How to feed a cocker spaniel

Cocker spaniels are the sweetest creatures and merry ones who love active games and have a tasty meal. And in the latter, they are absolutely picky. This gives an extra reason to take more seriously the choice of diet, because overfed Cocker is a lazy, sluggish dog with a problem health. We will understand what to feed a Cocker Spaniel and understand how to avoid overeating a pet.

Types of Cocker Spaniel Feeding

Before you understand how to feed a Cocker Spaniel, you need to understand the types of feeding. All three types of feeding are suitable for feeding Cockers - dry food , natural food, or you can combine the first two types and use mixed feeding. In our country, there are adherents of all options, and the choice rests solely with the owner of the dog. But more often, preference is given to a more convenient way - feeding industrial feed.

In the case of a mixed type, ready-made wet, canned food and (or) natural food are added to the ration of dry food. It is worth remembering that not all that is useful to a person is vital for dogs.

What to focus on when choosing a diet

In order for the feeding to give positive results, the pet did not starve, but did not overeat too, it is necessary to take into account several important factors:

Pet size. This parameter is quite different from Cockers, for example, the Russian Spaniel is much larger than the Japanese, or Toy Spaniel. Therefore, the amount of food must match.
The age of the dog. Puppies, especially during the period of active growth, require a lot of nutritious food, and in this case, abundant feeding will only benefit (provided that all products are “correct”). In older dogs, physical activity decreases, and hence calorie intake, too.
Physical activity. Much also depends on the load that a pet receives. If a spaniel performs hunting duties, or participates in sports competitions, then its activity requires a more high-calorie and nutritious diet than for residential, less active fellows.
Character traits. Although most of the Cockers are tireless runners and igruns who can entertain themselves, and even arrange a playground in a small apartment, it is rare, but there are still individuals with laziness, for whom nap all day is the best leisure time. For this category, the portion of food can be safely reduced by a quarter, it does not hurt energy-saving dogs.
The physical state. Enrich the diet with protein foods, as well as food containing large amounts of trace elements and vitamins , it is necessary in the postoperative period, as well as during recovery after illness, gestation and rearing of offspring.
Tendency to allergies . Cockers, especially their decorative species, have a tendency to this condition. Therefore, all new products must be tested, giving a very small amount, and then observe the reaction. If the body has reacted negatively - skin irritation, itching has appeared, the dog has tears flowing abundantly, or breathing gets off - the irritating product should be strictly prohibited.

How many times a day you need to feed a Cocker Spaniel

Because of the gluttony of the Cockers, the owners have to strictly monitor the serving size and strictly adhere to the feeding regime. The puppy is given an average of 4-5 tablespoons of food for one reception, an adult dog uses an average of 1.5-2.5 cups.

According to age, spaniels are fed as follows:

Five-, six-fold daily feeding is suitable for babies up to the age of two months.
Puppies from 2 to 4 months old eat at least 4 times a day.
From 4 months to six months - from 3 to 4.
Up to a year you can go on two meals, but it is still possible to feed three times.
Older than a year - 1-2 feedings daily, and some experts recommend one-time feeding, as the most optimal for Cockers.

The owner chooses the time of feeding on the basis of convenience, since the main thing in this business is that the dog should receive food regularly at the same time.

Dry food for cocker spaniels

Today, feeding pets with dry food is fairly common, but what do Cocker owners need to know about it? Industrial feeds have a balanced composition, are enriched with useful additives, but only if it is a quality product. For Cockers, it is recommended to use premium and super premium brands, as well as special pet food with food allergies.

Food for spaniels must be of high quality, contain everything necessary for the health of the pet, not cause digestive disorders and allergies. In order not to pick up feed by experimenting on an animal for a long time without success, you can consult on this issue with professional breed breeders.

Finding a suitable, it is worth it and stop, changing the feed can adversely affect the health of the dog. Be sure to adhere to the age criterion.

Natural Products for Cockers

Selecting a diet for the spaniel, you can include the following products:

Meat. The basis of the menu of any dog, including cockers. Puppies are given at the rate of 50 g per one kilogram of body weight, for an adult pet 250-350 grams per day is enough. The meat is boneless, exclusively boiled.
Offal. No more than two or three times a week, you can replace one meat dish with carefully cooked offal - liver, heart, lungs. The portion size in this case must be increased by one third.
Milk products. Any dairy dish, even one milk is food, you cannot replace water with it or give it between meals. It should be borne in mind that whole milk can have a laxative effect on an adult pet. In the diet of the cocker must be present cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir, various cheeses. These are essential components for normal dog digestion.
Eggs Should be in the diet, but in limited quantities. It is quite enough 1-2 of a week. It is recommended to give your pet in the form of an omelet or boiled soft-boiled egg.
Baked goods and cereals. It is worth remembering that these products should not be the basis of food spaniel. They are given only for a variety of menus. Boil porridge can be both on the water and milk, it is preferable to use oatmeal flakes, buckwheat, rice. In porridge, you can add a little vegetable oil and vegetables.
Vegetables and fruits. The following vegetables are suitable for feeding Cocker: carrots, pumpkin, cucumbers, turnips, zucchini. It is better if they are raw, but boiled can be given. For better assimilation, they must be crushed and filled with vegetable oil, sour cream. Not bad add chopped greens, as an additional source of nutrients. Fruits can be given as a delicacy in small quantities, as they contain a lot of sugar. You can pamper a pet with a slice of apple, melon, watermelon, several berries of currants, strawberries, raspberries, cherries or cherries.
Sometimes it will not be superfluous to include rye crackers, dried fruits in the diet.
As a prophylactic anthelmintic agent, you can give chopped garlic to your pet, spread it with butter on bread, or add it to food. But no more than once a week and no more than one clove.

Prohibited Products

Fish is not an obligatory product for spaniels, but it is not forbidden to diversify the menu of boiled sea fish. In no case can not give your pet any fish with bones in its raw form, and the river is completely banned.

Cocker bones are harmful, they can provoke constipation, twisting intestines, and even cause damage to the tissues of internal organs. And, in addition, the use of bones leads to the grinding of tooth enamel.

It is not recommended to include bread (especially white), pasta, sausages, pastries, legumes, potatoes, sweets in the spaniel menu. Cabbage is allowed to enter into the diet, but after heat treatment or in fermented form, but broccoli should be completely abandoned.

It is important to understand that no matter what type of food the pet owner chooses, the main thing is that it is correct, balanced and healthy.