been questioned. To the contrary, variety brings
excitement and interest to the table— or the bowl. For instance, Lord points out, “If you feed your child a dinner of chicken, broccoli, brown rice and cantaloupe, you can pat yourself on the back for providing a well-balanced nutritious meal. But if you feed this same meal to your child three times a day throughout his life, you would start to see nutritional deficiencies.” Plus, no one would be surprised to hear that the child is tiring of it. The same holds true for dogs,
she says. Their bodies appreciate the different sources of nutrition, while their taste buds respond to delicious change-ups. One popular type of varied diet
centers on taking commercially pre- pared, top-quality, frozen, canned or dry foods and simply rotating them, as long as the owner provides a consistent number of calories. This approach will ensure that a dog receives the right bal- ance of nutrients, says Remillard. She explains that, “Federally
regulated, commercially prepared foods have processing methods and qual- ity assurance programs that limit the potential for food-borne illnesses in pets and offer guarantees, a nutritional profile and bioavailability of nutrients.” Remillard further notes, however, that not all products are equal when it comes to highly desirable ingredients, so as with any other processed food, consumers must read labels. Varied diets also may be prepared
at home. That’s where home chefs can get creative with different types of meats, grains and vegetables, but they
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What’s on the Menu? by Wendy Bedwell-Wilson
If you would like to incorporate a varied diet into your dog’s eating routine, here are five expert tips for doing so safely and successfully.
Choose different main ingredients: If you’re primarily relying on a chicken and rice diet, switch the pooch to something completely different, like a duck and sweet potato or bison and barley diet, advises Veterinarian Sean Delaney.
It’s okay to change brands: Although some food manufacturers have developed food lines designed to rotate among items, you can always try out different brands and formulas. Stick to the high- quality mixes for optimal nutrition, says Veterinarian Tracy Lord.
Change the menu regularly: If you plan to rotate a dog’s commercially prepared diet, consider buying a new blend each time you shop, advises Veterinarian Rebecca Remillard.
Switch slowly: For a smooth transition between foods, slowly increase the amount of new food while decreasing the old, counsels Lord. The process should take about a week.
Take note of portions and calories: Delaney advises that a good way to ensure that a dog stays
youthfully slim and trim is to calculate an appropriate calorie count and portions of the new foods.
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