DON'T BE TEMPTED TO BULK UP YOUR DOG
Remember that building up a dog to peak health and condition can be time consuming. It is important to build up stamina and muscle tone as well as to increase the overall body weight. Controlled exercise is crucial, and lead exercise and swimming are preferable to free-running during the build-up period
Some dogs are naturally highly-strung or exuberant and it is especially difficult in such animals to keep weight on them, as they are burning off calories as fast as we can supply them. These dogs will obtain particular benefits from the frequent feeding of small regular meals in order to try to stabilise blood sugar levels, with the aim of avoiding energy peaks and troughs. Such dogs may also benefit from the antioxidants in the Arden Grange diets
Avoid artificial colourings, flavourings and preservatives . Treats and chews are the primary culprits, and many are laden with artificial additives to make them highly palatable. Many animals are very sensitive to such additives and they may cause a range of symptoms varying from gastric and skin disorders to behavioural disturbances. Arden Grange pet foods are preserved naturally with mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) and rosemary. Palatability is enhanced by the use of top quality raw ingredients,
Feed a diet that is suitable for the age and activity level of your dog. Puppies should be gradually changed over onto an adult formulation once their upward skeletal development is complete (i.e. when the pup has reached his optimum height). Even though the pup may continue to ‘grow into’ his adult shape over a longer period, the requirement for a growth diet generally ends once his adult height is achieved. Growth diets have a higher calorie density and increased levels of protein, calcium and phosphorous thus providing surplus nutrients if the dog is fed a growth diet beyond his natural growth span. In any dog, but particularly youngsters, surplus calories are not always laid down as fat. Many dogs will simply burn them off as extra energy, and this is often mistaken for ‘hyperactivity’. Other dogs may simply pass the excess food through the digestive tract in faeces. This may result in increased frequency of passing motions, increased stool volume and diarrhoea.
Seek veterinary advice if any medical problem is suspected Your vet must always be consulted if you suspect digestive disease. Your dog will usually suffer additional symptoms alongside his loss of weight and condition. These may include a dull and depressed demeanour, vomiting and / or chronic diarrhoea
•Make sure you feed your dog the correct daily allowance for his or her weight. You will be surprised at the amount of owners who estimate their dog’s weight, and also estimate the amount to feed. The scope for error is therefore very large, and can result in over or under-feeding by a significant quantity. The best method is to weigh your dog’s meals using kitchen scales. We also have measuring cups available free of charge upon request. Do not make any drastic changes to the feeding quantity – changes should always be implemented gradually. If your dog has always been used to a larger portion of food, then he will almost certainly end up feeling most put out if his allowance is dramatically reduced. Likewise, a dog who has been used to very small portions, will feel overly full and even be at risk from bloat, or at the very least, loose motions if the meal volume is increased suddenly.
Proteins, for example, should be of a high biological value – which means that they are easily broken down into the essential amino acids necessary for all the structural and metabolic functions within the body
What is worse is that those well-known brands of dog food on supermarket shelves often contain very poor quality ingredients (cereals, meat and animal derivatives) and to make the junk food palatable they add sugar, caramel, toxic e-numbers and colourings.
Just like children, dogs will be overenergetic and unable to concentrate if they are fed junk. Indeed, before you even try to train your dog or improve his behaviour, you need to be sure you are feeding good quality food. If he is barking, nervous or pulling on the lead, his food could be the cause. Your dog will simply not be able to concentrate on learning something new while he has toxic chemicals whizzing through his brain.
Dairy products (especially milk, fermented cheeses and yoghurt) should be avoided sincemany dogs are lactose intolerant, as their levels of lactase (responsible for the digestion of milk sugar) decreases with age
Many dogs love fish, but Arden Grange do not recommend the feeding of tinned fish such as tuna and mackerel. This is because it contains high levels of histamine which may provoke an allergic response
We feed our dogs on Arden Grange and have been feeding them Arden Grange for a few years now,our pups are feed this food aswell.Arden Grange is a family run business based just outside Brighton which has been producing Super Premium pet foods since 1996. Arden Grange is a nutritionally complete dry pet food range for cats and dogs. It is formulated by leading nutritionists to very high standards, so that it provides optimum nutrition for your cat or dog. All the products in our range contain either fresh chicken, grade 'A' chicken meal, fresh salmon or lamb meal as the primary protein source. All Arden Grange diets are free from wheat, beef, soya and dairy products. They also contain added prebiotics MOS and FOS, which promote the growth of friendly gut bacteria that in turn reduce the build up of harmful bowel flora. All Arden Grange products are free from artificial colourings, flavourings and preservatives and are naturally preserved using mixed tocopherols and rosemary extract. Our “Not Tested on Animals Guarantee” logo demonstrates our commitment to the welfare of animals. We have not and never will fund any invasive research projects conducted in relation to pet foods
Dog World's Top Dog competition has a new sponsor. At Crufts, Arden Grange announced that it will sponsor the competition for 2009, only the second sponsor in the competition's 35 year history
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!
