As a general rule, puppies and young dogs burn more calories, so they need a greater quantity of food that is higher in protein and fat. Older, less active dogs require fewer calories to remain healthy.

I, over the last four plus years, as foster for several Boston Terriers and Boston Mixes with special needs and health issues, have had to pay attention to what I was feeding these dogs. The more I have become aware of how to provide the right types of food, the more I have become aware of the importance of also ensuring that the dogs were getting the right amount of dog food.

This has lead me to do much more than just admiring the pretty pictures on the labels. The importance of learning just what "dog food" contains and how much dogs really need to be healthy, has lead me to a lot of reading. Some of this information I hope will also help, if you too are searching for answers. 

Recently I came across some items that caught my attention. I thought I would share these with you.

How much to feed

If you’re using a commercial pet food, beware of the “feeding guidelines” on the bag or box. It lists different weights and the corresponding amount of food to feed your dog to maintain that weight, and should be used only as a rough guideline. There are many people who believe that if they only give their dogs one meal a day that they are being cruel, and that their dogs will be unhappy. However, if you do still want to give breakfast to your dog, make sure it is very early in the morning and something very light. The evening meal should still be the main one.

What I never paid much attention to at first, but have read often while looking for suggestions on just how much to feed a normal healthy dog is this:  Many dogs are overweight because their families closely followed the directions on the label, which often indicates portion sizes that are too large. After all, the sooner the bag is empty, the sooner you will need to buy more food. It is suggested to use the low end of the "suggested guidelines" found on the labels and containers.

  

Something else that I have come across is that large breed dogs require less food and small breed dogs require more food when expressed on a volume of food per pound of body weight.

The food requirements of individual dogs vary according to their health, level of activity, and age. Here are some guidelines for portion sizes at different stages of your dog’s life:

Puppies:

Puppies are typically introduced to solid food at three to four weeks of age and are completely weaned from their mother’s milk by eight weeks.

If you are feeding commercial pet food to your fostered or adopted puppy, select a brand that is specially formulated for puppies development. Young puppies should be fed at least three times a day — morning, noon, and early evening — until their food requirements, per pound of body weight, begin to level off as they mature.

When is a puppy not a puppy?

By the time the puppy is five or six months of age, his feeding schedule can be reduced to twice a day. If you have a finicky puppy, you can add some warm water to dry food to encourage him to eat it. If your puppy doesn’t eat all his food within an hour, discard the uneaten portion. A dog is a puppy from birth till nine months of age. Then, from 9 months until 15 months of age, it is considered a young dog.

NOTE: Did you know that milk can act as a laxative and cause digestive problems for some puppies and adult dogs? It is highly suggested to avoid giving milk to your pup, or only give very small amounts.

If your puppy appears to be gaining too much weight, gradually decrease his food intake, but if his ribs are showing, increase his portions. If you are unsure about his proper weight or appearance, talk to your vet for guidance.

Adults:

When the average dog is one year old, he has reached full maturity. His nutritional requirements will stay about the same during his young adult life, assuming he is not ill or engaging in extreme physical exercise. His weight should remain stable and his body should be well-proportioned. Your dog should have an observable waist and you should be able to feel his ribs with your fingertips, beneath a thin layer of fat.

If you are feeding your adopted adult dog a commercial pet food, select one that is specially formulated for adult dogs. You should establish a feeding schedule. Constant changes in the food schedule can lead to nervous disorders and other diseases.

Active adults:

Moderate exercise is essential for all dogs and helps them remain fit and trim throughout their lifetime. But some dogs, like some humans, will regularly do more intense exercising. If your adopted dog is particularly active and if he jogs or runs with you regularly, or is involved in sporting activities, his energy needs will be greater than those of his more sedentary counterparts.

 

 

Senior dogs:

Senior dogs have reduced energy requirements and therefore; should not consume the same quantity of food as they did when they were younger. If you’re feeding your adopted senior dog commercial pet food, look for brands that offer reduced calories while still including all the necessary nutrients. Senior dogs, like all dogs, should be fed according to their overall health and level of activity. A less active dog can quickly gain weight if you’re not careful.¹ As with humans, a dog’s appetite may vary from day to day. This is not cause for alarm unless his loss of appetite persists for several days or he shows obvious signs of weight loss or illness. However, having no desire to eat can be the first sign of many illnesses, so monitor your dog’s food intake carefully.²

  

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 Sources:

¹Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM, PhD, author of Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats

²https://www.petfinder.com/dogs/dog-nutrition/how-much-to-feed-your-dog/

 The other day someone asked, "Is watermelon okay for my dog, he's a Boston Terrier?"
Well, that got me to thinking.  My first reaction was, of course. I have fed it to my dogs often. Not a whole lot at one time. But I really had never looked to see what the general opinion was on Watermelon.

