Mastiffs are a name that unites a large number of breeds, among which the most famous are the English, French and Tibetan varieties.
The Tibetan Mastiff is a large dog with thick long hair, a large head and a powerful body weighing about 70 kg.
Despite its appearance, the dog has a balanced and calm character. They are good with children and get along well with other animals.
It is better to keep such a dog in a private house or on the street. The main purpose of this breed is protection.
But for those who want to have such a watchman, you need to remember that his content will cost a pretty penny, since it is quite difficult to feed such a giant.
If the decision has already been made, then you should know how and what to eat for the Tibetan Mastiff.
Daily rate
Such a large dog needs quality nutrition enriched with enough vitamins and minerals. When kept in captivity, Tibetan mastiffs need good food to endure all weather conditions.
How many times a day to feed a dog depends on its age. Mastiff puppies are fed frequently, at least 4 times a day. After a year, dogs are transferred to two meals a day.
The amount of food consumed depends on the size of the dog, but should be at least 3% of the total weight. For example, with a weight of 70 kg, the daily amount of food should be 2. 1 kg. Given two meals a day, we get about a kilogram portion of food.
It is worth noting that when feeding a dog with ready-made food, the portion may be smaller. Super premium food already balanced and concentrated. The table on the best dog food storage container will help you calculate a single serving; it is present on any pack.
You can’t overfeed your dog. Obesity can develop, which in turn can cause joint problems or heart disease.
Dry dog food or natural food?
To unambiguous opinion, the better to feed the Tibetans, the breeders have not yet come. The only thing both sides agree that dogs cannot be fed with a mixed type of nutrition. With it, an excess of minerals or vitamins may appear in the body, which will adversely affect the health of the dog.
There are advantages in each option. When eating by natural products, you can be sure that the dog eats, that it will not receive harmful food or something spoiled. In addition, feeding natural products is cheaper.
The finished feeds have the following advantages:
- Saving time for cooking
- A balanced complex of vitamins and minerals already in the composition
- It is more convenient to feed
- A huge assortment for each breed and age
- Confidence in the quality of the product
As a result, only its owner chooses how to feed the dog. The main thing is that in both cases the quality of products does not suffer, otherwise the animal will suffer.
According to the veterinarian, it is better to feed the dog with natural food. It affects the work of the animal’s body more favorable, but at the same time you need to add vitamins to the diet. If it is still decided to feed with dry dog food, then you need to choose a premium class, which definitely does not contain unnecessary additives. It will be more expensive, but the dog’s health is worth it.
Pros and cons of natural food
Pros:
- Independent selection of products and their quality
- Lack of preservatives, emulsifiers and other additives in food
- In the presence of allergies it is easier to calculate the ingredient and replace it
- The presence of natural minerals in the diet – protein, fiber, carbohydrates and fats
- Happy and happy animal
Minuses:
- It is necessary to observe a clear balance of the diet, so that all the necessary minerals are present
- You need to add vitamin top dressing
- Takes a lot of time to cook
- With natural feeding, it is difficult to travel with a dog, as a place for cooking is required
List of permitted and prohibited products
With natural nutrition, the following products are allowed:
- Low-fat meat (veal, beef, lamb meat)
- Bird (chicken, turkey, quail)
- Ocean and sea fish (tilapia, tuna, polish, white fish)
- Dairy products (low-fat yogurts without additives, kefir, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese)
- Croats (rice, buckwheat). You can cook on water, meat and fish broths. You can make porridge from several cereals at once.
- Offal (liver, light, tongue, scar, chicken giblets). A portion is increased by one and a half to two times because they have a lower energy value than meat.
- Eggs. Chicken or quail. Give 1-2 times a week, in cheese or boiled form.
- Vegetables, fruits and herbs. Be sure to add to the dog’s diet. In fresh, boiled or stewed form, grated or in mashed potatoes. But do not give too sweet and juicy fruits.
- Bones. Only strong, non-tubular bones must be allowed to gnaw at the dog. They help remove the plaque from the teeth.
Forbidden products:
- Boiled, tubular and fish bones
- Fatty meat (pork, lamb)
- Acake and pasta
- Sweets and confectionery products
- Smoked meats and sausages
- Milk
- Paired, frozen meat
- Offals without heat treatment
- Raw fish
- Potatoes and tomatoes
- Spicy and salty food, Alishades
- Spoiled and sour products
- Sweet and juicy fruits, citrus fruits
- Cabbage, spinach, legumes – vegetables that cause fermentation in the intestines and flatulence
Never feed mastiff with food from the master table! This is the unsuitable food for the pet and develops the dog in a bad habit of begging.
Approximate menu for a week for mastiff
For each mastiff, the volume of the daily rate of food is calculated individually, depending on its weight. It should be at least 3% of the total weight of the animal.
