Labrador Diets: Feed Them Well!

Food is what we live for, one way or another. And Labradors are a living embodiment. Their diet requirements play an important role in their growth and health. Since they are one of the most active breeds, it is even more important to be very particular in what you feed them. 

For Labradors, a diet with high protein, complex carbohydrates, and calories is advisable. If you are buying dog food, check the label for 25% protein, which also has components like beans, vegetables, peas, and whole grains, for complex carbohydrates..

Among all the options available in the market between different brands and different forms of food i.e. dry, wet, or raw; there are individual opinions as to what is best for the dog. That is why it’s always a good option to get small packets of each type of food, and observe yourself which one is suiting your dog the best, both according to its liking and its health.

However, if you want to give homemade food to your dog, here are a few options:

–Meat and eggs: Boiled or scrambled eggs, chicken, fish, mutton, pork

–Grains and Pulses: brown rice, boiled pulses, small portions of brown bread. Some dogs might be allergic to wheat. Otherwise, chapati is a good option too.

–Vegetables: carrots, broccoli, cucumber, ripe tomatoes, spinach, boiled and mashed potatoes. These must be boiled and cut into small chewable pieces.

–Dairy: buttermilk, curd. 

After this list of foods that are good for your Lab, comes a list of completely restricted food. There are certain food items that you must not let your dog eat at any cost. These are grapes, resins, apple seeds, garlic, onion, tea/coffee, chocolates. Certain dogs are lactose intolerant, so you should test your dog’s response with carton boiled milk before making it a part of your dog’s diet.

Now, once you have the food in place, the next thing to note is feeding your cute Labrador. At this point, it is important to take care of the portion size, and feeding time. 

-A two month old Labrador puppy should be fed four times a day, with 50-55 grams of food per meal. 

-A three month old puppy, should be fed three times a day, with 80-100 grams per meal

–Six month and older dogs can be fed twice a day, with 175-225 grams per meal

Make sure you space the meals adequately so that the dog gets appropriate time to digest them. You can fix the timing according to your routine, and then stick to it. (Tip: Use Sploot to set the reminders!)

Since they love food, they’ll certainly look at you with those pleading eyes for more, and this is where you have to be a better judge, and not overfeed them; because obesity due to overeating (and lack of exercise) is very common in Labs. So, make sure you feed them right! Not to forget, make them exercise right too!