Feeding your toy correctly!
Dry food for toy terriers currently on the market can be divided into three types. The first type includes dry food of the "economy" class, the second - the premium class, and the third - the super-premium class.
Food for toy terriers of the "economy" class, such as, for example, " Pedigree", has one big advantage over feeds of other classes - due to its low cost, it is accessible to everyone. In turn, super premium class ("Acana", "Innova", "Canidae", "Eagle Pack Holistik"", etc.) differs from its cheap analogues in its rather high price and no less high quality. Products of this class contain full complex substances necessary for proper development and growth of the dog, as well as a sufficient amount of various minerals, vitamins, probiotics. In addition, in the production of high-quality feed, no harmful preservatives or ingredients that can cause an allergic reaction in the animal are used.
Medium premium dry dog food is characterized by an affordable price and fairly acceptable quality. These include: "Eukanuba", "Pro Plan", "Royal Canine" and some others. If you choose food of this class for your toy terrier, then do not forget that this cannot be considered one hundred percent complete, so be sure to supplement it with a complex consisting of vitamins and minerals recommended by your dog. veterinarian.
What should a quality dog food contain?
When purchasing food for your pet, be sure to pay attention to its composition. It must contain the following components:
- from three to five (or more) types of foods that are sources of carbohydrates (for example, flaxseed, rolled oats, rice);
- from two to three (or a little more) names of products that are sources of protein (meat, fish, chicken);
- from three types of vegetables and fruits;
- mineral supplements;
- vitamin supplements;
- probiotics;
- enzymes.
All of the above ingredients must be components of any good food. In addition, there are substances and products that are not very useful and even harmful for the toy terrier, which should not be in the food. The "outcasts" include:
- preservatives,
- yeast,
- artificial flavoring additives,
- artificial flavors,
- cellulose,
- corn,
- wheat,
- maize.
Less protein, more probiotics!
It is important to remember that too high content protein in the feed may have Negative influence for your pet's health. The first symptom indicating that dog food manufacturers have gone overboard with adding protein components to it is dandruff that suddenly appears on your toy.
Another simple way to check your protein percentage is to take a urine test. If the percentage is much higher than normal, your veterinarian may advise you to purchase a diet food that contains less of it.
What does this strange word “probiotics” mean? Why does your dog even need them? In fact, probiotics are just bacteria, but not harmful, but on the contrary, beneficial. They help the body effectively digest food, absorb nutrients and other necessary substances, and also suppress. They also help to synthesize enzymes, minerals and vitamins, which, in turn, normalize metabolism through their participation in almost all processes, primarily, of course, such as the digestion of food and its subsequent excretion from the animal’s body.
The American Toy Terrier is a “pocket” dog whose weight does not exceed three kilograms. Although these are small animals, they must have a balanced diet. Now we'll talk about proper feeding, consider important features and find out what these kids can do and what they can’t.
What to feed your toy terrier: junk food
First, let’s highlight foods that should be completely excluded from your dog’s diet:
- minced fish, poultry and meat;
- sausages and frankfurters;
- sweets;
- legumes;
- White bread;
- pasta;
- smoked meats and spices;
- pork;
- salo;
- some oranges and grapes;
- potatoes and starchy vegetables;
- salt and salty foods.
What to feed a toy terrier: what is the frequency of feeding?
The number of meals depends on the age of the animal:
- From a month to two - 6 feedings per day.
- From two to three months - 5 feedings per day.
- From three to four months - 4 feedings per day.
- From four to ten months - 3 feedings per day.
- Over ten months - 2 feedings per day will be quite enough.
What to feed your Toy Terrier: important aspects nutrition
A balanced diet is a prerequisite for a dog's health. It should contain sufficient quantities of all useful elements: vitamins.
Let's consider, for example, the feeding scheme for a two-month-old American Toy Terrier puppy:
- Cottage cheese (diluted with kefir).
- Very finely chopped meat.
- Cottage cheese with kefir.
- Porridge (well boiled) or
- Meat + vegetables. Everything is finely chopped.
- Meat.
The toy terrier should be fed in equal portions at equal intervals, for example every four hours. To understand whether you are giving your baby enough food, feel his tummy. If the sides bulge, it means you have overfed the dog. In this case, you need to slightly reduce the serving size. Under no circumstances should you allow underfeeding!
Minerals and vitamins must be present in the puppy’s diet. As a rule, an adult toy terrier, like a puppy, has good appetite, so his food should be varied. Be sure to give your dog the following foods:
- meat;
- fruits and vegetables (apples, cucumbers, apricots, etc.);
- offal (liver and heart);
- lean sea fish;
- various cereals: rice and buckwheat;
- dairy products: cottage cheese and kefir; adult toy terriers should not be given milk, as they cannot digest lactose.
