Feeding a Russian hunting spaniel puppy. Diet of puppies who have switched to self-feeding How to properly feed a spaniel puppy for 1 month

The selection of a puppy’s feeding diet largely depends on the breed characteristics, the planned use of the dog, and simply the owner’s preferences in choosing the type of food (natural products or ready-made industrial food). However, one requirement remains unchanged: if you want to have a healthy, strong, active dog, provide it with nutritious food from the first days of its stay in your home, ensuring that the body receives all the necessary components: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, minerals and vitamins.

Use of industrial dry food

The use of industrial food for feeding spaniel puppies has become very popular in recent years. For the owner, this solution makes life much easier: food manufacturers guarantee that they already contain all the ingredients necessary for the dog’s full life and development. The only thing that is required from the owner is to select food that best suits the needs of the pet in terms of age, size, activity, as well as some personal characteristics of the puppy (for example, allergies to certain types of foods, or a sensitive digestive system).

Of course, when choosing a specific type of industrial dry food for your pet, do not forget to consult with a veterinarian. The fact is that even the best manufacturers cannot take into account all variations of the breed and personal needs of the animal when developing a product line.

In fact, when using dry food, it is not recommended to supplement the diet with any mineral and vitamin supplements, since all of them are already included in the product. This is absolutely true, but only if the chosen food fully corresponds to the description of the breed.

For example, we select a product to feed a Russian hunting spaniel puppy. What should you pay attention to?

• on the size of the dog - Russian hunting spaniels belong to the group of medium-sized breeds;
• for activity - active.
• for coat – longhaired.

That is, we need food for puppies of active long-haired dogs of medium breeds... I haven’t come across anything like this on sale. And God forbid, allergic problems or sensitive digestion will be added to this...

So, from the variety of selection criteria, it is worth choosing the main ones and focusing on them. And other problems can be solved with the help of bait, mineral and vitamin supplements. And in this matter, the help of a veterinarian is absolutely necessary.

Natural nutrition

No matter how wonderful modern industrial food is, many owners struggle with feeding a puppy natural products to one degree or another. First of all, this concerns breeders who need to ensure that their babies are fed breast milk for the entire period of feeding.

So, what should you feed your spaniel puppy using natural products?

The basic set of products is quite standard for puppies of any breed:

1. Dairy: kefir, yogurt, calcined cottage cheese, milk with the addition of egg yolk.
2. Meat products: beef with cartilage and veins, for very small puppies in the form of a scraper, then cut into pieces; poultry meat, cleaned of bones (especially tubular ones!); lamb meat; sea ​​fish, also freed from bones.
3. Cereals in the form of porridges with milk or meat broth. It is recommended to use rice, buckwheat, rolled oats, or in crushed form.
4. Vegetables. Dogs of any breed should not be given potatoes. It is simply not absorbed by the dog's digestive system. Carrots can be given raw, grated, seasoned with vegetable oil or a small amount of sour cream. By the way, many puppies willingly gnaw on whole carrots. The remaining vegetables (except legumes) are given to the puppy boiled or stewed as part of porridge in meat broth.
5. Again, if you want your pet to get all the nutrients it needs, vitamins, minerals– Be sure to consult your veterinarian. A specialist will help you choose the optimal complex of minerals and vitamins necessary for the health of your pet.

Ugh!

In one of the books I came across a “decoding” of this very common word from the vocabulary of dog breeders: “Well, immediately stop doing what you are doing now, otherwise it will be bad!” So, what is listed below, it is forbidden Use for feeding English Cocker Spaniel, Russian Spaniel puppies or puppies and adult dogs of any other breed.

• Tubular bones and ribs. When chewed, they split into long, sharp fragments, which can seriously injure the gastrointestinal tract and even lead to the death of the dog.
• Potatoes, beans, corn. They are not processed by the digestive system and can cause digestive problems.
• Spices, especially those with a pungent taste. Don't forget that a dog's senses are much more sensitive than ours. So what is “pleasant spice” for us can cause a loss of smell for a dog.
• Chocolate, sweets and other goodies from the human table. Well, the dog doesn't need them! And they can cause metabolic disorders.

By the way, it is spaniels that are real champions in begging for goodies. A hunting stance, a miserable, hypnotizing look frozen on a tasty morsel, and a tail fan operating in the “thousand revolutions per second” mode - to refuse such a beggar, you need to very sternly say to yourself “FU!”

