Light feed is necessary to prevent health problems rather than for aesthetic reasons.
When a dog is overweight, the chances of developing diseases and health complications such as pain in the joints and spine, diseases such as diabetes, respiratory diseases and a series of ailments that are triggered if obesity progresses and eating and drinking habits increase. activity are maintained.
In this article we will talk about the main situations that may lead to the need to give light food to your dog.
Due to overweight
Overweight is one of the most common reasons why dogs are given light food. This occurs mainly due to an unbalanced diet and/or a much more sedentary lifestyle than the nature of your dog's breed demands.
To control your dog's overweight, you can look at a few indicators before having to go to the vet.
1. Look at your dog from above, you should distinguish the width of the rib part from the hip. The straighter the profile looks from above, the greater the sign that your pet may be overweight. Additionally, if you notice that your abdomen “hangs” more and more, it is time to make changes to your current habits.
2. Feel their ribs, ideally they should not be visible to the eye but you should be able to feel them by touch, enough to be able to count each one.
Here you can find more details to know if your dog is overweight .
It is important to emphasize that this reference may be more or less easy to identify depending on the amount of hair the dog has.
Control your weight in relation to the “ideal weight by breed” shown in different tables. The best way to control your dog's weight is with visits to the vet, you can take advantage of the ones required by vaccines and weigh him to see if there have been changes.
For a sedentary life
The demand for physical activity in dogs changes throughout their lives; the older they are, the calmer they tend to be and ask for less exercise.
Another reason may be times when their health condition prevents them from moving normally, such as an injury to their paws, or when they have recently been sterilized.
Finally, a sedentary lifestyle can also be caused by our pace of life; sometimes our way of life leaves us with few opportunities to take the walks that our dog needs.
In any case, if your dog starts to gain weight in addition to needing light food, he will have to change his lifestyle to be more active and be able to satisfy his basic needs.
In this article you can find some ideas to increase your dog's physical activity .
Characteristics of light feed
Light feed is, like normal feed, a dry food but seeks to have the lowest calorie levels along with a balanced nutrient composition.
This composition is essential for a healthy diet but between a light feed and a normal feed the main differences are found in:
- A greater amount of protein, which helps muscle development
- Food rich in fiber to promote digestion and nutrient absorption
- Low fat content
In addition to these characteristics, all light feeds have the rest of the essential nutrients for a healthy diet such as vitamins, minerals...
What is the best light feed?
There are many light feed options on the market. We recommend that you consult with an expert in canine nutrition about the main indicators that you should take care of depending on the condition of your furry friend.
But as a general rule, a high percentage of crude protein and low fat content (other than fatty acids, necessary for the dog's nutrition).
In our store you can find a wide variety of light food for your dog .