What to feed your toy terrier: homemade food or ready-made food?
To answer this question, you need to understand whether you can provide your dog with adequate nutrition. If yes, then you need to choose a feeding option based on your personal preferences. If not, then it is better to purchase ready-made food. You just need to remember that cheap food sold in supermarkets is not suitable, as they are made from low-quality products. It is advisable to choose a premium product. These are expensive balanced foods that are an excellent substitute for ready-made food. If you buy canned or ready-made dry food, then you won’t need to waste time preparing porridge or meat for your pet.
Now you know what to feed your toy terrier. With proper feeding, the animal can live a healthy, long life! Therefore, pay special attention to your animal’s diet!
This little one is often called a pocket one. And this is no coincidence, because the weight of this dog does not exceed 3 kg, and its height at the withers is no more than 28 cm. Toy terriers are divided into two categories - short-haired and long-haired. The color can be black or brown and tan, red, blue, fawn.
This is a very small and fragile dog. She eats very little - a few spoons of food are enough to keep such a pet full. However, it is important to know what to feed your Toy Terrier. After all, his diet should be balanced, containing everything essential vitamins and microelements. We will talk about this in this article.
What not to feed a terrier
Before talking about what to feed your toy terrier, I would like to say what needs to be excluded from his diet once and for all. A special feature of this breed is its thin and fragile bones. That is why this baby should not be overfed - it will be difficult for her legs to support the excess weight.
Dog handlers and veterinarians believe that any type of minced meat - poultry, fish, meat - is contraindicated for this miniature pet. Sweets, salty and spicy foods, raw sea and river fish, white bread, legumes, sausages and pasta are strictly prohibited.
What to feed a toy terrier at 2 months
Below you can see the approximate diet of a puppy at the age of eight weeks with six feedings a day:
- Cottage cheese diluted with kefir.
- Finely chopped meat (beef, veal).
- Milk porridge (well boiled).
- Boiled meat with vegetables.
- Boil the meat with 1/3 teaspoon of vegetable oil.
A puppy's very first food is mother's milk. As a rule, after the birth of a baby, the question does not arise: “What to feed a toy terrier puppy?” He usually stays with his mother for 2 months. Up to three weeks of age mother's milk This is quite enough, and then the puppies begin to be fed, giving them a pea of beef three times a day.
To do this, finely scrape the meat from the frozen piece and warm it to room temperature. In addition, at this time the baby should receive one ball of low-fat fresh cottage cheese. When we talk about what to feed a toy terrier puppy, it is important to remember that the puppy cannot be separated from its mother until it is two months old.
Feeding schedule and portions
During the daytime, it is necessary to maintain equal intervals between feedings. In the evening, the baby should be fed more tightly so that he can safely withstand the mandatory 8-hour night break.
How to determine the correct portion for such a baby? Watch him after eating. If your toy's sides begin to bulge, this means that you have overfed him. At the next feeding, reduce the amount of food and observe him again. Owners must understand that underfeeding is also unacceptable - the owner must receive everything necessary substances in full, this is necessary for the normal growth and development of the puppy.
Diet
For everyone who is interested in the question: “What to feed a toy terrier puppy?”, we have prepared a sample menu consisting of six feedings every four hours.
1 raw meat ball.
2 Cottage cheese diluted with milk or kefir.
3 Cottage cheese again.
4 Hercules, rice or buckwheat, well boiled.
5 Milk porridge.
6 Raw meat.
Basic rules for feeding a puppy
- Do not follow the puppy's lead and do not increase the portion of meat that he eats most readily - otherwise he will refuse other food.
- From two to five months, the puppy’s body is transferred to 4 and 5 meals a day; fruits and vegetable salads are introduced into the diet, which will not only provide the growing body with vitamins, but also help cleanse the intestines.
- From 5 months your pet can be switched to three meals a day, and after 9 months the puppy is fed twice a day using a diet adult dog, which we will talk about a little later.
Regularly feel the baby's back; if the ribs do not stick out, but are only felt when lightly pressed, the nutrition is correct. If they cannot be felt, then the nutritional intake should be reduced.
Industrial feed or natural products?
Another important question that concerns many owners: what to feed the toy terrier - industrial food (dry food, canned food) or home-made food?
It is quite difficult to answer this question unambiguously. If you follow the rules for preparing and feeding your baby, homemade food can be quite beneficial. Often, industrial food can harm your pet if it is of poor quality or expired.
If we talk about canned food, it is necessary to note the main complaints that experts most often voice about some economy-class food:
- the presence of low quality offal (instead of meat);
- replacing animal fats with vegetable ones;
- flavorings, taste improvers that do not contribute to the health of the toy.