Organization of feeding

How often should you feed your spaniel puppy? At the age of one month - at least 6 times a day. Gradually, the number of feedings is reduced, and the intervals between them increase. By the age of one year, it is recommended to switch to two feedings a day: morning and evening.

You should not give your spaniel food in reserve. Many representatives of this breed do not know satiety, so unlimited access to food can lead to overeating and, as a result, the development of obesity. This is especially true for non-working, apartment dogs, whose energy expenditure is much lower.

And further. Wash your ears after eating! Or prepare the feeding area so that the beauty and pride of your pet does not dip into the feeder or water bowl. To do this, use deep, small-diameter bowls placed on a stand. The bowl should be approximately at chest level with the puppy. It is clear that this stand should grow with the dog.

Some owners found another way out. Before feeding the Cocker Spaniel, the puppy is “decorated” with clothespins, rubber bands or bows, securing the ears above the head. The owners like it. Dogs, in my opinion, are not very...

Both the puppy and the adult dog should eat well. A diet that meets the necessary requirements keeps the dog in good shape and promotes the development and formation of the puppy’s body. In this case, we are primarily talking about the quality and composition of the food offered to the animal.

Like humans, dogs must have fasting days, during which they receive only 40% of their normal diet. A little fasting will only do her good. For an adult Russian hunting spaniel, 1 fasting day every 2 weeks is sufficient.

Under no circumstances should you offer your pet food that the owner, for whatever reason, does not want to eat. Food prepared for a person will not benefit him, moreover, it can harm him. Failed, spoiled dishes should not end up in the dog's bowl.

The food that a Russian hunting spaniel eats must be warm and soft. If it is very cold, it should be heated, if it is very hot, it should be cooled.

The animal's diet must be strictly observed.

Small puppies must be fed once a day until they reach 2 months of age; 2-4 month old animals – 4 times; 4-6 month old puppies – 3 times; starting from 8 months – 2 times.

The pet's feeding time is set depending on the owner's daily routine. If the dog refuses food for any reason, you must call a veterinarian - the animal may be sick. And in any case, you should never force a dog to eat something it doesn’t want. In order for the dog to always remain healthy and beautiful, in addition to meat and various types of ready-made food, it is imperative to include food of plant origin, dairy products and mineral mixtures in the animal’s diet.

The spaniel should be fed meat, offal, fish, vegetables and fruits, cereals and infant formula. It is best to give your dog meat products in the evening, and milk and vegetable mixtures in the morning.

The Russian Hunting Spaniel's diet can sometimes include homemade noodles and potatoes as supplements. Animals should be given milk soups in limited quantities.

The nutritional needs of an adult dog and a puppy are different. A two-year-old animal can be given no more than 1.5 cups of feed mixture per feeding, and a 3-week-old puppy - 3 tablespoons.

A dog's daily diet should always be appropriate to its age and lifestyle. The Russian Hunting Spaniel moves a lot, so its diet should be well thought out and its food high in calories.

It is not difficult to determine how much food your pet needs daily; you just need to carefully observe him for 2-3 days. If the dog eats greedily and licks the empty bowl for a long time, it means that there is not enough food, and if the animal eats slowly or its stomach becomes very bloated while eating, then the spaniel overeats.

The dog is a predator that has been obtaining food for itself during the hunt for many centuries. Despite the fact that recently this animal has become mostly omnivorous and happily consumes food of plant origin, meat must be included in the diet.

Proper nutrition is the key to the health of a hunting dog

Bones are considered an important part of the diet of any hunting or guard dog. They contain many valuable nutrients (calcium, gluten and proteins), which are very important for the development and growth of the Russian Hunting Spaniel, strengthening its gums and teeth. They must be given to small puppies during the period when they are teething. In this case, preference should be given to bones with remains of cartilage and meat. Tubular bones should not be offered to your dog, as they crumble easily and can get stuck in the stomach. In this case, only surgical intervention will help the animal.

Fish, mainly sea fish, must be included in the diet of the Russian hunting spaniel. Before offering it to your dog, you need to remove the bones and cook the meat. If the fish is small, its bones do not pose a threat to the life of the pet; if it is large, it is better to remove the sharp pectoral and dorsal fins and bones to avoid injury.

Products of plant origin include vegetables (potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, turnips), greens (parsley, lettuce, spinach, dandelion leaves, garlic, onions), cereals (rice, millet, buckwheat, oatmeal), legumes (peas).

Vegetables are given to the dog both raw and processed. For example, to make a nutritious vegetable stew, you need to cut the vegetables into small cubes, fry them in a frying pan using sunflower oil, place them in a deep saucepan, add hot water and simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes.

