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Choosing your ridgeback's food is probably one of the most important things you must consider. What you may not know is that you never have to feed a puppy "puppy food". Most puppy formulas are way too high in protein and calcium. This can cause a ridgeback's legs to grow too fast and therefore cause damage to the tendons, muscles and bones of the legs. There are so many types and manufacturers on the market that the decisions can be mindboggling. So let's go over the different types and why some brands are better than others.
Dry food or kibble: Dry food is one of the most common types of dog food because it is available everywhere and storing it is fairly
easy. It doesn't need refrigeration and if you buy just enough for what your dog will eat in a certain amount of time,
it will not go stale. I feed my dogs dry food by Natural Balance. The ingredients are wholesome, grain-free and does not include any
animal by-products. It is rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 for a healthy coat. Another very good grain-free dry dog food is Fromm which is made right here in the midwest in Wisconsin. Read the ingredients
of the dry food and you should recognize all of the ingredients as foods you would eat. Never buy a food with corn meal and
other fillers. These corn meal-type dry foods are cheap in price but they can cost you more in vet bills by causing serious
problems in the health of your dog.
Canned food: Some people like to add canned food to their
dog's dry food to give it more flavor. This is very acceptable as long as you choose a brand that is wholesome just like
you would for dry food. Canned food will stick to the teeth of the dog so you may have to make sure to brush his teeth regularly
to prevent tartar from forming. Canned food is also higher in calories so you need to feed less to your ridgeback but this
may result in him not being satisfied and just wanting more.
Raw food: Many friends of mine feed their ridgebacks a raw food diet. This does not mean they feed their dogs off of the table.
Those that prepare the food from scratch follow a very strict guideline to make sure their dogs get all the proper nutrients.
For those who do not have the time to do the preparation of a raw diet, there are brands on the market that are dehydrated
raw food completely mixed and packaged. One of these brands is called The Honest Kitchen. It does not have to be refrigerated and is made with human-grade meats.
This kind of raw diet tends to be more expensive but many feel it is worth the price for their dogs.
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