Making changes

Background
I purchased my dog Tabasco, a Curly Coated Retriever, from a breeder when he was ten weeks old.  He will be three years old in April 2011.

The breeder provided a ‘puppy instruction manual’ which detailed their recommendations for dog food and other dietary needs.  As a small puppy, Tabasco and his littermates were fed on Pedigree Advance, and as they grew they were fed on Royal Canin Babydog and later, Royal Canin Medium Junior.

I wanted to make sure that Tabasco was given the best quality food during his important growing period.  The growing period is said to be ‘the most important stage in a dog’s life.  It determines both the character of the future adult and also its shape and a well-proportioned look.’(1) Therefore, in order to develop into a healthy adult dog, a puppy needs a diet that provides him with the correct nutritional requirements, which takes into account his pattern of growth.  

For large breed puppies the growth period lasts from 15 to 18 months, with a weight increase of 70 to 90-fold from birth.  This is a long period of time, and a puppy should be given food that provides him with the appropriate energy source, with a moderate fat content to aid bone and muscle formation, but without excessive weight gain.

My vet confirmed with my breeder’s recommendation that Royal Canin products were indeed very good quality.  I therefore decided to continue to feed Tabasco on Royal Canin Maxi Junior and moved onto Royal Canin Maxi Adult at the appropriate age (18 months old - end of the growing period).

Tabasco was quite picky with his food as a puppy and adolescent, and I would often have to lace the dry food with a bit of smelly cat food or wet puppy food in order to encourage him to eat his meals.  I gradually reduced the quantity of the ‘topping’ until he accepted the dry food completely.

Making changes
When Tabasco was about 18 months old he was diagnosed with a relatively serious heart problem.  Because of this illness, I need to make sure that Tabasco isn’t overfed or over-exercised.

I decided that it would be sensible to move him over to a dry food which contained less protein, as his reduced exercise regime would mean he wouldn’t ‘burn-off’ all his food energy as quickly.  In addition, Tabasco is by himself when I am at work, so during that time he is usually asleep, and therefore he doesn’t require unnecessary protein.  

Burns was recommended to me by a dog trainer as an excellent quality dry food. I experimented by giving Tabasco a small amount of the Burns Fish & Brown Rice variety, which he thoroughly relished.  Compared to Royal Canin Adult Maxi which has 26% protein, Burns Fish & Brown Rice Adult has only 18.5% protein.

The Fish & Brown Rice variety is quite smelly, which Tabasco finds attractive.  It also contains fish oil, which is good for his coat.

I therefore decided that I would change Tabasco’s diet from Royal Canin to Burns.  The change over to the Burns product was made as recommended by the manufacturer (gradually over a 5-10 day period), and Tabasco has not looked back since.  Breakfast and dinner is now devoured wholeheartedly, without the need for any enticement.

Apart from breakfast and dinner, I try not to feed Tabasco too many other ‘treats’.  During our training sessions, I usually reward him with a portion of his daily allowance.  Of course, as part of his genetic pre-programming(2), Tabsaco is certain that he always needs to eat as much as possible, every minute of every day!

Just before he was two years old I had Tabasco castrated.  To avoid any weight gain due to his body’s metabolic changes, his daily food intake was reduced (by 25%), as recommended by my vet.  

I also stopped giving him Pedigree Dentastix for his dental health.  Whilst useful for controlling plaque and helping with keeping his teeth clean, Dentastix are calorific. I instead use a product called ProDen Plaque Off, which contains only specially selected seaweed.

Ongoing requirements
Tabasco visits the cardiologist on a regular basis, so that his heart condition can be monitored.  His weight is taken at each visit.  In between visits to the cardiologist, I also have him weighed at my local vets.  I am careful to ensure that his weight does not wander above about 48kg.  If it does, I will adjust down his daily food intake as necessary.

I will continue to give Tabasco Burn Fish & Brown Rice for the foreseeable future.


Works Cited
(1) Royal Canin Puppy Guide, ch.3, p.13 (no author, publication date)
(2) The Dog’s Mind, ch.9, p.138 (Fogel, Bruce 1990)

Bibliography
Puppies For Dummies (Hodgson, Sarah 2006)
Royal Canin Puppy Guide (no author, publication date)
The Dog’s Mind (Fogel, Bruce 1990)
The Kennel Club Puppy Handbook (2007)