Porridges from various cereals must be included in the diet of a cocker spaniel. They are usually cooked in any broth or milk diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3. It is recommended to add sunflower oil, as well as pieces of fruits and vegetables, to the porridge.

Raisins, dried apricots, prunes, dried bananas and apples should be offered to the animal primarily as a treat. They are rich in vitamins and dogs really like them.

As for dairy products, it is recommended to give your dog cottage cheese, cheese, yogurt or kefir 2 times a week. You can make special calcined cottage cheese, for the preparation of which you take 1-2 liters of hot milk and add 6 teaspoons of calcium chloride to it. Cheese is usually added to salads, porridge, and is also used as a treat during training.

Eggs are very beneficial for a dog's health, but you should not abuse them. As a rule, it is enough to give the animal 1 egg every 6-7 days. You can offer your spaniel an egg along with some other food product - fish, porridge, salad. You can also make an omelet with herbs and vegetables.

Bakery products are usually very high in calories, so your dog should eat them in limited quantities. In this case, preference should be given to black bread. Rye bread crackers are often used as a treat during training.

The spaniel's diet must include various mineral supplements, fortified preparations and fish oil. If you are not sure how much mineral supplement to give your dog daily, you should consult your veterinarian.

You should not often give your dog sausages, sausages, sweets and cakes - this will spoil it and make it picky in food.

Currently, there is a large variety of ready-made dog food on sale, including dry food and canned food. All ready-made food includes a full range of microelements, vitamins, proteins and fats necessary for the proper development and growth of the spaniel.

You cannot buy ready-made food by weight. The fact is that this kind of food is stored for a long time in open containers or packages and quickly loses its taste and smell. Immediately before purchasing ready-made food, you need to check its expiration date and find out under what conditions it was stored.

A one and a half month old puppy, who at approximately this age becomes a member of your family, is given a little more than half a glass of food per feeding. With age, the amount of food gradually increases to one and a half glasses per feeding for an adult dog. Monitor your pet's behavior. If the puppy greedily eats the portion and continues to “chase the bowl,” then either there is not enough food, or you have taken too long a gap between feedings. If the puppy ate slowly, walked away, then came back again, then you are probably giving food too much or more often than necessary. If his tummy becomes very bloated after eating, he overeats.

For food and water, you need to get two bowls with a smooth surface so that the puppy does not injure his tongue when licking them. Moreover, a bowl of water should be kept there all the time, and with food - only during feeding. Uneaten food must be removed. You can transfer it to a jar and store it in the refrigerator until the next feeding, but before serving it must be heated to a temperature of 40 degrees.

You need to feed the puppy from a small but reliable stand, the height of which can be adjusted as the dog grows. The dog should reach for the bowl and not lower its head down. The ideal option for a cocker was a stand in the form of a metal hoop with legs. In this case, the long ears hang over the edges of the bowl, eliminating the need to wash your dog's ears every time after feeding. In addition, they use a bowl in which the hole for food is cone-shaped - the ears also hang down along the edges.

It is very important to follow a feeding schedule. Remember that the dog should receive food only at certain hours, no pieces between feedings, otherwise you risk raising a beggar, and a fat one at that - spaniels especially should not be fed, they are prone to obesity. If you start feeding your puppy incorrectly, he will live up to the nickname of the spaniel “vacuum cleaner dog.” If you refuse the offered food, you should never replace it with another, but simply remove it and offer it at the next feeding. If you replace the food at least once, then surprisingly quickly the puppy will learn that it is possible to break and then you will get something more tasty. In addition, under no circumstances should you force the dog to finish eating what was given - if he doesn’t want to, he shouldn’t. Dogs sometimes intuitively arrange fasting days for themselves.

The work of all endocrine glands involved in digestion is quickly adjusted to a certain regime. The body gets used to time and food. Therefore, a sudden transition to a different feeding regimen or diet causes digestive upset, and hence other body systems. For normal digestion of food, it is very important that the puppy eats in a calm environment, without rushing.

We pay special attention to the fact that the dog must be fed only after a walk. After eating, she should lie down quietly and sleep for at least two hours. If you do the opposite, you risk getting a dog with a sagging back. In addition, intense movement after eating can even lead to volvulus in some cases.

