What cereals can I give to dogs?

A balanced diet of any dog ​​is the key to its normal growth, development and long life. Often, the owners of these animals wonder whether it is possible to feed their pets with cereals, because this is a source of both vitamins and fiber. But what types of cereals can be used, not everyone knows.

Today, professional breeders and veterinarians say that various cereals can and even need to be included in the diet of dogs of all breeds in some situations.

The main thing is to follow some key rules.

• Before introducing cereals into the diet, you should consult with your veterinarian. The specialist will assess the health of the dog, establish the required daily dosage of porridge, its type and size of grind. The fact is that for feeding small, medium and large breeds, these indicators can differ significantly.
• If the pet has any chronic diseases or allergies to certain foods (and this is also common), then the doctor must be informed about them in advance.
• It is strictly forbidden to independently exceed the daily or weekly dosage of porridge, as well as to change its type. This can lead to health problems in the dog.

Unfortunately, some breeders believe that they can give their pets any kind of cereal every day, or feed the dog with just one kind of cereal. This is not true.

Today, veterinarians allow the inclusion of these types of cereals in the diet of dogs of various breeds and sizes.

• Wheat is the most popular. Such cereal is inexpensive, dogs eat it with great appetite and pleasure. It not only helps to fill the deficiency of iodine, magnesium and zinc in the body, but also saturates it with vitamins B, C, D, A. At the same time, porridge contains a high percentage of starch. Wheat grits are suitable for extremely active dogs, large and medium breeds. In other animals, it can be a major cause of apathy, increased sleepiness and excess weight gain. Barley grits can have the same effect on the dog's body. Moreover, it additionally contains such useful substances as fluorine, chromium and silicon.

• Buckwheat - this is not only the most useful cereal for a person, but also for his pets. Even after cooking, a sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins remains in the cereal. The inclusion of such porridge in the diet allows you to normalize the intestines of animals, improve heart function, strengthen muscles and saturate the body with calcium and fluoride. A big plus is that such croup is suitable for feeding both large and small breeds of dogs.

• Oatmeal in cereal or whole grain is an excellent source of magnesium, calcium and many vitamins. Quickly induces a feeling of fullness, improves intestinal motility. Groats should be boiled thoroughly and included in the diet of dogs no more than 3 times a week. You should know and remember that oatmeal is categorically contraindicated for animals suffering from urolithiasis - it can provoke an attack or worsen the general well-being of the pet.

• Rice. Veterinarians recommend using only its unpolished form for cooking porridge. In this case, it will more actively cleanse the body of toxins and toxins, and at the same time saturate it with magnesium, calcium, vitamins of groups B and E.

But in addition to the list of cereals permitted for dogs, there are also prohibited ones - allergenic. They can not only harm the health of the animal, but simply will not be assimilated in its body, that is, they will not have any positive result.

• Semolina - these are just carbohydrates that are absorbed very quickly in the animal's body, but at the same time they do not bring any benefit to it. In exceptional cases, this porridge can be included in the diet of premature and weak puppies, but only until they reach 2 months of age.

• Pearl barley It should also not be included in the diet, especially for those dogs that have a weak digestive tract and have a tendency to food allergies. If the owner of the dog wants to enrich the dog's menu with this porridge, then you must first obtain the permission of the veterinarian.

• Millet porridge should not be given to any dog ​​breeds. It is practically indigestible and often causes volvulus in animals. Also, the content of any useful substances in millet is practically zero.

• Corn porridge should also be removed from the dogs menu. When cooked, it does not contain any vitamins or minerals. The intestines of animals are not able to completely digest it; often it is this croup that is the culprit for problems in its work.

If the dog initially eats natural food, that is, cooked by hand, then in addition to cereals, such products should also be included in her menu.

• Dairy products should make up an approximate fifth of the total volume of the menu. Here you can use fermented baked milk, cottage cheese, kefir, natural yogurt, varenets.
• By-products, fish and meat. These foods should occupy up to half of the total diet. Depending on the breed, age and size of the dog, they are given both raw and boiled.
• Vegetables can take from 5 to 20% of the total daily food of the dog. They are given both raw and boiled.

