What and how to feed a Labrador?

Labradors are beautiful and hardy dogs with good health. However, like other pedigree animals, Labradors have a predisposition to certain diseases. A well-composed diet plays a huge role in the prevention of diseases in dogs of this breed. It is worth considering how to feed Labradors, what diet should be in adult dogs, and what should be in puppies, what can and cannot be fed to Labradors.

From birth to 4 weeks of age, Labrador puppies should be fed breast milk. It contains all the nutrients and nutrients that babies need for the full growth and development of puppies. If for some reason the puppies cannot receive breast milk (for example, if they were weaned early from their mother or the bitch lost her lactation after giving birth), then you can feed the babies with the help of special mixtures. For artificial feeding, it is best to use products from well-known brands. In modern pet stores, you can find dry balanced mixtures and cereals for puppies aged 0+ from such well-known manufacturers as: Royal Canin, Hartz, Happy Dog, Bosch, Beaphar, Canina Welpenbrei.

At the age of 3-4 weeks, babies are already beginning to have teeth, which makes it possible to introduce the first complementary foods into their diet. Experienced dog breeders recommend using "scraped meat" - scraped meat (only lean veal or beef) as complementary foods. From the age of 4 weeks in the diet of puppies, it is allowed to introduce another type of complementary foods in the form of low-fat cottage cheese.When the digestive system of babies adapts to proteins of animal origin, it is allowed to introduce sources of plant protein into their menu.

After the puppies are 1–2 months old, the frequency of their feeding should be 5 to 7 times a day. The recommended daily amount of food can vary from 300 to 350 grams. At the age of 2 months, puppies begin to gradually lose interest in their mother's milk. During this period, their menu should be slightly diversified. It is recommended to introduce lean types of meat (poultry, rabbit meat, veal), porridge (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal) into the diet of two-month-old babies.

When Labrador puppies are 3 months old, it is allowed to gradually introduce white sea fish into their diet. Most preferred in this case are fish species such as halibut, hake, pollock. It is necessary to introduce fish into the menu of three-month-old babies very carefully, in very small quantities. At the first sign of an allergy or a stool disorder, the problem food should be permanently eliminated from the puppy's diet. The diet of three- and four-month-old puppies provides for 4-5 meals a day. The recommended daily food intake is about 400 grams.

From five months of age to one year old, small Labradors should be fed three times a day. Each puppy should consume about 500 grams of food per day, divided into breakfast, lunch and dinner. The daily menu of young dogs should include such basic foods as:

• lean meats;
• fermented milk products (cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt);
• boiled vegetables;
• porridge (preferably buckwheat and rice).

In addition, the owner of growing Labradors should take into account that as they grow up, puppies will require additional sources of micro and macro elements. They use fish oil, bone meal, brewer's yeast, crushed egg shells.

To do this, reduce the amount of carbohydrate sources (porridge) in the daily menu and increase the amount of protein foods and foods containing fiber (vegetables). Twice a week it is allowed to treat the dog with 1 boiled chicken egg and a portion of cottage cheese. It is recommended to follow such a menu until the puppies are 1–1.5 years old.

When Labradors are one year old, they need to be switched to an adult diet. This involves eating twice a day (morning and evening) and increasing the amount of daily servings. At the same time, in the course of adjusting the diet, it is important to take into account the individual characteristics of the dogs, their health, the amount of daily physical activity, the physique and the level of development.

A characteristic feature of all Labradors is their excellent appetite and the resulting tendency to gluttony. If you constantly pamper your pet with high-calorie delicacies, feed abundantly and do not pay enough attention to its physical activity, very soon the dog will become overweight. Then, as the body weight increases, concomitant problems can join the obesity of the animal - diseases of the joints and spine, disruption of the functional systems of the body (endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, urinary). Every day a Labrador retriever should receive about 1-1.3 kilograms of food, divided into morning and evening meals. In this case, the proportional ratio between the sources of proteins, complex carbohydrates and fats (vegetable and animal) should be 50: 30: 20, respectively.

Every day, the dog should consume about 450 grams of meat, 300 grams of porridge and 200 grams of vegetables. It is preferable that the animal's menu contains not only meat, but also other sources of protein, for example, cottage cheese or fish.And also it should be borne in mind that Labradors need additional sources of micro- and macroelements. As them, you can use various dietary supplements, complexes of vitamins and minerals for large dogs. Pets of mature and old age should be regularly given chondroprotectors - veterinary drugs that prevent diseases of the joints and the musculoskeletal system ("Hyalutidin", "Straight Plus").

Once every 5-7 days, it is allowed to give the dog lean sea fish instead of meat. It is fed boiled, cut into pieces and deboned. The sizes of daily portions should be carefully monitored and modified (reduced or increased), taking into account the physical activity and activity of the animal. If the dog does not move much, rarely walks and spends most of the time at rest, the portion sizes are slightly trimmed. For example, they do this in winter, when the Labrador does not walk most of the time in the day, but sits at home.

