Have you considered the possibility of introducing a Labrador in your family? Do you already know what are all the needs that you have to cover in order to take care of it and how to feed a Labrador? Believe it or not, the actions we take regarding the way we care for our dog will be marked for the rest of his life.
When we decide to adopt a dog, on the one hand, we should feel proud to know that we are providing a home to a soul by welcoming it as part of our family, but sometimes good will is not enough for us to be good masters or protectors.
Many people choose to introduce a Labrador to the family because these dogs can be easily educated and get along well with other animals. They are extremely protective, loving and talented animals. Labradors are the most appreciated dogs in the United States, especially because they very love, intelligent and very understanding.
However, letting ourselves be carried away by the beauty of an animal to want it as a pet is not always a good idea. We are not here to judge if you are the type of person who only wants a pet based on its pedigree or breed type. But we want to clarify that each type of dog is different, even between breed and breed and sometimes in the center of the variants of the same, the care that we must give it will be very different, and this also includes in the field of food.
It goes without saying that even the feeding of a puppy is very different from that of a young or an adult of the same species. Thus, the diet of a healthy dog also varies a lot, to the diet that we would give especially to a sick animal and to the type of diet that it should receive depending on its illness.
The way in which we feed our dog will define many characteristics of it, from the quality of its coat, the brightness of its eyes, to the health of its gums and teeth, going through other very serious things such as its physical activity, kidney health, digestive health, liver health, and overall quality of life. That is why we must pay special attention to what we feed our pets regardless of breed or species.
A dog that receives a poor diet that does not cover all its needs will possibly have a shorter lifespan than a dog that has a quality diet that is adapted to its needs. As we have mentioned before, every dog is different and Labradors are no exception. From the type of food that we have to give the dog, to the amount and times a day in which we are going to provide it, they will be determined by various factors that we must take into consideration in order to give the best possible quality of life to our pet.
That is why here we want to tell you in detail how to feed a Labrador retriever and what are the most common mistakes made by caregivers regarding their diet. This way you will know what type of food to avoid how often to give them and how is the best way to feed it. Do not wait any longer and read carefully what is described below. You will not regret it!
What do you need to feed a Labrador?
- Dry food for Labrador retrievers or homemade raw food
- Be consistent and careful
Instructions for feeding a Labrador
- Labradors are dogs that have a certain propensity to obesity, this is due to several factors; For starters, it’s clear that by nature they tend to put on more fat than muscle than other size-comparative species like the golden retriever. This is partly positive because it helps you resist weather changes as well as being able to swim more easily.
- However, they are dogs that require a lot of physical activity and when there is no balance between the physical activity that our dog performs and the type of food that we are providing him, this can affect his weight, either making our dog suffer from underweight or overweight, which is the most common when we are not providing adequate food to our pet.
- These dogs require a lower caloric amount than other breeds for the above reasons. Providing our Labrador with excess energy will not make our dog stronger nor will it help him stay in shape, we will only make our dog accumulate more fat than necessary and that can end up affecting his long-term health. Excess fat in a dog can even lead to liver problems and joint wear
- Having a correct diet can help you prevent premature wear of your joints, since these animals are extremely active and do not measure themselves when playing or being in action and this can cause their limbs to become fatigued. This is especially so because when these dogs are subjected to prolonged exercise, there is an increased risk of free radical damage and oxidative stress.
- Osteoarthritis and hip dysplasia are some of the most common problems of this type and can be promoted if the diet provided to the animal is not adequate. The dog’s vision can also be affected if you do not have the correct diet. These dogs have excellent eyesight and smell, much more acute than humans, and to protect them a good diet is necessary.
- In fact, by nature, Labradors produce natural oil that serves as a raincoat to protect their hair from water and their body from low temperatures. All this thanks to the secretions of its sebaceous glands. If we do not feed our Labrador well, we will not be able to cover his needs well and this will end up affecting his fur, since it requires good nutrition.
- As you can see, these animals are especially susceptible if they do not receive adequate food. Luckily for us, there are several quality brands on the market that can help you provide the best feed for your dog. There is even dog kibble made especially for Labradors.
- But if you find these brands too expensive or unaffordable for some reason. You can always ask your trusted veterinarian what foods you can supplement the feed with and give him a homemade diet. What is recommended for these animals is to consume the highest percentage of their meat and chicken food, especially raw, since this way they better assimilate the nutrients that these foods have to give them. But we must not get used to the idea that dogs do not need foods of plant origin, in fact, they are essential in their diet, especially for Labradors. Consuming 2% whole grains will provide fiber and energy to your little animal, so that it will have a more complete diet.
- Even these animals need low-sugar fruits and vegetables. Once or twice a week it would not be bad to give him a vegetable, as long as it is not potatoes, cassava or any of these that can increase weight in your dog. Vegetables will help you digest better. This is especially good if your dog is already an adult.
- But keep one thing in mind regarding age. The type of feed you are going to give your animal will depend on its weight, age and physical activity. For example, in older dogs that are already a bit sedentary, a food is needed that meets their needs but does not provide more than the necessary calories because we could promote excessive weight gain.
- The ideal in reality is to look for the specific feed for each age. Do not give adult kibble to a small dog, because you could stress his stomach and this can make him sick. Give him one that is special for small dogs. In young people the same, give them a feed that is for their age and for adults as well.
- What you can do to know how much food you should give him is to make a mathematical equation that will serve as a reference. We must do this like this: multiply the weight in kilograms of your dog × 1000, so you will get the grams of your dog’s weight. Then divide this measurement by 2%if your dog is of medium or low physical activity and by 3% if your dog is constantly physically active. This will give the result of the amount of food in grams that you should give your dog.
- To simplify it I will give you the following fictitious example and then you can adapt it to the real weight of your dog. Suppose I have a 20 kilo dog, the equation would be: 20 × 1000 = 20,000 (that is, my dog weighs 20,000 grams). 20,000 ÷ 2% = 1,000. This means that I must give my dog 1 kilo of croquettes a day.
- But this is not all or what we have to know. The number of times a day that we are going to feed our dog will also be very important. Puppies should eat up to five times a day with intervals of 3 to 4 hours, until they reach 3 months. When they are 3 to 6 months old, we can reduce the number of meals per day to four, also with intervals of 3 to 4 hours. When they turn 6 to 12 months, feedings should be limited to three every 5 to 4 hours. We can’t give him all the time because we could overeat him and risk colic as well as being overweight.
- As soon as our dog has already reached one year of age, we can feed him less frequently. Adult dogs can eat twice a day until they are older and unless there is a health problem that affects their feeding, they can generally continue to eat that way. But remember one thing. The equation we made dictates the amount of food your dog should get in the day; it’s not the portion of each food, so you have to divide that food into the portions of the whole day.
Tips for feeding a Labrador
- Also remember that your dog should always have clean, fresh water within reach at all times. Dogs, especially the Labrador type, because they are so active, are very prone to dehydration, which is why they must always have water available.
- You can use a schedule or alarms to guide you and know how often you have to give your dog or dogs, so it will be easier and you will not forget to give any food.
- Remember to always play with him to keep him active and happy as well as to control his weight.
