A food that keeps your pet healthy and fit
A food that suits the age and activity level of your pet
A pet food that you can actually aford to buy!
Our pick of the best UK dog foods
Getting the right food for your dog can seem a bit daunting when there are so many dog food brands around on pet shop shelves, all offering you more or less the same thing - a fit and healthy pet!
But we know from human health that to a certain extent, what you put in is what you get out - or to put it more bluntly, if you feed yourself on a diet that's low on quality, then you're maybe going to suffer the consequences in the longterm.
We all want our pets to enjoy a full and healthy life as they share our family space, and yet we know from the statistics that so many cats and dogs particularly are less than 100% in terms of good health and vitality - be it allergies, weight problems or a variety of other ailments.
So is there anything you can do to help?
We've put together a five point plan which you might find helpful.
A lot of dog owners have problems getting their dogs to eat even a good quality complete dry food, and when you talk to them the reasons why often become clear.
But that doesn't mean that you have to keep changing food and alternating between wet and dry foods to try and get over the problem
Read more about avoiding your pet becoming a fussy eater
There's an awful lot of mis-information out there on the subject of tear staining (particularly in small white dog breeds) which can lead to the situation not being dealt with properly.
Some dogs seem more prone to this problem than others. Over generations of breeding, we have turned wolves into Bichons, poodles, Maltese and a wide range of breeds with shorter noses than their ancestors and a tendency for protruding eyes. These will naturally contribute to a narrowing and sometimes crooked tear ducts. There's not a lot that can be done for these dogs - we've bred them that way !
Read more about tear staining and how you can help to reduce it
Socialisation is one of the most important things you can do for your puppy. It’s all about letting them meet people and other animals, and letting them experience lots of everyday sights and sounds, especially in their first few weeks of life.
Socialisation has a big influence on the behaviour and temperament of your puppy that will affect their behaviour for the rest of their life. A well socialised puppy is more likely to grow up to be a friendly and outgoing dog. If socialisation isn’t done properly they’re more likely to be anxious and fearful as adults. Anxiety and fear are unpleasant feelings that reduce a dog’s quality of life. In addition, anxiety and fear cause problem behaviour, including aggression, so a lack of socialisation results in dogs being given to rehoming centres or even being put to sleep. Tragically, this happens to thousands of dogs every year.
Find out more about socialising your puppy