Dog Health Insurance

Hills is a name which the majority of dog owners out there will already be more than a little familiar with as they are famed for their top quality food and accessories, all of which are designed with one thing in mind, the health of your pet. Well, having already garnered something of a reputation for being one of the biggest names in pet food in the market today, the team behind the scenes at Hills are also looking at ways in which your pets can remain at the peak of their physical well-being by offering up specially designed exercise programmes for your dog.

            As they state on their website, a dog which is only slightly over-weight can develop all sorts of unwanted ailments on account of the extra mass they are having to carry. Diabetes, heart problems and the like are not just human issues and should your pooch binge beyond its means, it could well develop one or more of these extremely unpleasant disorders. As such, the team at Hills are prepared to guide you owners in a bid to help combat such problems with their new Weight Loss tips page.

Health Dogs eat Hills Dog Food

            Here you can find not only a range of exercise techniques which will assist you and your dog in the keeping-trim stakes, but also advice on what kinds of food will prevent such complaints from occurring and guides on how much is too much. To find out more about these new programmes (one of which is tailored to help cat owners) why not visit the Hills page today? After all, if your new years resolution was to shed a few pounds, don’t leave your pets behind; fighting the flab is something which all species should be trying in 2011 and Hills are here to help.

You can get great deals on Hills Dog Food at GJW Titmuss – The Number One Online Pet Supplies Retailer!

Last time we established there is no blanket rule for feeding your dog, especially not based purely on weight. Today I will explain an accurate method of deciding how much to feed your pet; one that is simple, but much more appropriate than following instructions on the back of food packaging.

For the majority of dogs, the best way to work out the appropriate amount to feed them is to calculate their calorific requirement, based on their resting energy requirement.  Although this is still partly to do with their weight, it also takes into account many other factors including age, activity levels and health problems. To work out your pet’s resting energy requirement (RER), simply multiply its weight in kilos by thirty and then add seventy; the resulting amount is the basic number of calories your dog should consume every day. Once you have established this RER, consult the following table – complied from information from vets and nutritionalists – to ascertain how much more you should feed your dog, based on a variety of factors.

With so much choice on the market, it’s hard to know exactly what is best to feed your dog. Today we’ll consider the choice between canned, semi-moist and dry dog food.

As a general rule, I advise against feeding dogs semi-moist dog food, because it tends to contain more salt and sugar than a dog really needs. Experienced owners will have already taken out dog insurance to protect their pet against the dental problems that afflict canines, so it will be obvious to them why this sugary semi-moist food is not advisable. For the benefit of newer owners; eating sugary foods will increase the chance of your dog developing periodontal disease and gingivitis – the two most common causes of tooth loss in dogs.

The size of your dog can also affect the type of food you should feed it. Large dogs, for example, eat a lot more than small dogs; dry food is hence a popular choice, because it is easier to prepare, transport and store than mountains of cans. Anybody who has ever taken a dog on holiday can tell you of the woes of carrying around dozens of cans of food! However, when it comes to feeding smaller dogs, canned food is often a cheaper and hence more popular option than it is when feeding large dogs.

If you are thinking of changing the type of food your dog eats, remember to do so gradually.