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Although it may seem logical to feed your adult dog at the same time as you feed yourself, avoid the temptation. A full grown dog should have only two meals a day, and these should be six or seven hours apart.
Be sure to serve food that is no hotter than 33°C (100°F), and make the morning meal smaller than the evening meal.
Regular feedings are important for your pet's digestion-and for your routine. Remember, dogs must not be walked after eating.
Most veterinarians will gladly advise you on what to feed your dog. For your convenience, however, we have incorporated an established formula below. The formula was devised by Professor Raymond Ferrando, a veterinarian.
One kilogram, or 2% pounds, of this food will provide your dog with approximately 1500 kilocalories of metabolizable energy, 70 grams (2% ounces) of proteins, and a balanced amount of fatty acids and B complex vitamins.
The following figures represent weight units, thus the proportion of ingredients is constant whether you measure in the metric or imperial system. Be sure to stick consistently to one unit of weight grams or ounces. Units of volume, either liquid or dry, are not appropriate.
Boiled carrots .....................................................................27
Cooked, broken or whole rice .............................................35
Cooked meat ......................................................................30
Lard and (or) corn or sunflower oil .......................................4
Dry brewer's yeast ...............................................................3
Mineral and vitamin supplement ...........................................1
While it is possible to concoct your own vitamin and mineral supplement, most dog owners today find this practice both time-consuming and impractical given the wealth of commercially manufactured supplements available. Your veterinarian will be able to help you choose a specific brand. A typical mix will be as follows:
Calcium phosphate ..................................................60 g
Dipotassium phosphate ..........................................10 g
Sodium chloride .......................................................10 g
Magnesium sulphate ................................................3 g
Iron citrate ...............................................................1.50 g
Copper sulphate .......................................................0.15 g
Cobalt acetate ..........................................................0.01 g
Zinc sulphate ............................................................0.01 g
Manganese dioxide ...................................................0.10 g
Potassium iodide .......................................................0.01 g
Coated vitamin A .......................................................l00 000 IU*
Coated vitamin B3 .....................................................10 000 IU
Vitamin E ....................................................................500 mg
Methionin ...................................................................15 g
Enough calcium lactate to make up 100 grams
In terms of nutritional value, this supplement corresponds to a commercial, tinned dog food that is between 25 and 30 per cent dry.
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