Purchasing a puppy is accompanied by a number of decisions concerning its contents. The first question always remains, what kind of food for dogs of large breeds to choose, because this is the most important condition for growth and development. For a large breed dog, it is not so much the quantity of food eaten that is important as its quality and composition.
How to choose food for large dogs?
If your four-legged friend refers to representatives of large or giant breeds, the funds for his meals will be left systematically. Quality dry food for large dogs does not just satisfy the hunger of the animal, it promotes active and proper growth of the body, which has its own developmental features:
- The dog of a large breed never appetites for appetite, however its metabolism is slow. As a result, the danger of obesity remains the main problem of the breeder, you need to look not only for a quality composition, but also for a product with a low calorie content.
- Low calorie is good for the gastrointestinal tract of an animal, but it needs to be nourished. To solve this issue, it is worth paying attention to the food for dogs of large breeds of super premium class : they offer croquettes, which the dog has to crack with different intensity due to different sizes, this will slow down the absorption process.
- We must not forget about the composition of the feed. For each category, its percentage of meat is assigned, it can be a turkey, lamb or offal. From carbohydrates are allowed rice and wheat with oats, there is corn.
Forage for adult dogs of large breeds
If the dog has no problems with digestion, is not sterilized and has no allergies, it is permissible to choose the optimal solution among premium-class feeds. In the composition you will find a classic list of ingredients:
- meat of chicken, turkey or lamb;
- carbohydrates;
- offal.
If you take super premium foods, the list on the package will contain additional items with useful additives like vitamins, useful acids for healthy wool, you can find supplements of rosemary or green tea to improve digestibility. A good dry dog food for large breeds helps the breeder grow a healthy animal if added to the alfalfa: it has a beneficial effect on digestion, which is a problem for large breeds.
Forage for old dogs of large breeds
With age, problems with digestion and metabolism add to the difficulties with joints, bones, problems with pressure and heart. Without a proper diet, the pet automatically falls into the risk group. Dry food for large elderly dogs has the following features:
- Qualitative balanced formulations provide the animal with the necessary amount of fats, protein and carbohydrates without the danger of gaining weight.
- Large breeds weigh a lot, and with age bones it becomes increasingly difficult to carry this weight. The tissues gradually wear out, and the dog becomes inactive, so the minimum weight set for the body is a real test. This is taken into account by feed manufacturers and develops a special diet.
- A lot of problems arise with the teeth, so the size and hardness of the pellets of the feed will be important.
Forage for neutered dogs of large breeds
If the aging process begins gradually, then after sterilization or castration of the animal, the breeder should act immediately. After such a procedure, the hormonal background changes, for males this problem is especially urgent. However, this does not mean a radical change in the diet, often enough to reduce the portion of the standard feed or the transition to a specialized dog food for large breeds.
In the diet for large premium dogs is about 30% of fresh meat and 30% dehydrated, the rest is carbohydrates and animal protein in the form of whole eggs. From carbohydrates, high-quality fodder includes green peas with lentils, medicinal herbs and vegetables are often found. For feeds with an average price category, the formula is somewhat different, instead of meat, dehydrated proteins of animal origin are added, corn and wheat can be found. This should be taken into account if the dog has an allergy to such ingredients.
Forage for sterilized dogs of large breeds
Sterilized bitches are less prone to obesity after surgery, as their hormonal background does not change so dramatically. But even here it is advisable to go on a diet and pay attention to dry food for large premium dogs:
- instead of meat, poultry meal may be present, one of the first to indicate soy flour or pea bran meal;
- in such a feed, the most part are vegetable ingredients, including the same corn and wheat;
- on the shelves of shops there is a discrepancy between the price and quality of feed for dogs of large breeds, therefore breeders are recommended to watch the composition, and only then to compare the well-known brands.
Feed for pregnant dogs of large breeds
Most manufacturers offer feed suitable for a pregnant dog in the last third of pregnancy and for puppies up to two months. The composition is calculated for the lactation period. Premium feed for dogs of large breeds helps the animal at all stages:
- after the birth, the dog needs strengths for feeding, the composition of the dog food for large breeds satisfies this need, at the lactation stage and during the weaning of the puppies from the mother, a safe transition from milk to granules is ensured;
- feeding a dog is important to provide the right amount of nutrients, which should be enough for the feeding of puppies;
- due to the feeding of the mother and the offspring with one feed, the transition will be safe for digestion of the kids;
- soften the pellets of food and cook porridge, and then gradually translate into solid food - a simple and safe strategy.
