False Myths About Dog Nutrition

Nutrition and feeding are subjects that raise questions for almost every dog owner. Perhaps that is why a great many myths circulate about them, making it harder to know how to act.

We are going to run through some of the most widespread to clear up what is true and what is false in each of them. That way you will be able to decide with reliable information on these aspects that matter so much to our dog's health.

Puppies and Adult Dogs Can Eat the Same Food

Every stage in a dog's life has its own nutritional needs. That is why we should not feed a puppy food formulated for adults, simply giving them a smaller amount.

Conversely, a diet intended for growing dogs cannot be kept up throughout their life, once they have stopped developing. There is some variation depending on the dog's size, but in general, food specific to puppies has to be kept up until 12-18 months.

It's Better to Give a Puppy More Food So They Grow More

The ration we offer a dog at this stage of their life has to cover the average value of their needs. If it is geared to the maximum value, the risk of the dog suffering bone and joint disease increases. Underfeeding a puppy also has negative consequences. Hence how important a balanced diet is.

• How to work out the right amount of food for a dog

What is more, with giant-breed dogs, offering a diet geared to overly rapid growth risks them developing problems in joint development. For this reason we should also avoid supplements, unless a vet prescribes them.

Dogs Are Trained With Food Treats

Food can be used as a reward in a dog's obedience training, but those calories have to be deducted from their daily ration. That is why we can explore other kinds of reward that are equally useful, such as carrots.

Strokes or words of praise do not interfere with nutrition and are an effective reward too. Otherwise, the dog runs the risk of obesity and orthopaedic disorders.

Dogs Instinctively Know What to Eat

Dogs have a tendency to nose about that can lead them to eat almost anything edible. Especially if it is our food, since precisely because it is ours they find it particularly interesting. The truth is that it is not unusual for this habit to end in poisoning.

Dogs Cannot Drink Milk

It is true that some adult dogs do not tolerate milk (lactose). This shows up as vomiting, diarrhoea and other digestive problems. It is because, as they grow, dogs lose the digestive enzyme that allowed them, as nursing pups, to digest milk.

Some dogs, on the other hand, carry on tolerating it as they grow, so those dogs could indeed have it without any trouble, as part of a complete diet according to the vet's recommendations.

It's Better to Give Dogs Raw Food Because It Is More Natural

Raw food can harbour various parasites and bacteria that could make them ill. What is more, some raw products are capable of hindering the absorption of essential nutrients. Raw egg, for instance, contains a substance that reduces the absorption of B vitamins.

As for bones, not all of them are advisable, since they could splinter and cause injuries, blockages or choking. On another note, dogs have been domesticated for no less than 33,000 years, over which time they fed on leftovers cooked by humans.

Chocolate Is Toxic to Dogs

Chocolate contains a number of substances that are harmful to dogs, such as caffeine, theobromine and a great deal of fat. But for it to be toxic, the dog would have to eat quite a lot, and on top of that not all chocolate poses the same danger.

Cocoa powder and cooking chocolate bars pose the greatest risk. Eating a large amount produces agitation, tremors, vomiting, diarrhoea and coma. The fats sharply raise the possibility of pancreatitis.

Home-Made Feeding Means Giving the Dog Our Leftovers

Feeding our dog home-made food can be a good option, provided we design the menu following the recommendations of a vet who specialises in nutrition, so that it presents no shortfall or excess.

So it is nothing like simply giving them what is left on our plate. In fact, our foods tend to be too fatty for them, with the attendant risk of causing pancreatitis, an illness that can even prove fatal.

How Many Times a Day Does a Dog Have to Eat?

The main thing is to respect the daily ration that corresponds to them given their characteristics. This amount can be adjusted, since these are average figures that may need raising or lowering depending on the dog's body condition. If our dog is supposed to eat 300 grams but is fat, the ration will have to be reduced.

Conversely, if they are thin, it should be increased, always in consultation with the vet. As for splitting the ration, in puppies up to three months old four meals a day are recommended. Up to five months, around three. From that age they can eat two times a day.

Neutered Dogs Put On Weight

It is true that neutering involves a series of hormonal changes that can increase a dog's appetite, lower their metabolism and reduce their activity. What is more, the operation is usually carried out between 6 and 12 months.

That age coincides with the stage at which growth is no longer so rapid, meaning energy needs have to fall. So if we keep up their pre-neutering ration, the likely result is a fat dog.

Dogs Can Be Vegan

Dogs cannot follow a vegan diet. They are built to base their diet on eating meat. In practice they can indeed handle an omnivorous diet, adapted to human food and owing to the bond established between the two species. But they cannot live on plants alone.

Bibliography Castillo, Cristina and Chapel, Jose Miguel. La alimentación en los cachorros. Taken from Requerimientos nutricionales en cachorros. Revista Ateuves no. 52. pp. 14-17. Domínguez, Rosalía. La alimentación en animales esterilizados. Revista Ateuves no. 45. pp. 16-19. Dopico, David. Riesgos de las dietas crudas. Taken from ¿Qué sabes de las dietas crudas? Revista Ateuves no. 62. pp. 20-22. Revista Ateuves. 2016. ¿Se puede tener un perro o un gato vegano? Villagrasa, María. Cinco alimentos no saludables para las mascotas. Taken from Alimentos tóxicos para las mascotas. Revista Ateuves no. 63. pp. 14-16. Villagrasa, María. Los peligros de la Navidad para las mascotas: veneno en la mesa. Taken from Malo para comer. Revista Ateuves no. 38. pp. 14-18. Villagrasa, María. Hablando de nutrición. Taken from Preguntas frecuentes sobre alimentación. Revista Ateuves no. 51. pp. 16-20.