in food consulting, I have noticed how much of an effect diet has on a dog's behavior. In dogs that do not digest their food well and in which we make positive changes in their diet, we will often observe a notable improvement in their behavior. A dog with equal energy, calm, and composed is often the result of a good diet. Dogs do not speak, so they cannot tell you that they have a stomach ache or are unwell due to their diet... we just have to think about how we react when we have a stomach ache... it is enough to become anxious, intolerant and in a bad mood, especially if it has lasted for several years... If your dog has behavioral problems, make sure that it is not because of a poor diet that is irritating him.
A good immune system
A healthy diet is the basis of a healthy immune system. A nutritional deficiency or food intolerance will inevitably affect the dog's immune system. This can be reflected in a dog that is often sick, has injuries that do not heal, often has ear infections, etc. When our dog is often sick, we must ensure that this does not come from a diet that does not suit him.
Here are a lot of small signs observable in your animal that will allow you to know if its diet is adequate or not. Diet, you have to see to it, it is the basis of health and longevity!
Source: Karine Simard, Agronomist, M. Sc.
Dog food consultant
President Pattedeaubi
One of the things you can easily do to assess whether you are feeding your dog a good food is to look for certain signs…
Here are the signs you should look for when evaluating the food you are feeding your dog:
Digestion and stools
Yes, whether we like it or not, stools are a reflection of digestion and the quality of the diet. A good diet is reflected by a limited quantity of firm stools. If your dog has several stools per day, or if they are soft, or bulky (sometimes almost as much as the amount of food we give), you should raise a red flag and ask yourself questions. In fact, undigested nutrients end up in the stools and increase their volume… so fewer stools equal better assimilation of nutrients. Some dogs will have soft stools due to food intolerance, this is also something to watch out for. We therefore want stools in limited quantities and firm. In addition, other digestive disorders, such as frequent vomiting, gastric reflux, are also not normal, and if this is the case for our dog, we must also question the diet and consult a veterinarian if necessary.
Skin, hair and smell
When the diet is adequate, the nutrients needed for healthy skin and hair production are sufficient, and this is visually reflected in the dog. A shiny, silky coat with normal shedding is a sign of a good diet. If your dog has a dull coat, itches, dandruff, or has endless shedding, this may be due to an unsuitable diet. Also, a well-fed dog often has little or no body odor. Finally, itching and especially licking between the pads can be signs that the animal is not tolerating its food well.
Secretions from the ears and eyes
Increased discharge from the ears and eyes can be a sign that your dog's diet is not optimal. Poor absorption of nutrients irritates the digestive system and therefore the immune system, which can cause increased discharge from the ears and eyes, and even promote the development of ear infections, for example.
The weight of the animal
Let's not hide it, many humans are overweight and the same goes for our dogs. Several studies have shown that obesity is very harmful to health and joints. It is therefore important to monitor your dog's weight regularly. As I often say to help people, generally speaking, you should be able to slightly feel the ribs, but not the dog's spine. I advise you to establish your dog's healthy weight with your food advisor or veterinarian and to weigh your dog at least once a month to be able to readjust the diet if necessary. Excess weight in dogs is very common and very harmful to their health. We see far too many dogs with the barrel shape, as I call it.
Dental health
A good diet will be reflected by a dog that has beautiful, healthy teeth without tartar. Bad breath, excessive tartar build-up can be a sign of poor diet balance and digestive problems. Check your dog's teeth regularly, tartar is harmful to health.
Dog behavior
Over the years of my experience in food consulting, I have noticed how much of an effect diet has on a dog's behavior. In dogs that do not digest their food well and in which we make positive changes in their diet, we will often observe a notable improvement in their behavior. A dog with equal energy, calm, and composed is often the result of a good diet. Dogs do not speak, so they cannot tell you that they have a stomach ache or are unwell due to their diet... we just have to think about how we react when we have a stomach ache... it is enough to become anxious, intolerant and in a bad mood, especially if it has lasted for several years... If your dog has behavioral problems, make sure that it is not because of a poor diet that is irritating him.
A good immune system
A healthy diet is the basis of a healthy immune system. A nutritional deficiency or food intolerance will inevitably affect the dog's immune system. This can be reflected in a dog that is often sick, has injuries that do not heal, often has ear infections, etc. When our dog is often sick, we must ensure that this does not come from a diet that does not suit him.
Here are a lot of small signs observable in your animal that will allow you to know if its diet is adequate or not. Diet, you have to see to it, it is the basis of health and longevity!
Source: Karine Simard, Agronomist, M. Sc.
Dog food consultant
President Pattedeaubi
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