As a breed, the Labrador Retriever has been dubbed the “walking stomach”. If your Labrador refuses to eat, it is time to call your vet. Choose from commercial and home – prepared foods to meet dietary needs and personal tastes, but remember that you control what your dog eats, not the dog.
Canned Foods:
Moist, meaty canned foods come in a wide range of flavors and textures to satisfy your Labrador’s appetite. High in protein, they are usually mixed with dry dog meal to add calories and vital carbohydrates. Canned foods are nutritious and tasty, but will not stay fresh in the bowl for more than a few seconds. Crunchy dry meal is added to canned food to improve the texture, contribute fiber and fat, as well as exercise the jaws.
Complete Dry Foods:
Complete dry foods are well – balanced and convenient to store in bulk. Concentrated, they contain about four times the calories of canned foods, so a dog needs smaller quantities. There are varieties to suit all ages and for specific needs, including weight control or medical conditions such as bowel inflammation or impaired kidney function.
High - Energy:
Puppies require nutrient – rich, easily – digestible food to sustain growth.
Regular:
Adult formulas maintain mature dogs on a variety of activity levels.
Low – Calorie:
Older, overweight, or sedentary dogs need less energy from their food.
Teeth – Cleaning:
These large, crunchy chunks promote healthy gums and help control tartar.
Semi – Moist Foods:
These foods are packaged in many flavors, even cheese, and have three times the calories of canned foods. High carbohydrate content makes semi – moist foods unsuitable for diabetic dogs. Like dry foods, they can be left out all day to be eaten at leisure – although Labradors are rarely so picky!
Suitable Chews:
Labradors need large, hard chews to work their teeth and massage the gums. Avoid small chews that may be swallowed or sterilized bones which can break teeth.
Treats and Biscuits:
It is fun to give your dog snack foods, but remember that many are high in calories and can lead to obesity. Offer snacks as rewards, not on demand, and limit the amount given daily. The more your Labrador receives, the smaller its regular meals should be.
Table Foods:
In general, a diet that is well – balanced for us is also nourishing for canines. Never encourage begging by feeding scraps from the table, but prepare a special portion for your dog consisting of equal parts meat and vegetables, pasta, or rice. Avoid strong spices.
Light Meals:
Labradors enjoy routine and are content with the same food each day. However, an occasional change is fine as long as it is easily digested. Breakfast cereals and bred are good ingredients for a light meal.
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