Feeding Your Havanese

Food Basics

Finding the best diet for your four legged friend requires a little trial and error as well as some knowledge of food basics.  The most essential nutrient for a dog is water.  Your dog must have clean, fresh water available at all times. 

If you ask your vet about what type of dog food to feed you will get three different opinions.  Commercial Dog Food,  Raw Dog Food and home cooked diets.

I tend to trust my vet's advice and feed a good commercial dog food, having tried the raw dog food (frozen) with mixed results.  I know that I don't have the time to home cook  and I would be worried about being able to consistently provide a balanced formula.  Considerable research is put into commercial-diet formulation and manufacturing standards continue to improve.

In choosing the type of commercial dog food, you may need to experiment to find out which best suits your companion. Make an educated selection, feed it to your dog, and see how he does.  Look at his stool - is it firm and moist?  Does he have a lot of stool, indicating he is passing a good deal of the food right through?  Is his skin free of dandruff and does his coat have a natural sheen?  Is he scratching quite a bit for no reason, indicating a food allergy?  How does your dog feel on the diet - does he have lots of energy?

The better commercial foods have different amounts of nutrients depending on the life stages of your pet.  Puppy food contains more fat and protein to meet the needs of growth.  Maintenance food for the adult can vary as to the level of fat, more active dogs - more fat and  less active dogs - less fat.  Senior diets typically have less fat because geriatric dogs are typically less active and have a tendency to gain weight, and also less protein as to be easier on aging kidneys.

Feeding

I believe that potty trained Havanese should have a bowl of dry feed, in addition to their water bowl, to nibble on free of choice throughout the day.  If there is dry food in the dish all day the older puppy will learn to pace himself and not become an overeater.

When he is a new pup, add a little water to the kibble to soften the feed and put a little cottage cheese to the side of the dish as well as some dry kibble.  As the pup eats less "wet feed" add more dry kibble, gradually replace the wet with only dry kibble.  A little cottage cheese then becomes a treat once in a while.  Dry food is better for the puppy's teeth and I prefer it as the puppy gets older.

Always keep the dishes clean and don't let wet food sit too long, take it away and mix it up fresh for the next meal.  Fresh water, at the least twice a day should be put down for your pet and the water dish should never be dry.

Dairy milk will cause loose stool as cow's milk is not at all like their mothers milk.  Cottage cheese is a good substitute.  Try not to feed the puppy before he travels with you in the car, if he becomes sick he may associate the sickness with the car and never become a good traveler.