Maybe I should check out the answer, after all one of the world’s favorite fruits is watermelon. Why would it not be one of your dog's favorites also? I have never heard that it was bad for dogs. But I wanted to make sure before I answered this question.

The only thing worse than running out of watermelon, is having your Boston watch you like a hawk while you are trying to enjoy your snack, smacking her lips with that loving look each time a piece reaches your mouth. Before sitting down with a nice bowl of sliced or frozen watermelon to share, it is important to know if watermelon is a good food for your dog to eat as well.

Can dogs eat watermelon?

After much research, I have come to the conclusion that the answer is: 

Yes. Watermelon is very safe for dogs. Just be careful, do not give your dog the seeds, because they can give them a little tummy ache. 

The next time you are out and shopping for watermelon and there is, and you will be passing a few pieces along to your four legged friend, why not spend the extra money and go for the seedless watermelon to keep you both safe.¹

The grocery stores and local fresh food farmers markets and growers are starting to stock watermelon.  These fruits are tasty and refreshing for us humans, but are they safe for dogs? Yes, dogs can eat watermelon. In fact, watermelon is a very healthy option for your Boston. ²

So there you have it, after reading up on one of my favorite fall fruits, I can assure you my Bostons will continue to be given watermelon, in small amounts. Watermelon, it turns out, contains quite a bit of natural sugar, which is okay in small amounts, but can cause pretty bad diarrhea in larger amounts, so keep the portions small, particularly for a small dog. Also, the seeds are indigestible and the white rind can cause stomach upset, so make sure you de-seed any pieces you give him.

 

And a side note on fresh veggies:

 Carrots and broccoli are also great. Though neither cleans plaque off teeth. That is an old wives' tale. The only way to get teeth clean is to brush them, either with a doggie toothbrush or with a damp terrycloth towel with your finger wrapped in it. Carrots don't clean plaque off our teeth, and they don't do it for dogs either.³  

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¹  petfoodia.com/pet-health
²  bunkblog.net/foods-safe-for-dogs
³  dogster.com

 

With so many recall and health alerts concerning our pets, it is hard to keep up, so we thought you might find it useful to have several in one place. If you are like most people we know, you will want to see the source of the alerts. We also like to have several sources of information. We discovered several other sites to help us decide on what our options are in purchasing safe commercial dog food.

 With this in mind, we will list the ones we were aware of along with a few informative and helpful web sites with information in this general area.

 1. If you are wanting an email alert, you might register your email with dogfoodadvisor.com.
They offer information that could be very useful including:  What’s Being Recalled, Where and why along with product description, along with what action the company doing the recall, recommends consumers do, including how to get refunds for the product.¹ a perfect example is this one: October 7, 2014 — PetSmart has announced that Loving Pets Corp is voluntarily recalling specific lots of Simply Nourish Biscotti with Beef and Sweet Potatoes Dog Treats due to the potential of mold growth.¹

2. Another useful site is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA or USFDA), a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.  The FDA releases public notices about certain recalls of FDA-regulated products. ² on their Animal and Veterinary section. There you can find an array of other informative areas. Development and Approval Process, New Animal Drug Applications, Products Approved Animal Drug Products, Animal Food/Feed, Imports & Exports, Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) Notification Program: Recalls, of which there are three types, along with are actions taken by a firm to remove a product from the market. Recalls may be conducted on a firm's own initiative, by FDA request, or by FDA order under statutory authority.  You can get email updates.  You can also follow them on Twitter.

 3. Another site to check out is http://recipes4gourmetdogs.com this site like many I find these days are recommending NO corn or other grains.  You might find interesting their list of the 7 worst brands. This site also has several homemade dog and cat foods and treats.

 4.  There is a debate going on between manufactures and pet owners, veterinarians, and other interested parties over the consumption of our pets and these grains. If you are interested in looking into the ingredients of the various brands you may also want to visit this site I just found. http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/ part of Boxerworld.com

 And finally on this subject is this:

 Are you looking for a dog and cat food company that is a USA  family owned company? Canidae says it is a 100% family owned and operated. They also own and operate their own research and development center and manufacturing facility, Ethos Pet Nutrition, in Brownwood, Texas.

I have a question for you. Do you have other sites that could help keep us informed? Where do you go to keep updated? Do you just buy whatever the store offers and not worry. We would like to hear from you.

 ¹www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall
²www.fda.gov/A