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Akamai Registered Rottweilers
Feeding and Canine Health Well, there are so many different pet foods on the market, where does a person start when looking for the right food for your dog? This is something that I have spent a few years researching and trying new foods on my dogs (the poor things). There are a few things that I have learned over these years, and here are what they are:
Another option out there for those of us with strong stomachs is the BARF diet. BARF is the acronym for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, it can also mean Bones and Raw Food diet. It is a diet consisting of bones, meat, vegetables and fruit all served raw. Wolves don't cook their meat before eating it and there is really no reason for cooking for our dogs. The links below are some excellent feeding resources for both information and food comparisons.
One thing to also consider if you are thinking of feeding the BARF diet is the set up of your house. Part of the reason that it has taken so long for me to decide whether or not to switch has been the fact that in our previous house I had no area that was safe for feeding raw meats and chicken backs. When I say safe, I mean an area where if the dogs happen to pick up a chicken back and put it on the floor to gnaw on it, it would be okay as the kids wouldn't be right there. Now we have an area for the dogs that are eating the chicken backs which is away from our own eating area and easily sterilized (bleached) afterward. Which ever method of feeding your dogs you choose, just make sure that you do as much research as possible before hand. I can tell you from experience that jumping in to something with out doing the research can be a big mistake and changing your dogs from food to food can be very hard on them. When we finally decided to start the switch to raw, we did so knowing that the switch is going to be a long one. Our old girl, Jager, won't eat a lot of raw, and doesn't eat things like chicken backs and necks, so we will modify her diet accordingly. She is older and set in her ways, so I can make some concessions for her!! Having said all of this, here is what our dogs eat: In the mornings our dogs get the following;
In the evenings they get;
Chicken backs and/or necks (3 to 5 per dog), Jager gets 1 lb of ground chicken with bone in.
Once or twice a week, the dogs get a big, raw, meaty bone to chew on as well. This often will substitute a dinner meal, and is excellent for the teeth.
The truth of it all is that once you get into a routine with feeding raw, it is just as simple as feeding any other way. Yes, if you travel, you need to plan a little ahead, but it is simple to travel and feed raw as well. You will have the peace of mind knowing that you control exactly what is going in your dogs' bodies. That is worth it's weight in gold!!!
Here are some links to the kibbles which I would recommend:
Okay, so you have decided that you definitely HAVE to have that puppy, what now??? Well, one thing to think about is that a puppy is not a puppy for long, and soon you have an adult dog. Along with many adult dogs come different health issues. Another thing to think about is 'Did the breeder you were talking to mention what particular genetic diseases or other health concerns plague their particular breed?' If yes, then the information I am about to give you is old news. If no, well then have a seat, we have a lot to talk about. EVERY breed, no matter how big or small, purebred or mixed (many people seem to think that mixed breed are free of genetic disease because they are mixed), have some health issues that seem to crop up from time to time. No matter what someone might tell you, there is NO perfectly healthy breed. Same in humans, all of our families have something that seems to come up often, like cancer or heart disease. The first and smartest thing a person can do when initially researching breeders, is find out what particular health concerns plague their breed and what they do in the way of genetic testing their breeding stock. The genetic background of a puppy is so much more important than how big you think it might be when it is full grown. The Rottweiler is not immune to health issues either. In fact, they have been plagued by different types of genetic diseases over the years. Responsible breeders all over the world have been trying their hardest to eliminate these diseases from their lines. It is an almost impossible task, but good breeders know that breeding a healthy dog to another healthy dog is an excellent place to start. It doesn't always guarantee that all of the puppies in a resulting litter will be perfectly healthy, but at least the effort was made to ensure as good a quality of health as was possible. So, what do I mean when I say that the Rottweiler still has health issues? Well, hip dysplasia is the one most commonly heard of, but there is also elbow dysplasia, sub-aortic stenosis, cataracts, entropian (eyelids rolling inwards) and ectropian (eyelids rolling outwards), etc... These are all of the main genetic diseases that Rottweilers are prone to. These are the diseases that all responsible breeders need to screen for in ALL of their own breeding stock. Cancer is another awful disease that has been plaguing Rottweilers and other breeds as well. Another awful health issue that seems to plague large/giant, deep-chested breeds is a condition called Bloat or Gastric Torsion. Bloat is a far too common condition where the stomach swells from gas, fluid or both. Bloat becomes a medical emergency when the stomach distends and then twists or flips, causing torsion. Although dogs can survive bloat, often they do not as it is not caught in time. Once the stomach starts to turn, you are losing precious time. Bloat may be caused by over-eating, drinking large amounts of water after eating, and exercise after a meal or right before a meal. To help prevent bloat you can do several things like feed a few small meals a day, exercise about an hour before feeding, crating for at least an hour after eating, and watching your dogs' water intake. Also, feeding a raw diet without grains tends to help reduce the incidence of bloat. Although well cooked grains like rice or oats are fairly safe. The best defense is always a good offence. So, to make more clear what I am trying to get across here, I have compiled a list of great canine health resources. They make the diseases a little more understandable. British Veterinary Association Orthopedic Foundation for Animals Canine Eye Registration Foundation Canine Health Information Center Because some countries, like Canada (OVC) and the United States (OFA) for instance, have their own individual health registries, puppy buyers need to make themselves aware of what the different registries are and what they are for. I think the above links will help make some of the health questions a little more clear. Understanding the health issues of different breeds before visiting a breeder will help taper the type of questions that need to be asked of the breeders.
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