Purina Feeding 8 Week Boxer Dry

How Often to Feed a Boxer Puppy or Dog

Let's look at a summary and then the details:

• Puppies under 12 weeks: free-fed
• Puppies and up to the 2-year mark: 3 meals per day
• Adults 2 years and up: 1 to 2 meals per day

Young pups 8 to 12 weeks old: Very young pups, and particularly those that are a bit underweight, should be free-fed for at least the first month at their new home. This is the method of having fresh food accessible at all times. For a pup still trying to gain their bearings, you may need to lead them to their bowl throughout the day. Note that food should be thrown out and the bowl washed and then refilled several times per day as opposed to just topping off the food since pups may not be interested in stale food.

Growing pup to 2 year mark: It's best to get a Boxer onto a feeding schedule as soon as possible. Schedules of anything (feeding, exercise, sleep time, etc.) usually equal a better-behaved dog. Young Boxers often struggle a bit to fill out and during the 1 to 2-year mark Boxers can go through a 'skinny phase', so 3 meals per day, plus snacks, can work well during this time.

Adults 2 years and up: Most adult Boxers that have reached their final adult weight and height do well with 2 meals per day, plus snacks. If snacks are regular and of substance, a Boxer may be perfectly content with 1 main meal per day. Note that this breed is prone to bloat, so you want to avoid letting a Boxer get so hungry that he rapidly gulps his food down. If that is the case, increase the frequency of meals or use a slow-feed bowl; stainless-steel is best, something like Mr. Peanut's Stainless Steel Slow Feed Bowl works well.

How Much to Feed a Boxer Puppy or Dog

The exact serving size that is appropriate for each Boxer varies and depends mainly on age and current weight but also is affected by activity level, health status, type of food (wet vs dry), and individual metabolism.

This said, there are general guidelines: Puppies usually require about 55 calories for each pound of body weight. Young pups might eat a bit over a cup a day, older pups can eat up to 3 cups a day. Adults need fewer calories per pound of body weight than their younger counterparts, about 40. Depending on an adult Boxer dog's size, food is usually in the 3 to 5 cup per day range.

To know exactly how much to give your Boxer, know your dog's weight. Don't guess since that can be wildly off. Then, look at the feeding guidelines on the bag of kibble; these are listed by age and weight and are usually pretty spot on. Keep in mind that it is assumed you will be offering several snacks per day and/or training treats.

Dry Kibble vs Wet Canned

Though many Boxers may prefer wet canned food, dry kibble is better to maintain healthy teeth and gum and a strong jaw. You'll still have to provide some level of at-home dental care, but the crunch of a hard kibble will work to some extent to remove plaque. Additionally, dry food seems to keep the stools firmer and healthier.

If your Boxer is a finicky eater and balks at dry food, try mixing in just a bit of canned (stick with the same brand) or add just a bit of water or low-sodium chicken or beef broth.

Grain vs Grain-free

It's wasn't that long ago that putting a dog on a grain-free diet wasn't much of a big deal. Some grains, especially those with gluten, can cause excessive gas, upset stomach, and other issues. And, some dogs are allergic to wheat or gluten which can manifest as itching and other skin problems.

But recently, a suspected link between certain grain-free dog foods and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM, a canine heart disease) caused veterinary experts to take pause. And, since Boxers are one of the breeds prone to DCM, it's important to understand where things are on this.

Though it was first thought that any grain-free diet may be the cause, the current thought is that it is a BEG diet, meaning boutique (small specialty brands) that have exotic meats (non-traditional meats like alligator, kangaroo, bison, venison, etc.) that are 100% grain-free and with peas, legumes, potatoes, or sweet potatoes as one or more of the top 5 ingredients.

Many more studies need to be done for conclusive answers to be found. For now, it is recommended to offer healthy grains and this can be done while avoiding gluten if your Boxer has an issue with it.

