Many owners include large breed dog food in their daily diet. However, not all canned foods are equally useful: you must select foods according to the needs of the body of large animals.
The nuances of feeding large breed dogs
Like dry and wet foods for large dogs, they must be suitable for the animal’s health. The owner must take into account that:
- The metabolism of large dogs is slower than that of small and medium dogs. The animal needs a low-calorie diet – based on dietary meats, for example, turkey, beef, lean lamb. It is undesirable to choose canned food for large dogs with a lot of carbohydrates – wheat, corn, barley, oats. They provoke a set of excess weight, creating an excessive load on the musculoskeletal system.
- Foams and pastes are not suitable for large animals for constant feeding. The dog swallows such food and does not chew it – as a result, the normal process of digestion is disturbed. Such foods do not train the jaw muscles and do not contribute to the natural cleaning of plaque. Mousses can only be used as a treat. If you choose canned large breed dog food for regular meals, it should consist of cuts of meat, possibly vegetables. To prevent diseases of the joints and ligaments, the diet should be enriched with natural chondroprotectors. Chondroitin and glucosamine are found in poultry (turkey), beef.
- Large dogs are prone to heart problems. The pet’s diet should contain enough iron, so several times a week it is worth offering the dog rations with liver.
- When compiling the menu, you must take into account the power standards specified by the manufacturer. Overeating is fraught with diseases of the joints and ligaments, the cardiovascular system.
What should not be in food
Before buying a canned dog menu, make sure it does not include:
- Cheap vegetable protein sources (soya, legumes) – are not absorbed by the body, cause digestive problems, do not contain all the necessary amino acids;
- Corn and wheat gluten – can lead to diabetes, often causes allergies;
- Milk and dairy products – large breed dogs are harmful for excessive amounts of calcium;
- Preservatives, flavorings, flavor enhancers, aromatic additives – have a toxic effect on the body.
Practical shows: the simpler and more concise the composition, the more natural and beneficial it is for the dog. If carbohydrates are listed first on the label, the percentage of components is not indicated, specific sources of protein are not written, it is better to refuse such canned foods.
The correct composition of canned food for large dogs
Good food contains the following ingredients:
- More than 50% meat components – fresh or dehydrated turkey, lamb, beef;
- Sometimes meat supplements 20 to 25% of offal – heart, liver;
- Vegetables (zucchini, pumpkin, carrots, broccoli) allowed for dogs are added to certain foods – to saturate the body with vitamins, minerals and prevent stool problems.