Varied dog food: How much variation is healthy?
A varied dog diet is healthy and ensures that your four-legged friend doesn’t get bored at the food bowl – is that really true? No. Because a dog has a completely different sense of taste than a human, which is why you should not vary your dog’s menu too often.
As far as varied dog food is concerned, masters or mistresses sometimes have different ideas than their four-legged friend. For a human being, it quickly becomes boring to find the same dishes on the plate over and over again. A dog, on the other hand, needs much less variety to be happy.
Variety on the menu: Not always optimal
A new menu in the food bowl every day? That can do your dog more harm than good. Because his digestive tract must first adjust to the new food. Especially the intestinal flora can react very sensitively. If you change the food too often, this puts a great strain on the stomach and intestines of your favorite. With a bit of bad luck, diarrhea, vomiting and flatulence can occur.
However, if you suspect that your dog reacts to a certain brand or type of food with an allergy or intolerance, it is of course sensible to change the type of food. In this case, however, you should always consult your veterinarian first, who can determine whether the symptoms of illness were actually caused by the food.
Varied dog food: Tips
The dog does not mind eating the same thing over and over again. It is only important for the four-legged friend that his nutrient requirements are covered. For this, however, one type of food is optimally sufficient. It is important here that the type of food is labeled as a complete food – this means that it contains all the necessary vitamins and nutrients for your four-legged friend.
On no account should you constantly switch between wet and dry food when feeding your dog – digestive problems are pre-programmed here. You should also be careful with feeds from different manufacturers. If your dog tolerates one brand well, it is advisable to remain loyal to it.