Navigating the Many Choices of Dog Foods

What to Avoid:

Many brands are guilty of having at least one of these elements that you do not want your Boxer's food to have:

• No grains at all. Until conclusive studies are complete, play it safe and offer a kibble with some level of healthy grains unless the veterinarian recommends otherwise (Boxer needs to be on a specific grain-free diet, etc.)
• Synthetic preservatives. These can be toxic. Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and ethoxyquin, just to name a few, are linked to behavioral issues, organ damage, and some forms of cancer.
• Artificial coloring. Common dyes like Yellow #5 and #6 and Blue #2 are linked to behavioral and health issues.
• Artificial flavor enhancers. MSG is one of the worst, it is linked to anxiety, rapid heartbeat, and breathing issues.
• Generic animal digest, meats, oils, or fats. When anything is listed as 'animal', it is derived from a 4-D animal: dead, dying, diseased or disabled animals and can literally be any meat from any animal at all: minks from mink farms, roadkill, zoo animals, expired meats from supermarkets and butcher shops, etc.
• Fillers. Fillers are cheap ingredients that are put into dog food to bulk it up but they have little to no nutritional value. The 'food' goes right through their system; a dog will eat but be hungry again soon afterward and this is one cause of coprophagia (eating feces).
• By-products. These are the animal parts that are not fit for human consumption and includes such things as spinal tissue, lungs, spleens, hooves, tails, undeveloped eggs, etc.
• Made outside North America since meats from overseas can be questionable.

What to Look For:

• 100% all natural. The kibble will be preserved using a vitamin blend (often listed as mixed tocopherals) and will be naturally flavored and colored.
• Some level of grains. Grains that are generally well-tolerated include rice, oatmeal, and quinoa.
• Wholesome real meats, veggies, and fruits.
• Made in the USA or North America. Some ingredients sourced from Norway are fine; this country has very strict guidelines.

If you are not sure what is in your Boxer's food, investigate it. Know about grain content and the presence (or lack of) additives and subpar ingredients.

Recommended Dog Food for Boxers

Please note that the following recommendations are formulas with some level of healthy grains; if you did not read the previous 'Grain vs Grain-free' you may wish to do so before continuing on.

1. Merrick Dry with added Vitamins & Minerals - All Breeds. This meets all of the requirements of what you're looking for. This is 100% all natural. There are no synthetic preservatives; vitamins are used instead (shown as mixed tocopherals). The grains in this formula are generally very well tolerated: quinoa (technically a seed), oatmeal, and barley.  There are 3 different recipes to choose from: beef, chicken, or lamb. Other ingredients include peas, salmon, carrots, apples, blueberries, and flaxseed.

There are good levels of glucosamine chondroitin (vital for joint health), antioxidants, and omega fatty acids (important for skin and coat health).

There are no by-products, fillers, or generic meats or oils and this is sourced and made in the USA.

2. Wellness Complete Health Natural Chicken & Oatmeal.  Note that some of the recipes in the line of Wellness Complete are grain-free, but this particular one, as well as the Lamb & Barley recipe are not. For this one, the base is chicken (a very classic tasty protein that most dogs love), along with oatmeal, brown rice, ground barley, peas, flaxseed, carrots, tomato pomace, spinach, sweet potatoes, apples, and blueberries. All other ingredients shown on the label are either vitamins and minerals or natural preservatives.

This has no wheat, corn, soy, meat by-products, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, and this is made in the USA.

3. AvoDerm Natural Chicken & Rice Formula. This brand offers a top-quality formula that is gluten-free. There is no wheat, corn, soy, by-products, artificial flavors, artificial colors, or chemical preservatives. The base is chicken and brown rice and other ingredients include white rice, oatmeal, rice bran, avocado, flax seed, herring, and kelp. It has good levels of omega fatty acids and antioxidants. The one trade-off for having it be gluten-free is that it does not contain any fruit; however, it does have all required vitamins and minerals (and you can always offers a small amount of fresh fruit as snacks).

Homemade Vs Commercial

Commercial dog food is convenient and, if you choose a superior brand, it will ensure that your Boxer receives all needed nutrients and is on a well-rounded and well-balanced diet. And, home cooked food gives you complete control over what your Boxer eats and does not eat and can be tweaked to satisfy a finicky eater. So, there are pros and cons to each.

Whether you opt for a top-quality kibble or you use good cuts of meat and fish and fresh produce in homemade meals, neither option is super-cheap. Because, of course, you get what you pay for. But, if you buy in bulk and lean toward frozen vegetables and fruits, home cooking may be a bit less expensive.

That said, when you prepare meals at home, you'll need to offer a good daily vitamin and mineral supplement (even good brands of kibble need to add this in) because it's nearly impossible for a dog to receive all nutrients just from food alone.

justicehaverm.blogspot.com

Source: http://www.allboxerinfo.com/best-food-for-boxer-dog