What not to feed a cocker:
Hot (straight from the stove), cold (from the refrigerator), spicy, salty, fatty, sweet, smoked food; river fish. You can only give boiled seafood. Never give freshwater or raw sea food, as infection with worms is possible;
Don't give bones. Contrary to the ingrained misconception, bones are death for a dog. Firstly, they are not digestible. Secondly, they can cause constipation, intestinal perforation, and volvulus. Particularly dangerous are tubular bones, which tend to split into sharp pieces. Bones also help teeth wear down quickly.
You cannot feed pasta, legumes, white bread, potatoes, peas, or products made from wheat flour.
The dog should not know what sausages, sausage, or ham are. We know many owners who are capable of doing the incredible for their pet, and will not stand up to any expenses or difficulties. In this case, all this is completely in vain. Sausages for dogs are poison. They damage the liver, and the dog runs the risk of dying at a young age. After all, we don’t know what additives are added to sausages to make them look attractive;
The puppy should not know the taste of sugar, sweets and chocolate. Sweets spoil the appetite and disrupt digestion. In addition, they destroy teeth and have an extremely adverse effect on the eyes, which begin to water;
Do not feed pork and fatty lamb, raw chicken;
You cannot add spices to your dog’s food: pepper, bay leaf, hot tomato sauce;
feed rotten and sour foods.

PUPPY FEEDING REGIME

Up to 2 months, the puppy is fed 6 times a day every 3.5 hours (6.30 - 10.00 - 13.30 - 17.00 - 20.30 - 24.00).

From 2 to 4 months, feed 5 times a day, every 4 hours. (7.00 - 11.00 - 15.00 - 19.00 - 23.00).

From 4 to 6 months - 4 times a day.

From 6 to 10 months - 3 times a day.

From 10 months - 2-3 times a day, like an adult dog.

FOOD FOR YOUR PET

Be sure to give premium dry food daily. And don’t listen to those who tell tales about their harm. Cheap and low-quality food is harmful, but a dog needs “correct” dry food!
Be sure to have veal meat and liver – boiled – just like for yourself. Dairy products, eggs. From cereals - rice, buckwheat, rolled oats.

Meat. Up to a year, a puppy should be given 50 g per day per kilogram of weight. An adult dog can be given 200-250 g of meat per day. The liver, kidneys, heart, and udder contain a lot of useful substances, but they must be given well boiled. Finely chopped vegetables should always be added to meat feeding. Never give bones. Cartilage is possible, but only soft and not often.

Dairy products. In first place, of course, is cottage cheese, as the main source of well-absorbed calcium. A puppy up to one year old should be given calcined cottage cheese, which you have to prepare yourself. To do this, add 2 tablespoons of 10 percent calcium chloride to half a liter of boiling milk. Throw the curdled cottage cheese onto a sieve. When the whey has drained, cool slightly and give to the puppy. The remaining whey can be left for drinking or brewed with oatmeal (rolled oats), which can be given for another feeding. You can give high-quality hard cheese in grated form.

Milk is food, not drink. It is very useful, but it makes some dogs weak. Kefir and yogurt have a good effect on digestion, they are very healthy. Again, it is useful to add grated cheese to porridge and vegetable mixtures. It is also convenient to use as a treat during training.

Eggs. The product is very nutritious. Raw yolks are best given mixed with dairy products or porridge. Crude protein is undesirable, in addition, it is simply not digestible. Eggs can be fed soft-boiled or as an omelet. With systematic meat feeding, one or two eggs per week is enough.

Cereals and bread. These products cannot be the cocker's main food, but their use in small quantities is quite acceptable and even necessary. The nutritional value of cereals is variable. In first place is Hercules. It should be soaked in kefir, whey, broth, and milk. It is better to steam it, and generally give almost raw flakes to an adult dog. Cook porridge from rice and buckwheat for the puppy. When cooking porridge with milk, it is good to add carrots, pumpkin and other vegetables, except potatoes. An adult dog and a teenage puppy should definitely be offered to chew crackers from rye bread, crusts from fresh loaves of wholemeal flour.

Vegetables. It is useful to give carrots, pumpkin, bell peppers, and zucchini finely chopped or grated, adding butter or sour cream in small quantities. Beets - only boiled. Raw chopped greens - parsley, lettuce, onions and garlic, dill - are an excellent vitamin supplement to the main food. Puppies can be given a vegetable mixture as an independent dish. Raw berries and fruits, dried fruits are good for him. Boiled pumpkin with porridge is good as a vitamin food and anthelmintic. When organizing feeding the puppy, keep in mind that the puppy must be introduced to dairy products, especially cottage cheese, vegetables and fruits from an early age.

