Dog food
Dog food is specifically tailored to the physiological needs of dogs pet food. In Germany, most industrially manufactured ready-made feed is fed, almost 8 % of dog owners feed fed to a 2012 published study found that self-prepared rations. Depending on the water content, a distinction is finished feed between dry feed and wet feed.
- 2.1 Species-appropriate feeding
- 2.2 Age Appropriate feeding
- 2.3 Requirements Appropriate feeding
- 2.5 Hypoallergenic feeding
- 3.1 Raw Food
- 3.2 Vegetarian Dog Food
Composition
Dog food is basically composed of organic and inorganic constituents. The feed analysis is usually done on the Weender analysis, the result of which must be printed on every dog food industrially produced. Feed subject to in Germany as food to the Food, Commodities and Feed Code.
Dog Food contains nutrients in different proportions. These include carbohydrates, fats and proteins, water, minerals (volume elements and trace elements) and other additives such as vitamins and antioxidants. The nutrient content is the main criterion in assessing a dog food.
Furthermore, the digestibility of the food is of great importance, however, can not be estimated on the basis of declaration, but is usually elicited by feeding trials. It determines how much of the ingested food is absorbed and thus available to the organism dogs available, or what proportion is excreted in the feces. The digestibility of a particular pet food is determined by the choice of the feed material and its processing and may be influenced by race-specific anatomical differences.
The needs of a dog can be defined as dissipative " the minimum amount of a nutrient whose intake is sufficient over a long period of time, to obtain the necessary physiological functions of the animals upright in a population ." As it comes to the maintenance of functions, one speaks in this energy demand by conservation needs. When it is assumed that determination of a temperature of about 20 ° C and specific energy consumption because of disease or other abnormal situations such as pregnancy and lactation is disregarded. Standards published by the National Research Council 2006 Minimum requirement values for dogs as a guideline for the compilation of a feeding. A geared towards the normal maintenance requirements of a medium-sized 20 -pound adult dog in the feed to meet the nutritional needs about 25 % protein, 12 % fat, 5-7 % fiber, 1.1% calcium and 0.8 to 0.9 % phosphorus; His energy amount is between 898.5 ( slender) and 539.1 ( overweight ) kcal per day and is calculated on the basis of metabolic body weight.
Proteins
Proteins ( "protein" ) needs a dog primarily for the formation of new tissue and for the preservation of the body substance. Proteins are composed of amino acids, of which the dog and most of them can build yourself. Some amino acids can not make himself a dog, however; these essential amino acids must be a matter in sufficient quantity in the protein content of the diet. The significance of the protein source is calculated according to the proportions of the essential amino acids contained in the proteins: the more their ratios are similar to those in the dog's body, the more significant is a protein source.
As vegetable protein sources commonly used are: corn gluten, soy products, and dried brewer's yeast.
Indigestible carbohydrates can not be cleaved by the body due to their size and their chemical structure. As a dietary fiber, they support the movement ( peristalsis) of the intestine, and as fermentable fibers they affect the environment for the intestinal flora. Are processed for this purpose, among others beet pulp, rice, oat and wheat bran, citrus, carrots, apple and tomato pomace, peanut shells and cellulose.
From the function of carbohydrates during digestion can be concluded that small amounts of droppings, little gas and provide optimum consistency of the stool are an indicator of good digestible and well-prepared carbohydrate sources.
Additives
The additives include, inter alia, preservatives ( for example, salts, acids), and antioxidants (e.g., vitamins E and C ), affect the durability of the feed, natural flavoring substances, probiotics for stabilizing the gut flora as well as trace elements and vitamins. The list of authorized additives in Germany can be viewed at the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety.
Species-appropriate feeding
Age Appropriate feeding
In addition to the phase of life must be considered for dog food, what requirements the dog is subject to, and how high his level of activity is ( breed dog, use and sporting dog, sled dog, gestation / lactation ). Here play typical for the breed aspects into it. The dog food can be geared to the special needs of certain sizes of dog like dog food for small, medium and large breeds or specific breed like Golden Retriever, Jack Russell Terrier, German Boxer, German Shepherd, for example, are prone to certain diseases.
Many diseases of dogs are associated with disorders of the metabolism of the total organism's or individual organs that require special feeding principles. In addition, there are certain diseases, such as obesity (obesity ), the cause of which lies in a faulty feeding. As part of a dietetics feeding shall specifically help to alleviate the symptoms or abzunormen in prophylactic intent. Diätisch can be, for example, obesity, liver and kidney diseases and urinary influence. Here, increasingly, commercial products are available. The term "diet food " is regulated in the feed regulation to prevent abuse. Furthermore, there is a wide range of various other dietary supplements.