Understand The Nutrient Content
Always do refer to the ingredients used in the various dog food brands to determine their nutrient content. You should know how many vitamins and minerals it has, including protein, carbs, and fats.
Proteins
Protein is not only essential to humans. Dogs also need protein to stay healthy and strong. Therefore, you should ensure that the food contains the right amount of protein that your Shih Tzu needs. These meats are good not only for Shih Tzus but also for other dogs, unlike the meal byproducts. So try to look for dog foods that are made with real meat.
Some of the most popular meats for dog foods are beef, fish, turkey, and chicken. As much as possible, avoid novel proteins, such as bison and venison since they are usually hypoallergenic. They are not suitable for dogs that have chicken allergies. Instead, opt for plant-based proteins, such as those derived from vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. Or you can consider getting limited ingredient dog foods, which are suitable for a dog with allergies.
Carbohydrates
Dog foods that are made of vegetables and whole-grain carbohydrates are the best choice for your pooch since they help with your pooch’s digestive system. However, too many carbs are also not good. Just like humans, dogs could get obese or overweight when they consume a lot of carbs.
An automatic dog food dispenser would come in very handy to regulate the amount of food that your pooch is taking.
Fats
It’s not enough that dog food contains fats. The source of fats must also be of good quality as well. Also, the ideal ratio of proteins to fats should be 2 grams to 1 gram. This is to ensure that your Shih Tzus will get the right amount of calories for their daily meals.
Being a small breed, a Shih Tzu is a perfect companion for bringing along for your bicycle or motorcycle rides.
Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are essential in ensuring healthy bones and teeth for your pooch. This is also important for the body’s metabolic systems. So when you choose any food for Shih Tzus, make sure that it contains the right amount of vitamins and minerals to keep your pooch healthy. These are usually derived from fruits and vegetables.
Supplementing your pooch with multivitamins can also be beneficial to their overall health.
Important Facts About Shih Tzu Puppies
You are lucky to have a Shih Tzu puppy because they are some of the most affectionate and friendliest breeds of dogs out there aside from the fact that they look adorable. However, these dogs tend to be territorial and they bark a lot as soon as they hear your doorbell ring.
When it comes to keeping their coat healthy, you need to do daily brushing. Furthermore, their hair must be trimmed regularly with a dog hair clipper, especially those that are near the eyes area. Remember that as they age, the color of their coat may change.
Training your pup can be a challenge at first since they are known for being stubborn. You may have to repeat commands several times during training. Therefore, you need to have the utmost patience if you want to own a Shih Tzu.
How To Properly Feed Your Shih Tzu?
Usually, dog foods will provide you with instructions regarding the feeding schedule of your Shih Tzu. But if you’re doubtful, you can always check with your vet. Usually, the number of daily calories that your Shih Tzu must consume will depend upon their level of activity, their age, their health condition, and their overall bone structure.
Changing The Dog’s Diet
When changing the diet of your Shih Tzu, you must do it gradually. This applies to other breeds of dogs as well. Consider combining old and new food and slowly increasing the amount of new food in seven days. But if you’re changing the dog’s diet due to health reasons, then make sure you follow the vet’s advice.
Ingredients To Avoid
There are certain ingredients in dog foods that are not suitable for your Shih Tzu so you have to avoid them at all costs.
Some of these include the following:
Beef
While beef is considered a good source of fats and protein, it could lead to intolerance. Furthermore, it’s not as digestible as other meat, such as lamb, turkey, or chicken. Studies also suggest that beef is among the most common causes of allergy among dogs.
Cereals
The reason why dog foods containing cereals must be avoided is that they don’t usually specify which particular grains are used for them. So if your Shih Tzu has an adverse reaction to grains, you won’t be able to easily identify what exactly triggered it.
Corn
This type of grain is the most common cause of intestinal problems among dogs since it’s usually a challenge for them to digest. Therefore, dog foods containing corn should be avoided as much as possible. An easy option will be to consider these grain-free dog foods instead.
Poultry By-Products
This is the part of poultry that humans don’t eat, such as intestines, lungs, hearts, and heads. While they are not bad for your Shih Tzus, they are not as nutritious as the other parts.
