8 Feeding mistakes you must avoid with your dog
A species-appropriate diet ensures an optimal supply of nutrients and makes a huge contribution to a dog’s life being happy and healthy.
However, as we are constantly finding out during our consultations, there is still a great deal of ignorance on the subject of healthy dog nutrition, and this is reflected in a number of feeding mistakes that are actually avoidable.
In the following, we will explain to you which feeding mistakes owners make the most with their dogs and why you should avoid them with your four-legged friend in future.
It's also important that you avoid the following mistakes when feeding your dog, and the problems they can cause
Feeding mistake no. 1: you are giving your dog too much food
Of course, you love your dog and want your four-legged friend to have everything he needs. However, too much food is the wrong way to show your dog your love. Because just as with you, a permanent oversupply of energy leads to your dog being overweight.
You may think that your dog will stop eating as soon as his stomach is full. However, this is usually not the case and your four-legged friend will normally always eat as much as you give him.
After all, he could think that he won't get anything from you the next day. To avoid obesity and the health problems that come with it, you should therefore always make sure that your dog's food rations meet his actual needs.
Feeding mistake no. 2: you are giving your dog too little food
Of course, it is not only a problem if your dog gets too much food. Too little food can also have serious consequences and lead to underweight and deficiency symptoms in the long term.
These can make themselves felt in your dog, for example, through lack of drive, a dull coat, or hair loss. Sooner or later, your four-legged friend can even become seriously ill if you give him too little food on a permanent basis.
The feeding recommendations that you will find on the packaging of Bellfor dog food, for example, provide you with a good guideline for determining the right amount of food for your dog and avoiding both over- and under-supply.
Feeding mistake no. 3: you are not taking into account the calories in the dog treats
Of course, healthy dog snacks should not be missing in the everyday life of your four-legged friend. They serve either as a small reward for in-between or as a motivational aid for education and training.
However, it is a common mistake among dog owners not to take the calories from these snacks into account when calculating the amount of food for the main meals.
In the long term, this can also lead to overweight. So always make sure that the amount of calories you give your dog in the form of dog snacks is deducted from the amount of the actual food.
Feeding mistake no. 4: You are giving your dog food that is harmful to its health
For most owners, their own dog is not just a simple pet, but a full-fledged member of the family. Although this is not fundamentally reprehensible, it can lead to problems, especially with regard to nutrition.
Many foods that are completely harmless to humans are highly poisonous to dogs, so that their consumption can even be fatal. So under no circumstances should you make the mistake of spoiling your dog with supposed delicacies from your own plate.
Foods that are toxic to dogs include grapes and sultanas, chocolate and cocoa, avocado, onions, and garlic. To avoid accidental poisoning, we recommend that you only use high-quality dog snacks such as those found in the Bellfor range.
Error no. 5: You add oil to your dog's food
Quite frankly, we do not see the point of this. However, we still hear from dog owners who put oil on dog food and then wonder about diarrhoea or conspicuously large amounts of faeces.
We would like to take this opportunity to assure you that it is completely unnecessary to add oil to your dog's food. A need-based amount of high-quality dog food provides your four-legged friend with all the important nutrients in the right quantity. This naturally also applies to fat.
Even if you are active in dog sports, there are clearly better ways to cover your dog's increased energy and fat requirements. We recommend our dry food Bellfor Premium Pur Active and our Bellfor Fitness bars for this purpose.
Feeding mistake no. 6: You are giving your dog the wrong amount of micronutrients
Just like for you, micronutrients are very important for your dog. For example, your four-legged friend needs calcium and phosphorus for healthy bones and teeth, and selenium for thyroid function and the immune system.
Both an over- and under-supply of micronutrients can harm your dog and lead to serious health problems. Normally, you can be confident that your pet's food contains the correct amount of vitamins and minerals.
Should your dog have additional needs in certain situations, it is important that you ensure that the micronutrient dosage is correct.
Feeding mistake number 7: you are giving your dog spoiled food
It goes without saying that the economical use of food is sensible. However, you should always bear in mind that even dog food does not keep forever.
Especially open wet food spoils very quickly. But even an opened bag of dry food that has been in the pantry for several months could well have to be replaced with a new one.
Spoiled dog food can contain food mites among other things and cause digestive problems for your dog. Therefore, only give your dog food that is actually still edible.
Feeding mistake no. 8: you are giving your dog too many supplements
As you know, our range of products includes a number of high-quality dietary supplements for dogs. However, this does not mean that we recommend that you actually give your four-legged friend all these products.
Even though every Bellfor food supplement has its purpose, they will not all have benefits for every dog. So only use our food supplements if your dog really needs them.
Our conclusion on the subject of feeding mistakes in dogs
As you can see, there are a number of mistakes that you should avoid when it comes to feeding your dog. The better you can do this, the easier it will be to avoid unnecessary health problems.
You should also make sure that the dog food you choose is of good quality. In the Bellfor range, you will find high-quality dog food for feeding all breeds of dogs in accordance with their needs.
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