What Do You Really Know About Dog Food?

Unlike us, our canine pals don't need variety. They're fine eating the same thing all the time.

Once you find a food that works well for your dog, stick with it. Changing types or brands of food can make your dog sick.

If you do need to change their food, do it slowly over a few days. Give your dog a bit more of the new food and a bit less of the old food each day.

If your pooch gets a food allergy, it's probably not because you changed their diet. Dogs can become allergic to proteins in foods they've been eating for a long time that have:

• Beef
• Chicken
• Wheat
• Eggs
• Dairy
• Soy

Some dogs with food allergies scratch or lick themselves a lot, vomit, or get runny poop. They may lose hair on the belly, back, or tail, too. Some can get ear infections.

Feed your dog at the same time every day. Don't leave a bowl of food for them out all the time. Offer the food, give them 15 or 20 minutes to eat it, and then take the bowl away until the next feeding time.

Dogs that can get to their food all day can get finicky or have weight problems.

There's another advantage to a regular feeding schedule. It can help you predict when your dog needs to go outside. They usually poop about a half-hour after eating.

Most adult dogs should be fed twice a day, but puppies younger than 6 months need three or four meals a day.

Puppies grow fast. They need more calories and nutrients than adult dogs, but their stomachs can't handle a lot. So they need to be fed more often.

Puppies older than 6 months should be fed two or three times a day.

It's OK for your dog to be a vegetarian, but it's not an easy trick to pull off.

If you want to do it, you should work with a veterinary nutritionist to come up with a diet plan that covers all of your pooch's nutritional needs. Most folks who try to do it on their own don't take into account the fact that Fido needs different things than you do to stay healthy.

Talk with your vet about whether a vegetarian or vegan diet is the right choice for your dog.

Both can provide a complete and balanced diet. Both have the same nutritional value. Which is better depends on you and your dog. The dry kind doesn't need refrigeration, and it's usually more affordable. The wet kind can be easier for your dog to eat, and it may be a bit fresher. Talk with your vet if you need help deciding.

It can be hard to know which food is best for your dog, but watch how they act and look. Your dog needs the right amount of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water to stay well.

Fidos are probably getting what they need if their skin and coat look good, their stools are firm and brown, and they have the right energy for their age and breed. However, they still may not be getting food that is nutritious enough for their age and breed. Check the packaging of your dog food for the nutritional adequacy statement.

Eating a little cat food probably won't harm your dog. But it's best to keep your dog away from chow that isn't theirs. Some dogs may vomit or get diarrhea if they eat cat food.

Dogs and cats have different nutrition needs. Cat food is higher in fat, protein, and other nutrients. So don't feed cat food to dogs or dog food to cats.