Unfortunately, such foods are widely advertised in the media, they are displayed on the shelves of all stores and quite often have affordable price.
High-quality food should contain meat, animal fats, grains and be well balanced. This product is quite suitable for feeding a toy terrier. The advantage of these animals is their miniature size, due to which they eat little. Therefore, we advise you not to skimp on food and if you buy canned food, then only of excellent quality - premium or super premium in original packaging.
What to feed an adult toy terrier?
If you decide to feed your pet natural products, you must remember that it daily diet must be present:
- meat (raw veal, lamb or beef, boiled turkey or boneless chicken, boiled sea fish fillet);
- boiled eggs and offal (kidneys, heart, liver) no more than once a week;
- cereals (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, sometimes corn);
- boiled, stewed or fresh vegetables; you can dress this salad with a drop of vegetable oil;
- fruits (apples, bananas);
fermented milk products (kefir, low-fat cottage cheese, fermented baked milk). It is better not to give milk to adult animals to avoid stomach upset.
What should the portion be?
It is calculated this way - 50-80 grams of food per kilogram of dog weight for the whole day. The pet's lifestyle and age are taken into account. A young and active dog, as well as a lactating or pregnant bitch, needs more food than a sedentary and aging animal.
Basic rules for feeding a toy terrier
So, we figured out the question of what you can feed a toy terrier (puppy and adult animal). Every owner who wants their pet to be healthy and cheerful must remember simple rules.
You can feed your dog only freshly prepared food (if you choose natural products), uneaten food should not remain in the bowl.
The animal must have access to fresh water at any time of the day.
If your dog eats homemade food, minerals and vitamins should be included in the diet.
And one more rule. Don’t forget that such a little thing as a toy terrier is a canine, that is, it is a relative of the wolf. Therefore, 2/3 of the diet should be protein foods - meat, fish, offal, eggs.
As you can see, feeding a toy terrier is not difficult, but you need to approach this issue responsibly so as not to harm your pet. Usually the breeder provides detailed information about the puppy to the new owners, but if this does not happen, consult an additional veterinarian on this issue. In addition, it is necessary for a specialist to prescribe the necessary vitamins if you feed your baby natural products.
High-quality products and a properly formulated diet are very important for good care for the animal. Is it possible to feed a toy terrier vegetables and cereals or is it better to keep the dog on a meat diet? Let's take a closer look at how to properly feed a toy terrier so that the dog grows well and is healthy.
What to feed an adult toy terrier?
To avoid problems with the animal’s digestion, you must follow some rules. Here are some tips on how to properly feed your Toy Terrier:
- If you want to introduce your dog to a new food item, it should be done gradually. It is advisable to select the morning time of day for experiments and give a little at a time;
- Before you decide to feed your Toy Terrier only natural food, purchase vitamins at the pet store. But you should not buy drugs on the advice of friends; it is better to consult a specialist;
- Remember the importance of a varied menu for your dog. Food must be of high quality, contain plant substances, vitamins and proteins.
Here is an approximate list of what you can feed your toy terrier without fear:
- Meat food products. The dog is allowed no more than 60 g of meat per day. Offer your pet beef, beef offal, and chicken very carefully. Do not forget to scald the meat with boiling water before serving.
- Vegetables should make up about 20% of the dog's diet. It is acceptable to feed the animal cucumbers, tomatoes (but very carefully), carrots and sweet peppers. Beetroot is given as a laxative. Offer cabbage occasionally, but be careful, it causes increased gas formation.
- Porridge should make up about 30% of the dog's diet. Rice and buckwheat are suitable for your pet.
- Sometimes it's okay to give your dog a treat berries or fruits. But remember who exotic or rare fruits are under strict ban. Try giving some apricots, apples or pears.
- Than from fermented milk products can I feed a toy terrier? Feel free to give fermented baked milk, kefir or cottage cheese, but as for their quality, it is preferable to buy special milk for children, since the quality of these products is more reliable.
Based on all this, an approximate daily dog menu could be like this:
- In the morning, offer your pet rice or buckwheat porridge. It can be seasoned with kefir or fermented baked milk. Porridges can be mixed.
- For lunch, offer a vegetable salad and some fruit. Fill everything with oil.
- Lean meat with porridge for dinner. Porridges can be alternated or mixed.
What to feed a month old toy terrier?
