OkcPets Magazine May 2022

28 OKC Pets • May/June 2022 Canine Feeding Frenzy What You Should and Shouldn’t Do Story and photo by Travis Brorsen, Animal Planet ’s Pet Expert and Trainer A s a pet expert for Animal Planet and host of My Big Fat Pet Makeover , I am asked for feeding tips all the time: “How much food should I give my dog?” “How many times each day should I feed my dog?” “Can I just fill the bowl and let him have what he wants when he wants it?” The truth is, all dogs, families, and life- styles are different. Your family might like to travel. Being always on the go makes it hard to stick to a consistent schedule. Maybe you work from home and leave the house only for groceries and an evening walk. Those are all important factors when it comes to what is right for you. Despite the specifics of your daily routine and life- style, I can help by educating you on your choices and what to expect from them. What You Should Do Let’s start with what you should do when feeding your dog. Feed healthy food. This should be obvi- ous, but so many choices are on the market — dry kibble versus wet food, freshly made versus raw, etc. Here is what I tell my clients: First and foremost, start with what you can afford. You didn’t adopt a dog so you could break the bank. Second, the dog isn’t paying for the food. Without going into the good, the bad, and the ugly of different styles of food, my straightforward advice is to stick with kibble in the begin- ning. It’s simple and convenient. It offers all the nutrients your dog needs if you are feeding for the appropriate life stage and the food is labeled as being complete and balanced. Give the correct amount. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 55.8 percent of household dogs in the United States are classified as overweight or obese. There are multiple reasons for those results, but the main one is simply overfeeding and underexercising. The suggested feeding amounts on the backs of bags of dog food are simply a guideline, not one size fits all. Companies are in the business of selling dog food, remember that! Feeding time at your zoo involves several choices appropriate for your canines and your family’s lifestyle and schedule.