Keep your dog healthy

Healthy Diet
Our dogs are dependent on a balanced diet, which is appropriate for their breed to maintain a good state of health and life expectancy.
To determine what is appropriate for our dogs, we must look at their ancestors, the wolves. They are not purely carnivores as in addition to their prey such as rabbits, hares and deer, they eat fruit, berries, foliage, grass, insects and even the faeces of herbivores. As a result, they obtain all nutrients essential for life: proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and roughage.
As our dogs do not (cannot and may not) hunt for themselves anymore, we humans carry the responsibility for their diet. If you follow our tips, you will create the best conditions for your dog to live a long and healthy life.
Natural Food: Dog foods manufactured around the world have taken on the task of developing the best possible combination of food for our dogs.
If you choose a natural product without chemicals such as artificial preservatives, colouring or aromas, you cannot go wrong with your dog’s diet.
Should you decide to give your dog dry food? There must always be sufficient fresh water for him to drink to prevent kidney damage.
Correct and age-related diet: A puppy needs his food in a different combination of meat and vegetable matter to an adult or older dog. Dog food manufacturers supply the best food for every age of dogs. You will see how often your dog should be fed in the table below.
Above all, during the growing phases of a dog and when he is old, you should give him additional vitamins.
If your dog belongs to a larger breed, please take care to keep him slim during his youth! Overweight animals often have problems in their joints when they are aged between three to eight months.
Seven rules for feeding your dog

1. An adult dog should be fed twice a day.
2. Feed the dog only after his walk. Dogs like to rest after eating. If large dogs romp around after eating, there is a risk of bloating (gastric torsion)!
3. If possible, always feed your dog at the same fixed time each day.
4. His food should always be in the same place.
5. Ensure that the dog’s food has not come straight out of the refrigerator. Food that is too cold can cause the dog to have stomach problems, such as vomiting.
6. Wash up the dog’s bowl with hot water after each meal.
7. Always make sure that your dog has some fresh water.

Along with food, it is also very essential to take care of a dog’s exercise needs. A dog needs his walks and chance to sniff. The big advantage of flexi is that the dog runs up to three times more than the human while using flexi.
(This article is contributed by Flexi-Bogdahn International GmbH & Co KG, Germany)
Correct diet according to the age groups of dogs