Garlic. Raw finely chopped garlic (1 clove) on a piece of bread with butter is useful to give to a puppy and an adult dog weekly as an anthelmintic.

Raisins, dried fruits, cheese. All this is a convenient and useful bait, which is used as a reward during training.

Salt. A dog requires significantly less salt than a person. Therefore, it is not necessary to add salt to food; it is enough to give a piece of herring once a week.

Chalk, coal. Apparently, the puppy needs them during the period of increased growth and bone development. The pieces should be in a place accessible to the dog. She will chew on them as needed.

SAMPLE MENU FOR A 2-MONTH-OLD PUPPY

First option:

6.00 – dry food, calcined cottage cheese, warm milk;
10.00 - porridge with chopped boiled meat, grated carrots;
13.00 - 1 tbsp. finely chopped raw meat with crushed boiled vegetables (you can give fish instead of meat);
17.00 - sour cream cottage cheese, warm milk;
20.00 - porridge in vegetable broth with the addition of meat and vegetables;
23.00 - boiled meat and milk porridge.

Second option:

6.00 – dry food, cottage cheese with kefir, milk. You can add a little honey, raisins, yolk;
10.00 - oatmeal porridge with vegetable oil;
13.30 - grated or finely chopped vegetables with butter or sour cream;
17.00 - raw meat or boiled fish with the addition of herbs;
20.30 - grated cheese with steamed rolled oats, milk, kefir;
24.00 - meat with the addition of herbs and vegetables.

Attention! When feeding dry food, you need to make sure that your dog always has enough fresh water in his bowl!

With age, the number of feedings decreases and the volume of food increases. But even an adult dog must be given dry food in the morning, and sometimes cottage cheese and oatmeal. During the day - cheese, vegetables with vegetable oil, and in the evenings - meat.

Of course, this is only an approximate diet. It is necessary to select products that contain all the necessary elements to ensure normal growth and development of the puppy. And this is, first of all, high-quality dry food! This is especially important in the first year of life. An adult dog is less picky. We advise you to prepare her a salad more often, where half or even three-quarters of the volume will include a variety of vegetables, including wild herbs, and the rest will be a handful of oatmeal and some protein products: meat, cheese, eggs, fish. The salad should be sprinkled with a little vegetable oil. Usually cockers eat this dish with pleasure, if, of course, they have been accustomed to vegetables from puppyhood.

It is not at all necessary to constantly diversify your diet. If your puppy is developing normally, if his coat is smooth and shiny, if his digestion is normal, and you know that you are providing your pet with adequate nutrition, then there is no reason to worry. And under no circumstances make pure meat your puppy’s main food. Exchange it for fish, cheese, cottage cheese, give more vegetables. Remember that an adult dog will only willingly eat what it was accustomed to as a puppy.

Proper nutrition is one of the most important components of your dog's health. A dog by nature is a predator, which tends to feed primarily on meat. Deviations from the norm in the diet of our four-legged friends adversely affect their health and performance. A working dog living in our harsh climate, expending a colossal amount of energy on hunting or other service, needs sufficient and nutritious nutrition.

An animal can experience starvation with any amount of food eaten if it lacks essential substances, such as proteins, vitamins or minerals. The consequence of such partial underfeeding is metabolic disorders, excessive or perverted appetite (eating garbage, inedible objects).

Carefully select balanced food for your dog. She needs to get all the necessary nutrients from food in sufficient quantities. Different dogs need different amounts of nutrients. A dog's needs depend on several factors. First, age is the most obvious criterion: a puppy, an adult, a aging dog, and an old dog need different amounts of nutrients. Secondly, the nutritional needs of dogs with different levels of physical activity differ: just domestic dogs and working dogs.

Give your dog plenty of water. The average water consumption is about 60 ml per day per kilogram of animal weight. In hot weather, as well as in nursing bitches, the need for water increases. Your dog should always have fresh drinking water in his bowl and it should be changed regularly.

Feed your dog regularly and control the amount of food consumed. Perhaps you don't come home at the same time every day. In this case, your dog will not be able to get food by the hour, but this is not so bad. The main thing is to observe the total number of feedings per day. Undereating is just as harmful as overeating. An adult spaniel needs to eat 2-3 times a day. The most important thing is that food should not be constantly available. If the dog has not eaten all the food within 15 minutes, it should be removed until the next feeding. If the dog constantly leaves food in the bowl, you need to reduce the portion, and if he eats quickly and licks the bowl after eating, then you can slightly increase it. The serving size depends on the needs of the individual dog and the calorie content of the food.

