Jack Russell Diet
Jack Russell Diet
When it comes to a Jack Russell diet, there are many options available. Some foods are nutritious and well-balanced, while others don’t provide the protein and minerals your dog needs and may actually be harmful. There are three choices when it comes to your dog’s diet: commercial dog food-dry or canned, premium dog food, and homemade dog food.
Commercial Dog Food
Commercial dog food includes a wide variety of brands and flavors that you can buy at any grocery store. To keep the dog food prices low, by-products are used-basically anything that is not suitable for human consumption. The protein comes from the carcasses of cattle, poultry, fish, pigs and other animals. The fat in commercial dog food comes from the rendering plant and restaurant grease to name a few. Some commercial foods contain grains, but they are not completely digestible, making them more of a filler. Commercial dry dog food, which contains more chemical preservatives and dyes than the canned variety, can be stored for long periods of time, so freshness can be an issue as well as the consumption of all the chemicals.
Labeling on commercial dog foods can be very misleading. The food may be advertised as “beef flavored”, even if it contains no beef. If a label proclaims “with real turkey”, only 3% of the content needs to be turkey. Cost of production of commercial dog food stays low with the use of by-products instead of real meat.
Feeding amounts listed on commercial food are usually high, probably due to the fact that many of the ingredients are fillers or indigestible and of course, the manufacturers want you to continue to purchase more of their product. Many instructions recommend that you feed your dog once a day, which may cause irritation of the esophagus from acid in the stomach. Two smaller meals that the dog finishes are preferable to feeding only once a day.
If your budget requires that you feed your Jack Russell Terrier commercial dog food, it is recommended that you supplement it with meat and vegetables.
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Premium Dog Food
Premium dog food offers better ingredients, better digestibility, vitamins and antioxidants, and no artificial dyes for your Jack Russell diet. Premium dog food also recommends a much smaller serving size, since it is more efficiently digested, which means less poop! It is more nutritionally balanced and usually goes through extensive product testing. Some premium food is specially formulated for different breeds as well. These premium dog foods will be higher priced, but considering the importance of a healthy diet to the longevity of your beloved pet, makes the extra expense well worth it!
Homemade Dog Food or BARF
BARF, or Bones And Raw Food, is what your dog would eat in the wild. Serve your Jack Russell Terrier chopped, uncooked vegetables and meaty bones, also uncooked. Beef, chicken, turkey, lamb and fish are recommended meats. While costing you more time and money, the benefits of BARF to your dog include: less illness, shiny coat, clean teeth and high energy levels. Kidney, liver and heart are also recommended once a week. Try a variety of vegetables finely chopped, to see what your Jack Russell Terrier prefers. Some dogs also enjoy fruits and yogurt.
Foods That Can Poison Your Jack Russell Terrier
Jack Russell Terriers are inquisitive dogs and may beg for a bite off of your dinner plate. The problem is that there are foods that are harmless to humans that can wreak havoc on a dog. Try to refrain from feeding your dog from the table, no matter how much begging he does! Tablescraps can also make your dog overweight if given in addition to his dog food. The following foods should always be avoided:
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Chocolate can be poisonous to Jack Russell Terriers even in very small quantities!
Onions can act as a poison by affecting the balance of red blood cells.
Grapes and Raisins can cause kidney failure if ingested.
Ibuprofen is the second most common cause of dog poisoning and dogs may seek it out due to it’s odor.
Coffee can cause an elevated heart rate which may lead to seizures or GI tract difficulties.
Your Jack Russell diet should not include people food to be on the safe side. His diet should be fresh, nutritious, and well balanced.