Old English Sheepdog Nutrition

- submitted by Dea M. Freiheit

-          

Choosing the right food for your dog involves considering a number of factors.

Evaluate your dog's weight, age, body condition and overall health.

The nutritional requirements of a pregnant dog are much different than a "couch potato" or a growing puppy or an elderly dog. These all have different nutritional needs.

Read the labels of the pet food. Remember that much that is on a dog food's container is there for marketing and has nothing to do with what is inside.

Basically, you get what you pay for in dog food. Spend the dollars for quality kibble.

If you feed incorrectly, you can seriously affect your dog's health. Feeding high fat, high protein food can easily lead to obesity. Some dogs have food allergies which can affect their skin and coats. Overfeeding puppies or feeding them a food that is too high in certain ingredients can lead to skeletal problems, such as hip dysplasia.

Ask your breeder what their recommendations are for feeding your dog. They have years of experience and will have tried different brands of food. They will know what works best for their line of OES.

Remember you are the one responsible for your dog's weight; if you overfed, it will become fat. Fat dogs are not healthy. Open your eyes and really look at your dog's weight. Don't just scoop out the food, measure the portions you feed. Take six months to take the weight off if that's what it takes. If you feed lots of treats, cut back on the mealtime amounts. Use treats like a 1/2-inch piece of carrot, a small piece of broccoli, a lettuce leaf.

Dogs just want a treat; they don't think that we love them more if we give them more. A morsel will work just fine for a dog's treat. Think small if you give treats. It's actually cruelty to your dog to allow them to be fat. Think of yourself as your dog's personal trainer and give it just the amount needed for a slim, trim healthy body.