Feeding Dogs, Schedule, Diet and Routine

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Feeding dogs is not as simple as it used to be. With an almost unlimited selection of dog foods and people’s differing attitudes toward food, knowing how to feed a dog has become far more complicated!

There was a time when you could choose from a very limited selection of foods, and the only things you worried about were your dog’s weight and whether he had enough energy.

Feeding dogs like this beautiful Weimaraner requires making some decisions — People approach feeding dogs in different ways, depending on their lifestyles.

In recent years, we have been able to choose from canned, dried, semi-moist, gravy or non-gravy, non-gluten and meat or vegetarian.

You can even buy all natural dog foods, or dog foods for specific medical conditions, for your dog.

Choosing your dog’s food will depend on her age, her fitness and her health. If she has a condition like diabetes, she will require a special diet.

Weimaraner puppies need special large breed puppy food. And older Weimaraners also have special nutritional needs.

This article covers topics on:

What attracts your dog to food?
Best feeding schedules for Weimaraners
Specialty foods for dogs
Special equipment for feeding

A short summary will tell you what each article is about. Simply click on the link to continue reading about a topic.

What Attracts Your Dog to Food?

Your Dog’s Sense of Smell

With all the different varieties of food available, you might be wondering what dogs actually like.

Dogs do have taste buds like you, and they can detect flavors that are salty, sweet and sour. But the most important attractant for food is its smell. Your dog’s sense of smell is highly developed.

Studies with dogs have shown us that dogs do have some preferences for foods. For example, they prefer:

Canned meat over fresh
Meat over grains and cereal
Warm food over cold food
Cooked meat over raw meat

Continue reading about your dog’s sense of smell.

Feeding Schedules for Weimaraners

Puppy Feeding Schedule

Feeding your new puppy is a little more complicated than feeding an adult dog. Puppies need to eat more frequently and then, not too much later, they need to go outside.

Puppy feeding is closely linked to housetraining, so it’s important to get this right, in the beginning. Puppies who are placed on a regular schedule for eating and trips outside are house broken much faster than puppies on a more random schedule.

Of course, at some point, you’ll need to switch your puppy to an adult food, and you certainly don’t want to continue feeding him as frequently when he’s older. This article will give you some thoughts on that.

Continue reading about a Puppy Feeding Schedule here.

Adult Weimaraner Dog Feeding Schedule

Weimaraner on dog feeding schedule with alarm clock — hungry dog

As your dog gets older and becomes an adult, you’ll want to cut back on the number of times a day you feed him. If you don’t, feeding your dog will become a real inconvenience!

Especially if you work or you have to be away from your home frequently during the day, it would be best to eliminate the noon time meal.

Your dog will adjust, and he will get used to the new schedule.

Continue reading about a dog feeding schedule for adult dogs here.

Feeding on Demand for Weimaraners?

On the surface, it sounds pretty good. All you have to do is fill your dog’s bowl in the morning and leave the rest to your dog. He’ll eat when he’s hungry and stop when he’s full.

You don’t have to rush home to be in time for meals. Pretty simple.

But will it work for your Weimaraner? Before you get too excited about this simple way of feeding your dog, you’d better take a look at this article.

There are some strong reasons for considering this carefully before you plunge right in.

Specialty Foods for Dogs

What is the Best Diet for Puppies?

Your little puppy is going to need a special diet designed for large breed puppies. That’s because large breeds grow a lot faster than small breeds. One size does not fit all!

But feeding your puppy is a bit more complicated than just picking the right dog food.

You will need to transition her to adult food at the right time and you’ll need to adjust her feeing times, as well.

This article will guide you through the feeding issues and help you decide how to time things just right.

Gluten Free Dog Food

Of course you know that many people are now eating a gluten free diet. Gluten free foods are especially important if you have celiac disease.

But, do dogs get celiac disease? The Merck Manual for Pet Health is an authority on animal health, and they don’t even mention celiac disease for any animals, not just dogs. Animals don’t get celiac disease.

So why would you put your dog on a gluten free diet? Well, it does turn out that there are some reasons that it would be a good idea for some dogs.

But what about yours? You’ll have to decide if your dog is a candidate for a gluten free diet.

Continue reading about gluten free diets for dogs here.

Special Equipment for Feeding

Dog Bloat in Weimaraners

No, this isn’t in the wrong place. Weimaraners are the 3rd most likely dog breed to get dog bloat. It’s a real issue for the breed, and it can be prevented.

One of the problems with dogs who get bloat is that they eat too fast. Your dog is probably a good example of this.

Using a slow feed bowl is a major step in preventing bloat.

Feeding Dogs