FEEDING THE DOG 



8 



table scraps on the undesirable list. Pre- 

 pared foods are evenly balanced, scientifi- 

 cally prepared, easily gotten, easily car- 

 ried on a trip, quickly served, free from 

 quick spoiling, and above all, they are 

 cheaper in price than even the refuse at 

 the local butcher shop. 



"My dog has never eaten anything but 

 table scraps, and look at him — nale and 

 hearty," exclaims the dog owner (usually 

 of a mongrrel dog). True and not true. 

 Outwardly the dog may have every ap- 

 pearance of good health but inwardly have 

 there been built up the stamina, resist- 

 ance and hereditary virility so desirable? 



Basis of Valuing Dogr^s Diet 



A diet may contain all the various 

 food elements such as protein, carbo- 

 hydrates, fat, minerals and vitamins and 

 yet not be a desirable food. In other 

 words, the chemical analysis is not the 

 final basis. 



The nutritive value must be taken into 

 consideration. Just how much of the food 

 is assimilated into the system and how 

 much passes out thru the bowels as rough- 

 age and indigestible must be conbideved. 

 An advantage goes to the dog food that 

 produces hard stools ; ask any cleanup man. 



There is still another and important fac- 

 tor — the generation test. The diet particu- 

 larly for bitches, must produce lactation 

 (milk in breasts), growth, strenKth, and 

 above all, must add to the reproductive 

 ability of the bitch. This last mentioned 

 mast include easy whelping of fairly large 

 litters possessing stamina. Some diets may 

 fatten the bitch and build her up, yet not 

 furnish the necessary food value for the 

 puppies in the womb. 



A food fed exclusively to three or four 

 generations, each of which reproduces it- 

 self easily and vigorously, must be re- 

 garded as excellent. 



A BALANCED DIET FOR THE DOG 

 SHOULD BE CONSTITUTED APPROXI- 

 MATELY AS FOLLOWS: 70% CARBO- 

 DYDRATE (STARCHES), 22% PROTEIN, 

 5% FAT, 2.5% ASH, 0.5% FIBER. 



Meat is Chief in Canine Diet 



^ Biologically dogs are carnivorous but 

 like man, they are omnivorous ; environ- 

 ment greatly changes the diet. However, 

 meat has been the traditional food for 

 dogs ; the teeth and mouth of the dog are 

 designed for holding and tearing meat and 

 for crushing bones. 



The dog's digestive system anatomically 

 is especially suited to the digestion of meat. 

 Inexpensive cuts of beef are perhaps to 

 be preferred because they contain suet as 

 well as lean meat and suet is excellent 

 for teeth development. Also, suet tends 

 to create a healthy skin and the highly 

 desirable lustrous oily coat. 



MEAT in the ration of the matured dog 

 •hould be not less than one-half or one- 

 third of the meal, whether fed direct or 

 as in dry cereal or biscuit food, indirect. 

 The proportion of meat in the diet is 

 larger for puppies or growing dogs and 

 well can constitute two-thirds of their 

 ration. 



PORK is not desirable meat for the 

 regular diet but can be fed occasionally. 



VEAL, MUTTON, BEEF AND HORSE- 

 MEAT — all can be fed. There is no partic- 



ular preference except that the meat of 

 animals whose chief food is growing grass, 

 contains more of the essential minerals 

 and vitamins. 



On the whole, we believe that meat fed 

 in lumps is better digested than when 

 minced or ground, as the lumps stimulate 

 the flow of gastric juice. 



Meat should include not only the muscle 

 fiber but also glands, blood and tissues. 



The glandular and internal organs such 

 as the heart, pancreas, liver and kidnejrs 

 and the intestines themselves are rich in 

 vitamins. Dogs coming upon a carcass rel- 

 ish the stomach and its half digested 

 contents of grass and the like, because 

 it gives them certain mineral salts and 

 other elements lacking in their usual diet. 



Should meat be fed raw or cooked? I 

 think raw meat is liked better by the dog 

 and that it is preferable because none of 

 its values have been taken out of it by 

 cooking ; however, to kill germs in the 

 meat, it should be brazed or slightly 

 cooked. 



FRIED MEAT should never be fed to a 

 dog ; if cooked meats are fed, they should 

 be roasted, boiled or broiled. However, if 

 cooked meat is fed entirely, no harm will 

 result. 



FISH, of course, is included in proteins. 

 Do not hesitate to feed fish in order to 

 stimulate the appetite. Sialmon and cod 

 especially are recommended. Pish meal is 

 an excellent addition to the diet. 



SOFT-BOILED EGGS! are superior to 

 raw eggs when fed without other food. 

 Raw eggs should not be fed alone. For the 

 sick dog, for the dog that has poor ap- 

 petite, for the whelping matron, the 

 yolk of eggs and meat broth are a most 

 excellent diet. In case where dogs will 

 not eat, these should be forced down the 

 throat. 



LIVER is rich in most vitamins and can 

 be fed boiled at least once a week. 



Cow's trii>e, that is, the paunch, is nour- 

 ishing food for /puppies and grown dogs ; it 

 should be thoroly cooked. 



Milk, Cheese, Eggs 



Milk is excellent for dogs as it is for 

 humans. Cow's milk is one of the best 

 foods for puppies and grown dogs. Goat's 

 milk is especially nutritious, being rich 

 in iron, calcium, and phosphate, and eas- 

 ily digested and is recommended for pup- 

 pies and ailing dogs. Milk can be dis- 

 carded for grown dogs, however. 



Give the grown dog a drink of milk with 

 his light morning meal. Buttermilk and 

 sourmilk are excellent drinks and some- 

 what laxative. Evaporated milk and con- 

 densed milk are satisfactory as milk in its 

 natural state; evaporated milk is pre- 

 ferred to condensed milk. 



The feeding of milk does not cause worms 

 and the feeding of garlic may occasionally 

 drive out worms. 



Cottage cheese is excellent, in fact, few 

 other varieties of cheese can be rcom- 

 mended for the dog. Ice cream is a bene- 

 ficial food. 



Dogs like eggs but on the whole, eggs 

 are not desirable to any great extent; the 

 albumin or white, either raw or cooked, 

 is not easily digested ; raw, it is almost 

 indigestible. Dried whole eggs are excellent 