Transition your dog to another food gradually. The dog’s body needs time to adapt to the composition of the new food, its digestion and absorption. A dog's digestive system is more sensitive than a human's. It takes time for her to rebuild.

Follow feeding rules. What your dog eats is very important. If you feed your dog homemade food, remember that table scraps, as well as salads, sausage and sweets are not food for the dog at all. Do not offer your pet food to choose from. When using commercially produced food, follow the manufacturer's recommendations and do not feed your dog homemade food. If a dog is waiting for pickles, it can be fasted for a while, so that later it will begin to eat the food it needs.

Maintain good hygiene. Prepare home-cooked food from high-quality and fresh ingredients, ensure that the food is fully prepared, and store it correctly; Don't feed your dog scraps from your table. Industrially produced food guarantees compliance with sanitary standards, and if it is properly stored and used, the risk of poisoning is eliminated. Opened canned food should be stored in a cool place, croquettes should be stored in a package in a dry place. The bowl from which the dog eats must be washed after each meal. Even if the dog licks the bowl until it shines, it still needs to be washed because of the saliva that remains on the walls.

Don't give your dog hot or cold food. The normal way for a dog to eat is to swallow food in large pieces so that cold food does not warm up in the mouth, and hot food does not cool down. This causes gastrointestinal diseases. The best option is food at room temperature.

Do not walk, play with, or exercise your dog until two hours after feeding. Gastric volvulus may occur. Without immediate assistance, death occurs. In dogs, the stomach is not attached to the abdominal wall, but simply hangs on ligaments inside and when the animal moves suddenly, the full stomach gets twisted.

You should not give your dog:

• Mixed nutrition - ready-made food and natural food - can lead to an imbalance in the dog's body. And this will lead to the fact that the organs in the body will gradually begin to function poorly. The transition from one type of feeding to another should take at least 10-14 days, because the dog’s body needs to readjust to absorb new food. After all, during this time a microflora should be formed that will allow you to digest an unusually new type of food well. This should happen gradually so as not to cause an imbalance in the digestive system, which could result in damage to the internal organs. It’s not just that you can’t mix! It is also impossible to give different types of food in the morning and evening (i.e. in the morning - self-prepared food, and in the evening - ready-made food). The most important thing is not just not to mix and not feed on the same day - not to feed different foods at all!
• only meat - such feeding will quickly kill the dog, putting unbearable strain on its kidneys;
• bones - they are not digested, leading to constipation, obstruction, or even worse - rupture of the digestive organs;
• low-quality products - this often leads not only to gastrointestinal disorders, but is also the cause of food poisoning;
• all kinds of sweets: pastries, cakes, lump sugar, etc. - cause lacrimation or suppuration of the eyes, disruption of normal liver function, obesity, caries, diabetes;
• fatty, fried - this puts too much stress on the liver;
• salty - the food contains quite a sufficient amount of salt for the dog’s body, an excess can lead to salt deposition, increased blood pressure, and electrolyte imbalance;
• acute - irritate the gastric mucosa and can lead to gastritis and stomach ulcers;
• raw river fish - in most cases, river fish is affected by helminth larvae (worms);
• cat food - has a high content of fats and proteins, which leads to kidney failure in the dog;
• pork - is poorly digested by the dog’s body and often causes digestive tract upset, causes obesity, and also puts a lot of stress on the liver;
• legumes and products made from wheat flour - dogs do not remove gases from the intestines well enough;
• You cannot give both meat and dairy products at the same feeding;
• eating from the table is the most common mistake! As soon as a puppy appears in your home, he must understand that he will not be given anything from the owner’s table and must eat only from his own bowl. The beggar dog sits at the table all the time and looks at you with such eyes that a piece of food gets stuck in his throat. And when there are guests in the house, there will definitely be a kind soul who will give him something tasty according to his own, human understanding;
• mineral supplements or vitamins when using special balanced feeds. They do not improve the dog's health. Moreover, an overdose of vitamins can lead to serious consequences, and your best intentions will turn into tragedy. Please do not experiment on your own pet!

Monitor your dog's health. To maintain your dog's health, it is very important to choose the right diet and stick to it. You can find out how correctly you chose it and how effective it is if you monitor her condition. The quality of the hair, the nature of the excrement, changes in weight, appetite and behavior - all this will show you whether the food is suitable for her and whether she is getting everything she needs from it. If the appetite sharply worsens or, conversely, bouts of gluttony appear, the dog loses weight or becomes very fat, and its stool is unstable, this is a reason to consult a doctor. He will advise you on feeding issues and, if necessary, prescribe an additional diet.