Hypoallergenic food for large dogs
In addition to meat or its substitutes, the composition necessarily includes additives that promote the improvement of taste qualities. The problem is that the dog does not always take these beneficial supplements. Hypoallergenic product or food holistic for large dogs differs from the standard:
- Not all meat ingredients are safe for digestion of the dog. In the composition of specialized products instead of traditional game indicated rabbit, pike perch, salmon or horse meat.
- Instead of cereals, add vegetables and rice. In such feed there are no eggs, food colors or chemical additives, you will not find tropical components. They will be replaced by herbs, vitamins and fatty acids.
- In the issue of choosing the brand will have to thoroughly study the composition, because the promoted brands of the premium class do not always completely exclude those or other potentially dangerous ingredients. On the other hand - food can be safe, but do not have in the composition of the necessary substances for adequate nutrition.
Feed for puppies of large breeds
A full-grown puppy of a large breed is possible if in the feed there will be about 30% of animal fat, a day it needs about 450 calories. In order not only to feed, but to fill the growing body with all the necessary substances, the food composition should be qualitative:
- Canadian super perfume companies use the meat of Cobb chickens grown for this purpose as the main ingredient, the meat of ocean fish is added to poultry meat;
- followed by vegetables with fruits, oats for better digestibility;
- from useful additives in puppy food include alfalfa, green tea, rosemary extract - all this helps the young body to develop harmoniously, it establishes digestion processes;
- premium food for dogs of large breeds instead of pure meat additives may contain animal fat and byproducts, sometimes sheep and egg powder are found.
Best dog food for large breeds
Disputes regarding the attribution of a particular food to a certain class are kept constantly. One source is called a premium product or a super premium, at the same time there is a concept of an improved premium class. Regarding the question, what is the best food for dogs of large breeds, the breeders have their own definition:
- premium products are not the best option for the pet, but against the background of the economy class, the composition is significantly richer (there are more animal fats, but they are still by-products and wastes);
- super premium dog food for large breeds boasts a natural meat content, but it still has a small percentage of components that the dog's body does not digest until the end;
- class holistic consists of products, where only natural and fully digestible components, and meat at least 50%.
Feed "Brit" for dogs of large breeds
This brand appeared on the shelves of stores in mass sale relatively recently, but many have already managed to evaluate the ratio of price and quality. The Czech product has two Care and Premium lines. The second option belongs to the premium class and is quite satisfactory for most breeders. In the Care line, there are full feeds and non-grain. It is classified as an improved premium class or super premium. In the line there is a feed "Brit" for older dogs of large breeds, the composition does not allow to gain excess weight.
Forage "Hills" for dogs of large breeds
If you look at the feed rating for large dogs, this product will be on the list of premium feeds. Produced in the Netherlands and the USA. If the dog does not have food allergies and its organism develops normally on the products of this brand, there will be no problems. However, the breeders call proposals for allergenic dogs a safe stretch. The products are designed to maintain the musculature and skeleton of the pet in good condition.
The "Akana" for large dogs
The Canadian product belongs to the holistic class. In it you will find the meat of the Cobb's chickens, ocean fish and natural ingredients. According to breeders, the "Akana" food for dogs of large breeds from the Canadian producer has only one drawback - a noticeably high price. Therefore, products for pregnant and lactating dogs, as well as feed for puppies, were in high demand, because they do not risk saving on offspring.
"Eucanuba" food for large dogs
The product is classified as super premium. Produce it in the US, the Netherlands and Russia. According to the breeders, the food is good, but among the order of fifty proposals, one always needs to look for the optimal solution. There are separate feeds for specific breeds, if food is the size of a dog. Whatever kind of food for dogs of large breeds from all the offers of "Eucanuba" you did not choose, read the composition. Not every recipe has natural meat, sometimes it is replaced with dehydrated analogs or simply indicate animal fats and proteins.
Food for large dogs "Royal Canin"
In pet stores, products from this brand are positioned as the best dry food for large dogs, but in fact they belong to the premium class. Produced in Russia, Poland and France, so the composition may be slightly different. The opinion of these products among breeders is similar to the opinion of the "Hills": if the animal develops normally and transfers all ingredients from the composition, you can feed without fear.