It is mandatory that you feed your Labrador a healthy and well balanced diet. You can prepare your dogs meals yourself if you have the time and the desire. This type of food preparation is especially important if your dog is on a special diet.
In order to do this you have to have the correct ingredients to work with which is a combination of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and minerals. Your Lab has to have the essential combination of vitamins and trace elements in their food which can easily be found at your local pet store.
Good sources of protein that can be incorporated in your Lab’s diet are meats, fish, and cottage cheese. Make sure that the fish and meat are boneless. There should be a minimum of 25% protein to each meal. The diet should consist of 5% fat which can be added via wheat germ oil.
There should be a good deal of carbs in the Lab’s diet which can be found in corn, potatoes, rice, and noodles. The diet should consist of about 45% carbs. Your Lab’s diet should never consist of any table scraps or leftovers. Your Lab should also not get any bones because they are both constipating and dangerous since they can get lodged in your dog’s throat.
It is fine to add supplements to your Lab’s diet give cereal, fruits, or vegetables as these items do not disturb the intestinal tract. Dogs, like humans, are omnivores which mean that they require both meat and vegetables to ensure proper health.
Just like humans, dogs must be fed according to their age, size, shape, and lifestyle. An aging dog will have need of different levels of nutrition than a growing puppy would. It is essential to know what style of food to give your dog, as well as the kind of food to avoid. It is also imperative that you do not overfeed your Lab.
There are numerous kinds of dog food on the market today. Most of these foods contain the proper amount of nutrients that your Lab needs for a well-balanced diet. Food for your Lab comes in the form of semi-moist foods, dry foods, or canned foods. There are also many snacks and treats that you can give your Lab in between.
There are actually quite a few foods that your Lab would love to sink into but they will mess up his stomach and in some cases can be lethal. These things include raisins and grapes, some nuts, especially Macadamia Nuts and walnuts.
Onions and garlic are not good for your Lab at all and can make him very sick. Don’t feed him any dark meat turkey, and sugarless candy. People that feed their Labs the right way will find that their dogs are in better health and they will also save a lot of money on vet bills. Pet owners that do not know what the requirements for their Lab’s diet are need to do the research and find out as it could be a matter of life or death.
Tim Williams is a labrador retriever enthusiast. He owns and maintains Labrador Retriever Answers, a resource for all labrador retriever lovers and where you can find more great information on labrador retriever dog food and labs in general.
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