Any owner, having purchased a dog, is faced with a choice: Prepare food for your pet yourself at home or select ready-made food for him. This is a fundamental choice, it is better to make it right away and stick to your decision. Mixing homemade and ready-made food, as well as industrial food from different manufacturers, can lead to digestive disorders. If, nevertheless, there is a need to switch the dog from homemade food to ready-made food, and vice versa, then this must be done very carefully, within 1-2 weeks and after consultation with a doctor.

Think about the pros and cons of each option you choose. If you cook yourself, then you know exactly the composition of the prepared food and the sources of nutrients. But at the same time, you need to cook at home all the time, and this is not always easy; moreover, it is quite difficult to accurately balance the diet, especially for young dogs. It is necessary to constantly monitor the quality and freshness of products and prepared food. Ready-made food is much more practical, since it does not require any preparation effort from you. If you still want to stick to dry food, follow several conditions: the food must be only super-premium class, it must not be made in Russia, the dog must have water constantly, the type of food should be selected according to the weight, age and activity of the dog . Sometimes some food is not suitable for a given animal, then you need to try several different foods.

Food of any type must meet the dog's nutritional needs. The dog needs proteins, fats, carbohydrates (fiber), vitamins and minerals regularly and in sufficient quantities.

Proteins are part of any living tissue; they are a building material and a source of energy. A dog needs, first of all, animal protein; vegetable in its raw form is poorly absorbed by the body. Fats are also a source of energy; In addition, they allow fat-soluble vitamins to be absorbed in the body. Of the carbohydrates, a dog, first of all, needs fiber: insoluble - to ensure intestinal contractions, soluble - for the health and hygiene of the digestive tract.

Vitamins are an integral part of enzymes, without which not a single biochemical process can occur in the cells of a dog’s body. Vitamins are divided into water-soluble (B vitamins), which cannot be stored in the body in reserve, therefore, they must be consumed constantly and in the required quantities, and fat-soluble, which can accumulate in the tissues of the body (A, D, E and K). Some vitamins, such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C), are not formed in the animal’s body, others are synthesized in the intestines under the influence of the vital activity of microorganisms (B vitamins), but the resulting amount of vitamins does not always fully satisfy the body’s needs.

The body also needs minerals: macroelements and microelements. The daily requirement for macroelements (sodium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron) is measured in grams and even milligrams, and for microelements, which include copper, zinc, manganese, cobalt, molybdenum, chromium, nickel, iodine, fluorine, silicon, this need is tens and hundreds of times less.

Cocker spaniels are the cutest and fun-loving creatures who love active games and delicious food. Moreover, in the latter they are absolutely picky. This gives another reason to take the choice of diet more seriously, because an overfed cocker is a lazy, lethargic dog with poor health. Let's figure out what to feed your cocker spaniel and understand how to avoid overeating your pet.

Before you understand what to feed your cocker spaniel, you need to understand the types of feeding. All three types of feeding are suitable for feeding cockers - natural food, or you can combine the first two types and use mixed feeding. In our country there are adherents of all options, and the choice lies solely with the dog owner. But most often, preference is given to a more convenient method - feeding with industrial feed.

With a mixed type, ready-made wet, canned food and (or) natural food are added to the dry food diet. It is worth remembering that not everything that is useful for humans is vital for dogs.

What to look for when choosing a diet

In order for feeding to give positive results, the pet does not starve, but also does not overeat, several important factors must be taken into account:

• Pet size. This parameter varies quite a lot among cockers; for example, a Russian spaniel is significantly larger in size than a Japanese or toy spaniel. Therefore, the volume of food must correspond.
• Age of the dog. Puppies, especially during the period of active growth, require a lot of nutritious food, and in this case, abundant feeding will only be beneficial (provided that all the foods are “correct”). In older dogs, physical activity decreases, and therefore calorie consumption also decreases.
• Physical activity. A lot also depends on the load the pet receives. If a spaniel performs hunting duties or participates in sports competitions, then its activity requires a more high-calorie and nutritious diet than for its less active counterparts.
• Character traits. Although the majority of cockers are tireless runners and gamers who can independently entertain themselves, and even set up a playground in a small apartment, it is rare, but there are still lazy individuals for whom dozing all day is the best way to spend leisure time. For this category, the portion of food can be safely reduced by a quarter; this will not harm energy-saving dogs.
• Physical state. It is necessary to enrich the diet with protein products, as well as food containing large amounts of protein, in the postoperative period, as well as during recovery from illness, bearing and feeding offspring.
• Tendency to. Cockers, especially the decorative types, are prone to this condition. Therefore, all new products must be tested with very small amounts and then observed for the reaction. If the body reacts negatively - skin irritation, itching appears, the dog has excessive breathing, or has difficulty breathing - the irritating product should be strictly prohibited.

