The kindest way to feed your dog
Written by Zoe Russell, BSc (Hons)
Nutrition Officer, Skinner’s
It’s no wonder we are a dog-loving nation, as many of us know the joy and happiness that our four-legged friend bring into our lives. Therefore, it’s important we treat them with the care and kindness they deserve, to ensure they live happy and healthy lives. To celebrate World Kindness Day, we’re bringing you some helpful tips and advice to keep your dog feeling at their best.
Managing mealtimes
Designated mealtimes can be a great way of setting a daily routine for your dog. In general, we suggest feeding 2 meals per day for dogs aged six months and over, which for most owners means a breakfast and a dinner. This can help support the digestibility of the meal by providing two more managed portions and can help keep your dog fuelled throughout the day. However, for those hard-working dogs, owners may choose to feed a small snack at lunch time to help fuel their dog for the afternoon, support their recovery and help maintain blood glucose levels. This may be a handful of their normal food, or a handful of our delicious Field & Trial Muesli Mix.
Muesli Mix
An appetising mix of tastes and textures.
£8.10 – £28.49
Measuring and monitoring
To help your dog keep in good shape, we would suggest regularly weighing them and assessing their body condition to allow you to keep track of any changes and adjust their feed intake accordingly. If you are unsure of how much your dog should weigh, then your vet should be more than happy to weigh them and help advise you. Not only is it important to regularly weigh your dog, but it’s also important to weigh their daily meals to ensure you are not over-feeding, or under-feeding them!
Treats and titbits
Although it may be tempting to give your dog a scrap off your dinner plate or an extra biscuit at lunch time, it’s important to not let them over-indulge on treats and titbits. Too many treats can contribute towards unwanted weight gain and may risk over-shooting the nutritional balance of their diet. At Skinner’s, all of our foods are balanced and complete, meaning they provide all the nutrients a dog needs without requiring additional supplementation. However, if you are giving your dog training treats or other foods, then we wouldn’t suggest substituting any more than 10% of their kibble with other foods.
Health and happiness
It’s important that if you ever have any concerns about your dog’s health, then you must speak to your vet in the first instance to get your dog the right care. Where your vet has made a diagnosis of a condition, our team are more than happy to offer nutritional support and guidance in-line with your vet’s advice. If you need any support, please contact our team at nutritionsupport@skinners.co.uk.