Try not to adopt a dog under 1.5 months old. Ideally, the animal should have up to 6 meals every day, with approximately equal intervals between feedings. First give some finely chopped meat. Don't forget to scald it with boiling water. Later give cottage cheese with kefir. Repeat after a while. Next time, offer very well-cooked buckwheat or rice. The 5th feeding consists of milk porridge, and then offer meat again. Never give in to your dog's whims if he doesn't want to eat cereal or vegetables. If you give in, then in the future you will not be able to feed her anything except meat. Vegetables are very important for a puppy. They saturate the body with vitamins and act as cleaners.
What should you not feed your toy terrier?
Here is a list of those foods and dishes that should absolutely not be given to a dog:
The blood of a real hunter flows in the veins of this terrier: he is active, cunning, inquisitive and brave.
The miniature dog, although it received the nickname “toy”, is a completely natural predator.
For a dog owner, a living creature is an object of real care. Care requires patience, ingenuity and precision.
The dog's lively disposition, beautiful posture and well-groomed coat depend on how and what to feed the toy terrier.
The small size of the animal requires: daily norm nutrients, required by it, is 3.5 (+1.5)% of its mass.
If an adult baby weighs 1.2 kg, then the maximum dose of food should be sixty grams.
Feeding a puppy is a more thorough procedure: the portion is reduced and divided into single doses: from three to six - depending on age.
provoke serious disorders The organism of a small dog is simpler than that of a representative of a larger breed.
The level of requirements for the composition of the diet: what can be fed to a toy terrier and what cannot be fed is immeasurably higher.
An “extra” piece of sugar will not just help pamper your pet, but will cause him quite significant harm.
Fifteen grams of additional carbohydrates is feeding one-quarter of the total daily requirement.
Sweets, fatty pork, spiced foods, sausages and other gastronomic delicacies - this is an approximate list of what you should not feed your terrier.
The composition of the food may be monotonous, but in terms of content it must be complete.
The food must provide the dog’s body with all the ingredients: proteins (in everyday life – proteins), fatty acids, carbohydrates, fiber.
Each of these components is absorbed by the body differently.:
- proteins are both a stimulant and the material from which new cells are formed. They provide immune protection and ongoing vital functions;
- carbohydrates – energy raw materials;
- fats (lipids) – a source of vitamins and reserve fuel;
- fiber - an insoluble component of food - ensures the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
The terrier's diet needs to be balanced. Its exact composition depends on the time of year, the age of the dog, temperament, gender and a number of other factors.
For example: a younger dog requires a higher protein content, while an older dog needs fiber.
In certain periods, animal nutrition should be supplemented with enriching components: vitamins or minerals. Special attention devoted to feeding puppies.
In the first months of life, born toys experience several stresses associated with a change in diet: first, breeders separate them from their mother, and soon hand them over to new owners, who organize feeding in their own way.
The frequency of feeding puppies depends on age: in the first month, dogs are fed 6 times, in the second - 5, in the third - 4.
From the fourth to the tenth month, the number of meals is reduced to three. Young terriers, starting from the eleventh month, eat twice, then they are transferred to one or two meals a day.
Only born terriers do not need additional drinking: they receive all the necessary liquid from their mother.
The dog switches to more solid food at 1.5–2 months; During the same period, she should learn to drink from a bowl on her own.
The main dish in the diet of a 5-7 week old puppy is cottage cheese, boiled white meat, and egg yolk.
It is not worth replacing natural dairy products with baby formulas; if preparing food is difficult for the dog owner, it is better to switch to purchased puppy formulas.
At this stage, the dynamics of the toy’s weight are carefully monitored, his motor activity is analyzed, and deviations in digestion are observed.
If the composition has a whitish coating, a liquid consistency or a foamy structure, the menu is adjusted.
It is necessary to weigh your pet weekly, and check the results against standard tables.
It is advisable to maintain relationships with breeders and veterinarians - their consultation will save the dog and its owner from trouble.
The growth period lasts up to six months - until the teeth change.
Upon reaching seven to ten months, it becomes a juvenile.
Representatives of which the toy terrier belongs mature faster than service or user dogs.
In addition, the conditions in which they usually live are characterized by a stable climate, an even psychological climate, and the absence of physical overload.
The menu for adults is usually not very different from the children's diet - it contains slightly less protein by weight and more fiber and carbohydrates.
Terriers are given minced meat, white sea fish, cottage cheese, egg yolks, vegetables, soaked and boiled (up to five minutes) cereals. The food in the bowl should be:
- fresh,
- dosed,
- not cold and not hot.
For this reason, many owners switch their pets to industrial food formulations.
Their nutritional value is guaranteed by the manufacturer, nutritional characteristics are indicated on the labels.
There is only one “but”: the dog must constantly consume food from one manufacturer.
Video
In order to decide on your baby’s diet, you need to decide whether you will have time to constantly prepare food yourself. In this video, the author will consider all the pros and cons of feeding, both dry food and natural food.