The presented menu is designed for a dog weighing 70-80 kg for two-time feeding. That is, the total volume of 2100 g is divided into two portions of 1050 g.
best dog food for english mastiff puppies
| Products | Days of the week | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st day | 2nd day | 3rd day | 4th day | 5th day | 6th day | 7th day | |
| fish | — | 400 | — | — | — | 400 | — |
| raw meat, offal | 1000 | 600 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 600 | 1000 |
| Rice groats | — | 400 | — | — | — | — | 400 |
| buckwheat | 400 | — | 400 | 400 | 400 | 400 | — |
| dairy products | 100 | 100 | 150 | 100 | 100 | 150 | 100 |
| eggs | 100 | — | — | — | 100 | — | — |
| vegetables and fruits | 400 | 400 | 350 | 400 | 400 | 350 | 400 |
| Fat animal | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| salt | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Ready-made industrial feed
The most convenient and fast way of feeding dogs is ready-made dry dog food.
Many breeders choose this method of nutrition to their pets due to convenience and saving time.
In order to choose high quality food for the dog, you need to understand their huge assortment.
Advantages and disadvantages
Industrial feeds have their advantages and disadvantages that must be taken into account when choosing nutrition.
The advantages include:
- Time saving
- A wide range for any breeds and sizes
- Convenience, they can be taken with you on the road, give as an incentive
- Long shelf life
- Convenient dosage, the best dog food storage container indicates the daily normal feeding rate
- The presence of therapeutic and preventive feeds that veterinarians prescribe in the gastrointestinal tract disorders in animals and other various ailments
Ready-made industrial feeds already contain all the necessary minerals and vitamins. Additionally, the dog does not need to give anything, otherwise an excess of substances will appear, which can lead to various ailments of the animal.
The disadvantages include only the high cost of power. Since quality feed is produced only from natural products, their cost is appropriate. Also, addiction to dry feed and the dog will be difficult to accustom to natural food.
Ready-made feeds have a huge assortment for nutrition. You can choose food for a certain breed, for pregnant women, nursing dogs and newborn puppies, for active and sedentary animals, for small and large breeds, medical and preventive and dietary feeds.
They are also produced in several types: dry granular feeds, canned pastes and spiders. The only difference is that with constant feeding with soft food, the dog will form a plaque on the teeth and you will have to brush your teeth on your own. Dry dog food prevents the formation of stone and plaque.
Classes of feed
The quality of the finished feed is indicated by a certain category. The better the food, the higher its class and higher the content of natural products.
A variety of classes:
- Economy
- Premium
- Super premium
- Elite
- Holistic
Consumer class feed, that is, economy class, have a low cost, but their composition is appropriate. Low price appears due to poor-quality low-grade raw materials. In such feeds there are preservatives, dyes, taste supplements and other chemical additives. All these components negatively affect the digestive system of dogs and the state of the body as a whole.
Only the food “premium”, “super premium” and “elite-class” meet all the requirements of a high-quality nutrition of the animal. They have a completely balanced composition for proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and other necessary substances.
Holistic class feeds are designed for animals with a sensitive gastrointestinal tract.
When feeding with dry feeds, the dog should always be provided with free access to water. Water must be changed twice a day.
Popular brands
As mentioned above, it is better to feed the dog with feeds of the highest category. These feeds include the following manufacturers:
- Acana
- Flatazor
- Eukanuba
- 1st Choice
- Brit Care
- Dailydog
- Bosch
- Trainer
- Josera
- Monge
- Gina
- Nutram
- Optima Nova
When choosing a feed, you must carefully study the information on the back of the package, the composition and expiration date.
How to feed a puppy?
The number of feedings for a puppy depends on its age. In the first month of life, puppies eat only their mother’s milk in the amount they want. From the second month, you need to add vegetables, meat and cereals to the diet.
The first complementary foods can be started from the age of 3-4 weeks. Up to two and a half months, puppies are given special mixtures, mousses and pâtés. Food should be soft and mushy, a mixture with a temperature of 37-38 degrees.
From 3-3. 5 months, you can add minced chicken, boiled chicken, veal and turkey meat to puppies. You can also introduce fermented milk products: kefir, low-fat yoghurts without additives and low-fat cream. Puppies can be introduced to solid foods from the age of four months.
The number of feedings for puppies is as follows:
- Up to 2 months – 6 times a day
- From 2 to 3 months – 5 times a day
- From 3 to 4 months – 4 times a day
- From 4 to 6 months – 3 times a day
- After 6 months – 2 times a day
The puppy’s diet per day is divided equally by the number of times depending on age. The diet should contain 60% meat product, 30% cereals and 10% vitamins, vegetables, treats.
Feeding an adult dog
As noted above, an adult mastiff should eat 1 or 2 times a day. The daily norm is calculated individually for each dog and is 3% of the total body weight. An approximate weekly diet is shown in the table above.
Conclusion and Conclusions
Keeping a Tibetan mastiff is not a cheap pleasure, and these dogs eat a lot.
Feeding with natural food is considered healthier, but ready-made feeds in the modern world are not inferior in quality.
The health of a dog directly depends on its nutrition, so you should approach this moment responsibly. Whatever option you choose, the main thing is that the quality of the food is high.