It is undesirable to break the usual feeding regime. Visually, the animal should not look fat or skinny. A healthy dog ​​has a strong and dense build, its coat is shiny and shiny. Dull and shedding hair indicates that the animal does not receive enough vitamins and microelements.

In planning a dog's diet, the health of the pet is also important. Weakened, sick and pregnant dogs are fed more often and more, observing a balance in the menu between sources of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Additionally, such individuals are also given special supplements to promote health. For more information on these supplements, contact your supervising veterinarian.

For dogs of all breeds, there are 3 main dietary patterns.

• Natural food ("natural"). Natural food includes a list of permitted foods that are boiled, steamed, or served raw. The animal's diet and menu in this case is planned and compiled by the owner. Many breeders adhere to this particular type, although such feeding is considered rather difficult and labor intensive.
• Dry and wet industrial feed. Dry and wet prepared food are industrial products and are sold in all pet stores. Such feeds are balanced, containing the entire spectrum of vitamins and microelements necessary for a dog. In modern sales you can find ready-made food for dogs of different breeds and ages, different constitutions, health conditions and other individual characteristics.
• Mixed type. A mixed or combined type of nutrition provides for feeding the dog with ready-made feeds with periodic introduction of natural products in the menu. This type of food is usually followed by professional breeders, dog clubs and kennels.

When planning to feed the dog with natural food, the owner must know exactly what foods are acceptable in the diet. It is strongly discouraged to deviate from this list.

The following natural foods are allowed in the diet of a Labrador retriever:

• lean meat (veal, beef, lean pork, chicken, rabbit, turkey, lean lamb, horse meat);
• offal (lungs, scar, liver, kidneys, heart, tongue);
• chicken and quail eggs;
• vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, turnips, zucchini, cauliflower, potatoes);
• fruits (apples, pears, bananas);
• fermented milk products (cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, kefir, sour cream, natural yogurt without additives and dyes);
• vegetable oils (sunflower, linseed, olive);
• sea ​​white fish;
• cereals (buckwheat, oats, rice).

When planning a dog's diet from natural products, the pet owner must control the right balance between the sources of fat, carbohydrates and protein. The basic element of a dog's diet should be animal protein sources. Feed your pet only freshly prepared food.It is allowed to store cooked food in the refrigerator for two days. Foods that are too cold or too hot should not be fed to your Labrador.

This type of food is considered the least labor-intensive, allowing you to save time on cooking. Very often the diet of Labradors kept in nurseries is based precisely on wet and dry food. In modern pet stores, you can find various types of food: for puppies, adults, elderly, weakened and sick dogs, for dogs with allergies, for pregnant and lactating bitches.

The main categories of finished feed:

• "Economy" - the cheapest and least valuable type of feed;
• “Premium” is a relatively expensive type of feed with a relatively high nutritional value;
• "Premium plus" - an expensive type of feed with a high nutritional value;
• "Super premium" - the most expensive type of feed, containing a maximum of nutrients, micro- and macroelements.

The best choice for feeding Labradors is premium plus and super premium.

The most popular among dog breeders are ready-made feeds from such large brands as Royal Canin, Happy Dog, Bosch. When feeding dogs ready-made dry and wet foods, you should take into account the norms recommended by the manufacturers, and make sure that the animals always have access to fresh and clean water.

If the animal needs to be fattened (for example, after an illness), the type of wet or dry food should be selected correctly and the portions should be increased.

It is not forbidden to increase the frequency of meals when caring for an emaciated animal.

With a mixed type of food, the basis of the dog's diet can be both natural products and dry food. Adhering to the mixed type of food, you should feed the dog "natural" in the morning, and ready-made food in the evening (or vice versa). The sequence of natural food and ready-to-eat food is determined by the owner of the animal. It is not recommended to mix natural products and ready-made feeds in the same meal. In this case, the balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is disturbed, and the calorie content of the portion is greatly increased.

Every Labrador owner should consider the range of foods prohibited on the menu when planning a dog's diet. It is impossible to neglect this list and violate the recommendations of experienced dog breeders. So, some products from this list can cause severe allergic reactions, others - digestive and intestinal disorders. Certain foods (such as bones, for example) can not only cause severe bowel dysfunction, but also cause dangerous internal injuries, including fatal bleeding.

The list of prohibited foods includes the following:

• tubular bones, bone fragments;
• fatty meat, lard;
• lake and river fish;
• semi-finished meat products;
• canned food, sausages, sausages;
• shashlik;
• milk (can cause an attack of diarrhea)
• any sweets, including ice cream and chocolate;
• legumes (provoke bloating and flatulence);
• white bread, pastries, baked goods;
• beet.

This can cause not only severe intestinal upset, but also toxic poisoning. Experienced Labrador owners strongly discourage feeding leftovers from the home table. This condition is due to the fact that many dishes contain spices and seasonings that are also not allowed on the animal's menu.

More nutritional tips for your Labrador retriever can be found in the video below.