How many times a day should you feed a cocker spaniel?

Due to the gluttony of cockers, owners have to strictly monitor the portion size and strictly adhere to the feeding regime. A puppy is given an average of 4-5 tablespoons of food per meal, an adult dog consumes an average of 1.5-2.5 glasses.

According to age indicators, spaniels are fed as follows:

• For babies up to two months of age, five or six daily feedings are suitable.
• Puppies from 2 to 4 months old are given food at least 4 times a day.
• From 4 months to six months – from 3 to 4.
• Up to a year you can switch to two meals a day, but it is still acceptable to feed three times.
• Over a year old - 1-2 feedings daily, and some experts recommend one-time feeding as the most optimal for cockers.

The owner chooses the feeding time based on convenience, since the main thing in this matter is that the dog should receive food regularly at the same time.

Dry food for cocker spaniels

Today, feeding pets dry food is quite common, but what should cocker owners know about it? Industrial feed has a balanced composition, enriched with useful additives, but only if it is a high-quality product. For cockers, it is recommended to use premium and class brands, as well as special food for pets with food allergies.

Food for spaniels must be of high quality, contain everything necessary for the health of the pet, and not cause digestive disorders or allergies. To avoid choosing food on your own for a long time and without success by experimenting on an animal, you can consult on this issue with professional breeders of the breed.

Having found one that suits you, stick to it and stop; changing food can have a negative impact on the dog’s health. You must adhere to the age criteria.

Natural products for cockers

When choosing a diet for your spaniel, you can include the following foods:

• Meat. The basis of the menu of any dog, including cockers. Puppies are given at the rate of 50 g per kilogram of body weight; for an adult pet, 250-350 grams per day is enough. The meat is given without bones, exclusively boiled.
• Offal. No more than two or three times a week, you can replace one meat dish with carefully boiled offal - liver, heart, lungs. In this case, the serving size must be increased by a third.
• Milk products. Any dairy dish, even milk alone, is food; it cannot be replaced with water or given between meals. It should be borne in mind that whole milk can have a laxative effect on an adult pet. A cocker's diet must include cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir, and various cheeses. These are necessary components for normal digestion of a dog.
• Eggs. Should be in the diet, but in limited quantities. 1-2 per week is enough. It is recommended to give your pet an omelet or a soft-boiled egg.
• Bakery products and cereals. It is worth remembering that these products should not be the basis of the spaniel's diet. They are given only to diversify the menu. You can boil porridge with either water or milk; it is preferable to use rolled oats, buckwheat, and rice. You can add a little vegetable oil and vegetables to the porridge.
• Vegetables and fruits. The following vegetables are suitable for feeding a cocker: carrots, pumpkin, cucumbers, turnips, zucchini. It is better if they are raw, but you can also give them boiled. For better absorption, they must be crushed and seasoned with vegetable oil and sour cream. It’s a good idea to add chopped greens as an additional source of nutrients. Fruit can be given as a treat in small quantities as it contains a lot of sugar. You can pamper your pet with a slice of apple, melon, watermelon, several currants, strawberries, raspberries, cherries or cherries.
• Sometimes it doesn’t hurt to include rye grains in your diet. crackers, dried fruits.
• Can be given to your pet as a preventative anthelmintic chopped garlic, spreading it with butter on bread, or adding it to food. But no more than once a week and no more than one clove.

Prohibited Products

Fish is not a mandatory product for spaniels, but it is not forbidden to diversify the menu with boiled sea fish. Under no circumstances should you give your pet any raw fish with bones, and river fish is completely prohibited.

Bones are harmful for cockers; they can cause constipation, volvulus, and even cause damage to the tissues of internal organs. And, in addition, eating bones leads to wear of tooth enamel.

It is not recommended to include bread (especially white), pasta, sausages, pastries, legumes, potatoes, and sweets in your spaniel's menu. Cabbage can be included in the diet, but after heat treatment or in pickled form, but it is better to completely avoid broccoli.

It is important to understand that no matter what type of food the pet owner chooses, the main thing is that it is correct, balanced and healthy.