Some owners notice changes in their dog’s behaviour when diet is changed. Human beings that eat poor diets are likely to be lethargic, and much the same can be applied to our canine friends. A dog previously fed a poor quality diet may become more energetic when a super premium pet food such as Arden Grange is consumed. This is because Arden Grange diets contain extremely high quality and digestible ingredients in order to provide optimal nutrition. Active dogs are far more likely to maintain a healthy weight than their couch potato counterparts and this vitality and exuberance should not be confused with hyperactivity. Inactive dogs are at risk from obesity and its associated health risks, including diabetes mellitus, degenerative joint disease and circulatory problems. Wouldn’t you rather share walks with a happy, healthy dog with a zest for life than time in the vet’s consulting room?Dietary Intolerance – Dietary intolerance should not be confused with a food allergy. A true food allergy is an immune mediated response to a protein source, and usually manifests in skin and / or digestive disorders. Whilst true food allergies are rare, intolerance to certain ingredients in a pet food may contribute to a dog exhibiting ‘hyperactive behaviour’. Food intolerance denotes an abnormal response to a food, which can result from an inability to digest an ingredient, or from pharmacological, metabolic or toxic reactions. Certain antioxidants / preservatives have been proven to contribute to learning difficulties and hyperactivity in humans. All Arden Grange pet foods are free from artificial colourings and flavourings, and only safe, natural preservatives (vitamin E and rosemary) are used. Protein as an Energy Source - It is possible that protein has been blamed for hyperactivity since if consumed in excess, it can be used as an energy source.
This only occurs however if an animal is in zero energy balance (i.e. it is consuming less energy than it is expending). If an animal consumes more energy than is expended, then the excess protein is metabolised to fat for energy storage in the body. In neither of these cases would the use of protein as an energy source cause excess energy / signs of apparent hyperactivity, since the protein is only utilised when the primary and secondary energy sources (carbohydrates and fat respectively) are depleted. In addition, all cats and dogs have the ability to metabolise excess protein which results in the production of urea and its excretion in the urine, and there is no conclusive evidence that protein intake contributes to the development of kidney dysfunction in healthy animals. Most of the studies from which evidence has previously been used were of rats and mice – which have a different digestion to that of the dog. Dietary Protein & Links to Aggression – Some inconclusive scientific studies have shown tenuous links between high ammonia concentrations in the blood and aggression. Ammonia is a nitrogen-containing waste product of protein metabolism, but in normal animals, the urogenital system will ensure that any waste is safely excreted from the body. Furthermore, animals fed a very high quality, digestible, concentrated protein source (as in Arden Grange diets) that is easily and efficiently metabolised are less likely to encounter problems than animals fed low quality, restricted rations. Conversely, some amino acid concentrations (e.g. Tryptophan) may even be helpful in managing dogs (alongside behavioural therapy) with dominance / territorial aggression. Arden Grange diets are all supplemented with Tryptophan.
Diet does have an important part to play in canine behaviour. A hungry dog may engage in ‘antisocial behaviours’ such as coprophagia (eating faeces), scavenging and exhibiting competitive behaviour towards other animals than may be present at feeding times.
The mechanical effects of timing and frequency of feeding, and the effects of full and empty stomachs on mood and activity levels affect dogs, just as they do us. Blood glucose levels and seratonin uptake may have a strong influence on mood and behaviour. In some cases, frustration with social or environmental circumstances are mistaken for hyperactivity. Arden Grange do not manufacture a low protein diet, because there are no biochemical or nutritional factors to support this. Protein is an essential nutrient that serves numerous functions in the body. Dietary proteins are broken down to form amino acids which support the body’s structural and functional demands (including muscle growth, tissue repair and immune function).
Many dog owners will make a pet food choice basing their judgement on the protein percentage on the packaging. Certainly, a fully grown dog has a lower nutritional requirement for protein than a growing puppy, and our formulations take this into account. What is important is not a percentage figure, but the actual amount of protein in grams per day that a dog consumes. You will find that in many cases, an alternative brand showing a lower protein percentage, will yield a higher actual protein intake since the feeding guide often will recommend a higher daily food allowance. This is especially true in diets that have a high proportion of carbohydrates (usually wheat or rice will be the primary ingredient). Arden Grange diets have been manufactured to provide the very best possible nutrition for our canine and feline friends, and we have not succumbed to marketing ploys that make our products appear to follow the current nutritional trends.
Arden Grange diets are produced in accordance with the European Pet Food Industry (Fediaf) Code of Practice for the Manufacture of Safe Pet Food. A dog’s protein requirements varies according to life stage, clinical health and activity level and every one of our products has been carefully developed to take each of these factors into account