The rest of the menu, which is about 20-25%, should be cereals. A special mixture is prepared from them for feeding the animal.

Rice and buckwheat are initially introduced into the diet of small, newly born dogs. Only if the babies are premature, they are fed with semolina. But she is removed from the menu as soon as the puppy begins to gain weight according to its age.

When the puppy is 4-6 months old, the cereals are boiled in water. Sometimes, according to the veterinarian's recommendations, they are boiled with pieces of meat or offal. Boiled fish can also be given once a week. As soon as the puppy reaches the age of 1 year, it is completely transferred to the diet of adult dogs. Vegetables are given in boiled form, as well as 1-3 times raw.

When a dog reaches 12 months of age, its diet is enriched with fermented milk products, and the proportion of vegetables and meat in it is also increased. If the animal grows and develops quite normally, then the menu is left like that for many years.

Bearing offspring is a heavy load on the animal's body. Therefore, it is important to increase the calorie content and nutritional value of the menu and make it as healthy and natural as possible.

Of cereals, preference is given to buckwheat, oatmeal and rice cooked in milk. A couple of times a week, the menu also includes dairy products. From meat, preference is given to beef, rabbit meat, as well as offal, especially liver. They are served both fresh and cooked. As soon as the dog's lactation ceases, it is gradually transferred to the diet that it had before pregnancy.

Dogs over the age of 8 need a more gentle diet, but at the same time it should be as balanced as possible. The body of older animals already poorly assimilates fats and excess carbohydrates. Therefore, the basis of their menu should be lean meat, boiled vegetables, dairy products. Cereals can be given no more than 1 time per week, while in dogs over 12 years old, they should be completely excluded from the menu. Permitted types of cereals are buckwheat and oatmeal.

Such animals will be strong, healthy and active, which means they will delight their owners for many years.

Many people find it very easy to cook dog groats. In fact, here, too, there are subtleties and nuances that should be observed.

• The porridge should be cooked in a thick-walled container and at a low boil.
• For adults, food is prepared only in water. Exceptions are pregnant and lactating bitches, as well as premature puppies.
• The proportions of water and cereals are 2: 1. Cooking time is from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of porridge.

When cooking porridge for animals, it is important to remember that cereal is only an addition to the diet, so its volume cannot be more than 30%.

They are placed in a container with cereals 10-15 minutes before the end of cooking, but you can also put them in ready-made porridge.

In order to clearly see exactly how an approximate dog menu should look like, we offer a selection of several recipes for porridge for these animals. Such dishes will help diversify the pet's diet and make it tasty and healthy.

For cooking, choose sea fish and boil it in water until fully cooked. Then they are removed from the broth and freed from the bones. Grits are placed in the broth and boiled for 20 minutes, then boiled fish fillets and fresh pumpkin pulp are placed in a container.

For cooking, you need 300 g of raw fish, 6 glasses of broth, 3 glasses of cereals and 20 g of pumpkin.

All types of permitted cereals are used here, if necessary, it is fashionable to exclude one of the types. Boil in water until tender, and 2 minutes before removing from the stove, put raw minced meat or bone residue. Its volume should be approximately 60% of the volume of cooked cereals. The mixture is filled with milk powder diluted in ordinary water. Everything is thoroughly mixed and placed in a sealed container in an oven at minimum heat for 100 minutes.

If desired, you can add a little grated carrots or raw zucchini to a completely prepared mash.

Ideal for puppies, nursing or pregnant dogs. Boil cereals and meat in different containers until cooked. Then mix them, season with vegetable oil and put the carrots chopped on a grater. If you use a clean fillet, then it can be cooked together with rice in the same container. It is important to remember that it is forbidden to include even boiled chicken bones in a dog's diet. Therefore, the meat must be removed from the bones.

And as a result, every time you get a new, tasty and healthy porridge for the animal. And finally, a few words about adding salt to porridge. There is no official strict prohibition on its use and inclusion in the diet of dogs. Therefore, in small quantities, salt can be added to ready-made porridge. But if the animal has kidney problems, then you should refrain from using it. And it is best to consult a veterinarian on this issue.

See below for why a dog needs to be given porridge.