Food for a Miniature Schnauzer
Miniature schnauzers are a small German breed that has a short body with a lot of length, and wiry hair all over, with large tufts that hang from its long snout. If you have a miniature schnauzer, you should know the proper food it needs in order to keep it healthy and happy. If you're thinking about purchasing a miniature schnauzer, then that's all the more reason to learn exactly what these little dogs need to keep them going.
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Store Bought vs Homemade
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When feeding your schnauzer decide whether you will opt for store bought food, or homemade. Store bought food is easy to purchase, but many store bought foods are high in fat and fillers that carry no nutrition. With homemade you control what goes into your schnauzer's body and ensure they are getting the right amount of nutrition, but some find it time consuming. In the end, homemade food is always the best option because you don't have to worry about harmful ingredients, but there are store bought foods you can try that are a little pricier, but worth it for the health of your schnauzer.
Homemade Food
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Making homemade dog food doesn't always have to be time consuming, instead of cooking a meal for your dog at every feeding, you can cook a large amount and freeze it, then thaw at meal time. When making homemade you need to insure you include protein, vitamins, healthy fatty acids, and of course carbohydrates and fiber to give your pup energy. Just remember, you want a meal that incorporates 30 percent carbohydrates, like brown rice or pasta, 30 percent protein like beef or turkey, and 20 percent vegetables, such as peas, broccoli, or carrots.
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Store Bought Food
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If you are going for store bought food for your schnauzer, the main thing you need to know is how to read the labels for harmful ingredients. Harmful ingredients can include corn, soy, flour, chemical preservatives, such as BHA and ethoxyquin, and animal by products which are meant to seem like a source of protein, but are merely masquerading as one. Watch for these ingredients when reading the label and always make sure the food is labeled organic and USDA approved. You can also head to your local pet store and ask an employee for help, or you may have an organic pet store nearby that makes their food locally, with quality ingredients.
Bad Foods
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You should also learn what foods to never feed your schnauzer. Avoid acidic veggies like onions or garlic, generally all fruits, chocolate, fruit pits and cores, bologna or other lunch meats, alcohol, and basically any beverage other than water. Again, you should also avoid cheap, processed dog foods because they not only have unhealthy additives, but are high in fat. Since schnauzers have a tendency to become obese, you should generally avoid any high fat foods for your dog. Schnauzers also have tendencies towards stomach problems, which is why you should only feed them the appropriate healthy dog food and never overfeed them.
Portions
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Knowing portion control with a miniature schnauzer is important because, again they have tendencies to gain weight rapidly and can quickly become overweight. Typically, feed a puppy miniature schnauzer ¼ cup of dry food, mixed with water or wet food, about three times a day. As they grow you can adjust this to about 1/3 a cup in the morning and ½ a cup for dinner, say at about 6 months.
Veterinarian Help
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Always talk with your veterinarian about your miniature schnauzer's diet, as each miniature schnauzer is different. Your schnauzer may have certain health problems that require him or her to eat very specific foods, or a special amount. If you make homemade food, you should also inform your vet of the recipes you are using, as they can tell you if any adjustments are needed to further contribute to a healthy miniature schnauzer.
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References
- Photo Credit Schnauzer image by Stana from Fotolia.com
