Picture taken from www.puppydogweb.com
From the desk of Sharda Baker.
Hi and Welcome Everyone!
This is Sharda with another Basset Hound newsletter!
Now let’s discuss your Basset Hound dietary needs!
Each Purebred has its own set of needs and you should know your basset dog’s requirements.
His ancestors have passed on these needs. So feed him the correct amounts of nutrients that he requires.
The Basset Puppy needs several feeds a day. You should get a diet program from your breeder. He will be happy to pass it on to you.
Feed your Basset Puppy whatever was fed earlier and change to your diet very slowly. Nevertheless, it has to be a well-balanced diet.
Your puppy will eat more, even a high protein diet because he is growing.
HOW TO FEED YOUR BASSET HOUNDS
Offer your pup a meal by placing a bowl of it before him on the floor. If he does not eat it in 15 minutes, take it away. This will teach him not to be a fussy eater. Do not offer anything until the next feeding time.
BASSET HOUND TREATS
Give your pet healthy treats like carrots and celery. Get him used to these. You could if you want make them at home.
SOME POINTERS WHILE YOU FEED YOUR PET
Treats are not a meal. They mean extra calories, apart from those in the meal.
Hard dog biscuits are good because they do a world of good for your pet’s teeth.
Other treats like rawhide have mixed reviews. You need to check the quality, chemical levels and choking problems associated with them. Rawhide from some countries (USA and UK) is considered good because of better quality control.
WHAT YOUR BASSET PUPPY SHOULD EAT
Feed your pup a diet of dry food, meat, vegetables and rice. Add a calcium supplement to that.
Also, bear in mind that this breed loves dry food. While you indulge him with dry food, adding a little water to it will prevent him from choking.
Choose from a variety of foods for your Basset puppy—either dog food that is premium or regular, puppy chow, commercial or natural. Feed him by sticking to a schedule or feed him without one.
However, a schedule is better because housetraining becomes easier. You will know when he needs to poop. Secondly, if there is no schedule he could become fat or turn into a fussy eater.
Your Basset Puppy needs a good, nutritional diet. A puppy can be fed dog food at about 4 weeks. Whether it is canned or raw, he needs one with nutrients.
If you are feeding him a cooked diet, make sure all the nutrients are not lost. Choose premium quality dry food along with good canned food.
Some feel vitamin supplements are not needed if you give your dog a good branded dog food. Some brands overfeed your pet so take care.
The food you give him, as a puppy will mould his taste so give him the best. In terms of taste, odour and variety, give him the right food.
Besides, he loves fruits and vegetables too. Feed him these, as they are a safer alternative to most foods.
When you feed him chicken, pork or fish bones, take care to see that they don’t choke your pet’s throat and stomach.
In order to prevent any such harm to their pets, some Basset Hound owners prefer to give these up totally. If you do add vitamins, do not overdose him. Check with your vet.
If he doesn’t eat well during his first few days at your home don’t get unduly worried. This is probably because he is still missing his mates or his old environment.
If the problem doesn’t get solved, talk to your vet or breeder.
Another point to note is that you should ideally feed him in the same place. Never do this at the dining table since it encourages begging.
Your puppy will eat about two to four meals a day. This depends on his size and age. Adults can be given one feed or two in a day.
Basset Puppies need to eat more often per day.
As said earlier, your Basset Hound has a tendency to put on weight. This is usually an owner’s fault. So never let him eat too much. It is bad for his health.
If you are taking your puppy out of town, take some water too. Otherwise he may get diarrhea.
WATER
The most important and cheapest nutrient you can give your dog is water. Give him water in a bowl, preferably a stainless steel one, with a flat bottom.
An unbreakable, easy-to-clean one always helps. Make sure he drinks enough water everyday so make sure he can access it.
You should also supervise his drinking habits and the amount he drinks. See that he doesn’t drink water from toilet bowls as he might just catch disease.
To avoid this, cover the lid of the commode.
I hope that you learned something important in today’s newsletter
All the best and take care
Warmly,
Sharda Baker