A Quick Introduction To Boxer Dog Nutrition
The boxer is an extremely joyful, energetic dog, but this constant stream of enthusiasm needs to be supported by a healthy diet, or you’ll end up with an unhappy dog.
Given their strong build and powerful muscle structure, boxers also eat more than other breeds of dogs. This makes it that much more important to offer him enough (but not too much) consistent food that will meet his daily needs.
There are a few problems regarding boxer dog nutrition that are quite common among owners. The first one is over or underfeeding your boxer. Out of too much care for their dog, some owners feel the need to keep the food bowl constantly full of all sorts of canine delicacies. Since a dog cannot accurately approximate how much he should eat, his constant craving for food will get him fat in no time (especially if he doesn’t exercise a lot). His nutritional needs are also based on how often you take him out for a walk or for some playtime, since the more energy he consumes, the more calories he will need to intake.
The reverse of the above mentioned boxer dog nutrition problem is underfeeding. Because owners prefer to have a lean, muscular boxer rather than a fatter one that looks out of shape, they tend to underfeed him, or severely cut the dog’s calorie count.
Although it’s ok to try and get your boxer in the shape you want him in, taking the extreme path of underfeeding will be very harmful for his health and for his attitude towards you and other people. An underfed dog will be weak, he will lack enthusiasm and his resistance to diseases will drop severely.
Another question that most owners ask themselves regarding their boxer dog’s nutrition is whether they should feed him raw diet, natural food, or dry dog food. To be totally honest, it’s easier to simply buy dry dog food out of the store and feed it to your dog on a daily basis, but that doesn’t mean it’s healthier too.
Any dog will prefer raw meat to some dry grains of odorless mix, unless he’s been taught to eat dry food since he was a puppy. And although most dry dog food snacks contain a high percent of the dog’s daily nutritional requirements, it should never be on his “menu” more than three times per week.
A good way to go around this problem is to buy from quality freeze dried dog food brands that combine raw diets with dry dog food ones. The BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw Food) diet for example, consists of all-raw, all-natural ingredients, simulating the way your dog would eat if he was still “out in the wild”.
If applied correctly, this diet will do wonders to your dog, but you might not hit the appropriate nutritional values that your dog requires. In this case, combining a BARF diet with a few meals of commercially prepared dog food, or supplements will patch up these dietary holes.
As Boxer dogs age, they can experience a number of common health problems. These can include arthritis, deafness, and cancer. It’s important to be aware of these potential issues and to work with your veterinarian to develop a treatment plan if your dog starts experiencing any health problems.
Like all dogs, boxers need a nutritious diet to stay healthy and active. There are many reasons why boxer dogs need glucosamine. The first reason is that glucosamine helps to build and maintain healthy cartilage.
This is important for boxers because they are prone to joint problems. Glucosamine can help to keep their joints healthy and pain free.
Another reason why glucosamine is important for boxers is because it helps to reduce inflammation. Boxers are often susceptible to injuries, and glucosamine can help to speed up the healing process. It can also help to reduce the amount of swelling that occurs after an injury.
Finally, glucosamine is important for boxers because it helps to improve their overall joint health. This can help to keep them active and healthy into old age.
If you are considering giving your boxer a glucosamine supplement, speak with your veterinarian. He or she can help recommend the best dog food with glucosamine on the market or which glucosamine supplement is right for your dog.
If your boxer is starting to experience health problems as they age, speak to your vet and ask for their recommendations on vet-approved dog food that they buy to feed their own dogs.
