Being active, brave, intelligent, and mischievous are some of the main characteristics of a Terrier. This dog breed brings much delight to a home due to their cheerfulness, playful nature, independence, and because they are quite fearless.
To ensure your Terrier’s healthy lifestyle, it is imperative to choose the right food for your pet. Here are some tips to consider.
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Every Dog Is Unique
Due to the Terrier’s agile characteristics, choosing the right diet for them is necessary. Water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals are the essential nutrients that every dog needs in their diet. However, it is worthy to note that every dog is unique with a particular diet requirement depending on their age and health situation. Terrier mix dogs share the Terrier breed qualities, with some slight variations depending on their lineage or parents.
For instance, the american bully, being a mix between the Pitbull Terrier and other similar dog breeds, are muscular and strong. When selecting the food appropriate for this breed, one must consider the amount of protein and fat in the dog kibble. Age is another consideration as there are types of food specially formulated for puppies and senior dogs. Furthermore, size and other health conditions, such as allergies, should be considered.
Quality Of Food
Quality ingredients in dog food are usually indicated by being all-natural with specific listings of its meat sources such as buffalo or chicken. It is also grain-free with a holistic assortment of nutritious ingredients. The product name also tells a lot about the content of the dog food. The 95% rule by AFFCO implies that the named ingredient in the product name must comprise 95%, not including the water and other flavorings, or 70% if these components are included.
Energy Requirement
There is no standard formula to determine the energy requirement of dogs. Generally, more relaxed dogs are said to require low energy, and more agile breeds, such as the Terrier, have higher requirements. Thus, their food intake must be more calorific to prevent them from eating in massive quantities. It is advised to review the calorie content of the dog food, or you may choose sport dog food if your Terrier is active.
An example would be the German Hunting Terrier and the Airedale-Terrier, which are classified as working dogs and service dogs. These Terrier breeds require a high level of energy for the accomplishment of their work.
Breed Size
You may also want to evaluate the breed size when deciding for the food to give your Terrier. As Terriers may range from small to large, you may use some dog food guides that are categorized by breed and size. Smaller breeds have faster metabolic rates; thus, their food has more fatty nutrients. Medium-sized dog foods should be nutrient-dense as compared to those for larger breeds due to their stomach size. While larger breeds require more intensive nutrients in their kibble.
Other factors you may consider in selecting the food for your Terrier is their liking and their reaction. While some enjoy dry kibble, your pup may want the wet variety. Just be wary that canned dog food can cause dental problems as compared to dry food. You may also want to observe how your dog defecates how easily your dog digests the food. Nevertheless, the most critical factor in choosing their food is quality and nutritional content, and remember to have your dog’s best interest in mind.
If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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