Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

Medical Conditions And Diet For Your Dalmatian

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When feeding your Dalmatian, it is important to keep in mind that dietary choices can affect the development of orthopedic diseases such as hip dysplasia and osteochondrosis.  When feeding a puppy at risk, avoid high-calorie diets and try to feed him several times a day.  Sudden growth spurts are to be avoided because they result in joint instability.  Recent research has also suggested that the electrolyte balance of the diet may also play a role in the development of hip dysplasia.  Rations that had more balance between the positively and negatively charged elements in the diet were less likely to promote hip dysplasia in susceptible dogs.

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Dog Food Secrets You Need To Know!

“In This Shocking FREE Video Report You Discover Why 87% of Dogs Die Too Early & 3 Easy Things You Can Do Today To Stop It Happening to Your Dog”

Dog Food Secrets

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Avoid supplements of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D because they can interfere with normal bone and cartilage development.  The fact is that calcium levels in the body are carefully regulated by hormones as well as vitamin D. Supplementation disturbs this normal regulation and can cause many problems. It has also been shown that calcium supplementation can interfere with the proper absorption of zinc from the intestines.

Diet cannot prevent bloat but changing feeding habits can make a difference.  Initially, the bloat occurs when the stomach becomes distended with swallowed air.  This air is swallowed as a consequence of gulping food or water, stress and exercising too close to mealtime. This is where dog owners can make a difference.  Divide meals and feed them three times daily rather than all at once.  Soak dry dog food in water before feeding to decrease the tendency to gulp the food.  If you want to feed dry food only, add some large clean chew toys to the feed bowl so that the dog has to “pick” to get at the food and cannot gulp it.  Putting the food bowl on a step-stool so that your Dalmatian does not have to stretch to get the food may also be helpful.  Finally, do not allow your Dalmatian any exercise for at least one hour before and after feeding.

Fat supplements are probably the most common supplements purchased from pet supply stores.  They frequently promise to add luster, gloss, and sheen to the coat, and consequently make dogs look healthy.  The only fatty acid that is essential for this purpose is cislinoleic acid, which is found in flaxseed oil, sunflower seed oil, and safflower oil.  Corn oil is a suitable but less effective alternative.  Most of the other oils found in retail supplements are high in saturated and monounsaturated fats and are not beneficial for shiny fur or healthy skin.  For a Dalmatian with allergies, arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and some heart ailments, other fatty acids may be prescribed by a vet.

Setting Good Eating Habits

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A dog’s eating habits are controlled by three things: its brain, its experiences, and its environment. The very first experiment in behavioral psychology was done by a scientist named Pavlov who taught dogs to get ready to eat when they heard a certain sound. Since that initial experiment, scientists have observed over and over how important the things happening around, and to, a dog are when it comes to affecting the dog’s eating habits.

Once, when dogs were wild, most of their daily activity was devoted to obtaining a meal. While the need for this activity has practically disappeared, mealtime still constitutes one of the most important events in a dog’s life. And, many of a dog’s behavioral responses are still linked to its eating routine.

Today’s dogs have become creatures of habit. They thrive on monotony and are most comfortable when things remain the same. Few dogs appreciate a sudden change in their sleeping quarters or the surprise of a new food in their bowl. The more that can be done to prevent change in a dog’s feeding program, the better it will be for both the dog and its owner. Regularity in feeding promotes good appetite, good digestion and regular eliminations. Therefore, the first general consideration to be made when feeding any dog should be the establishment of a regular feeding schedule and should stay that way without being altered.

Puppies have conventionally been fed small portions of their daily diet at frequent intervals during the day. The rationalization behind this is sound, but the frequency of feedings often is too high. Even newborn puppies do quite well when fed only four times daily. Some breeders even reduce this to three times daily, but unless your schedule absolutely prohibits it, a minimum of four feedings should be the limit. The feedings need not be separated exactly six hours apart, but it is desirable to space the feedings as evenly as possible throughout the 24-hour time period. For example, my own schedule usually works out best when I feed around 7:00 A.M., 12:00 Noon, 6:00 P.M., and 1:00 P.M. Yours may be different.

The frequency of feedings should not be reduced to three a day until the puppies are weaned. Whether you are feeding newborn puppies four times daily, or older puppies three times, once the pattern of feedings has been set, it should not be changed, but should occur at the same time every day.

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