Meal times :: Beeches Veterinary Centre

Meal Times

We recommend a 'Complete' dry food:

Dry foods such as Royal Canin, have been specifically formulated to ensure the correct balance of nutrients, minerals and vitamins for your developing puppy and adult dog. The veterinary care nutrition range includes diets for small, medium, large and giant breeds.
Neutered dogs and cats need approximately 30% less kilo calories (Kcals)than pets that have not been spayed or castrated as a result of hormonal changes. If you simply reduce your pets food ration they are likely to be hungry - Royal Canin have recently introduced a range of Neutered Diets to enable you to feed the same quantity of food but there are fewer Kcals than in the un-neutered range.
Where a breed specific food can be given, this is ideal for your adult dog as the kibble shape, size and ingredients has been formulated to suit their breed.
Never leave empty food bowls on the floor as this can lead to guarding and could result in aggression if a human or other animal goes near the bowl.
Always have fresh water available

Puppy and adult food should always be measured out: measure the whole days food ration out and then divide this between the number of meals to be fed during the day.
Place the food in your dogs bowl and put this on the work surface or kitchen table where your puppy can see it. Then eat something in front of him so that he is effectively not fed until after you have eaten - in the wild the alpha male always eats first and it is important that puppies and dogs learn that you, along with all members of the family, are alpha to him.
Before putting the bowl on the floor remove a small handful so that while your puppy is eating, you can then add the remaining food to the bowl. This positive action makes your puppy learn that anyone touching their food is not a threat and should a child then put their hand in or near the bowl during meal times, your puppy will not react.
If your puppy / dog has not eaten his food within 15 minutes, remove the bowl and wait until the next meal before offering any more.

You want your puppy to learn to ignore you when you eat.
Never feed him at your meal times or just after you have eaten as he will learn to anticipate being fed and will sit beside you drooling!
Keep your puppy away from the table while you are eating so that he cannot pick up any bits of food that may fall on the floor, or be given to him by children! The reward of finding these 'scraps' will encourage begging.