If you are getting a Border Collie, you should already know what you are going to feed it to keep it healthy and happy. Feeding a natural, raw diet is the best diet as it gives you control over what you are feeding to your Border Collie essentially based on feeding raw, meaty bones and food.
There is a lot of debate between this type of feeding and another way of feeding known as a Prey diet. People who feed a prey diet feed their Border Collie’s as closely as possible to the way they would eat in the wild....
Do some research on raw feeding your Border Collie and you will see the debate about whether dogs are omnivores or carnivores. I am not going to get into this here, but it is really interesting and it will help you to understand the principles of feeding so you can provide the best you can for your Border Collie.
What is important is that you feed your Border Collie a balanced diet. A raw diet includes raw meat, raw vegetables, raw, meaty bones, fish, muscle meats, fish, and dairy products such as eggs. Grain is not recommended as Border Collies find it difficult to digest and many are allergic to them. You can add supplements such as fish oil and kelp if you need them.
Border Collies can be prone to allergies so feeding a raw food diet can help you meet your Border Collies nutritional needs without inflaming any allergies. If your Border Collie’s allergies do flare up, then it is relatively simple to track it down if it is food-related as you have complete control of everything your Border Collie eats.
People who feed their Border Collie a balanced diet to their Border Collie may find that it reduces their visits to vet because their Border Collies are not fed food full of chemicals, additives, and who knows what else that affect many Border Collie’s health. Though overall we have noticed that most Border Collies seem to have a robust digestive system.
Many people do not know what vegetables are safe for their Border Collies. Do you know what vegetables you can safely feed to your Border Collie?
There are a lot of fruits and vegetables that are either poisonous to your Border Collie or your Border Collie just cannot digest very easily. Corn for instance will not harm your Border Collie, but it has no nutritional benefit as can be seen in your Border Collie’s faeces with whole pieces of corn in it. If your Border Collie is going to get no nutritional value from the food, then there is no point feeding it.
When feeding your Border Collie vegetables, put them through the food processor so they are in small chunks and easy for your Border Collie to eat and digest.
Vegetables that benefit your Border Collie include:
Vegetables that should never be given to your Border Collie:
Are you going to feed your Border Collie a raw or commercially processed diet? When you make this decision take into account your own needs and lifestyle. There is no point deciding to prepare your Border Collie’s diet from scratch everyday if you do not have time. You can prepare it at the weekend and freeze it meal size portions for the coming week.
If the raw food diet does not suit your lifestyle, then there are a lot of commercial foods available. Do you know how to choose the best commercial Border Collie food for your Border Collie? One indication is price. The cheaper it is the less likely it is to be very nutritious. Read the packing labels to find out whether it is good for your Border Collie or not.
With so many types of dog food available it is easy to get lost in the choices. Here are some things to look for when your buy your dog food:
Using this list, the advice of your breeder and vet, you can keep your Border Collie healthy and happy throughout all stages of its life.
Do dog food labels leave you confused? Are you finding it hard to work out what they mean so you can evaluate whether the food is suitable or not? Here is a breakdown of the information on pet food labels and what it means.
Pet food labels may have a statement of calories per kilogram of the product or it can be shown as calories per measure such as per can or cup.
Commercial pet food has two types of additives: nutritional (minerals, fats, and vitamins) and others.
Because your Border Collie’s system cannot tell the difference between natural or synthetic supplements, synthetic supplements are often added to the better quality foods. Here is a list of the other additives and what they mean:
Pet food labels will also include directions for feeding the product to your Border Collie. It will include how much to feed. Beware, directions for feeding on packaging is only a guide. Use some commonsense based on your Border Collie’s individual needs (weight, age, metabolism, etc) for the feeding amounts your Border Collie needs. If your Border Collie loses weight or puts it on, adjust the amount of food accordingly.
If you are not sure, get the advice of your vet.
Pet food manufacturers are obligated to make guarantees there are a certain level of nutrients included within each product. The following are mandatory inclusions on the label:
The word crude means as per analysed by a laboratory not what your Border Collie will absorb into its system. The product analysis is not a guide to the quality or nutritional value of the product.
All manufacturers must list the ingredients on the label and they are listed in descending order according to weight.
When your Border Collie is a puppy, what you feed it will dictate whether it grows into a happy, healthy Border Collie. It is really important to feed your Border Collie puppy correctly to help its growth and development.
Your Border Collie puppy’s bones, muscles, and entire system are growing at a rapid rate and it needs good nutrition to replace what the body uses in a very short time. A Border Collie puppy goes through this stage for up to 18 months where its:
For your Border Collie to develop in a healthy manner, it needs the right nutritional value in its diet including:
Tips for Feeding your Border Collie Puppy
Here are some tips to help you feed your Border Collie puppy:
How to Feed your Adult Border Collie
Once your Border Collie puppy is fully grown you will maintain your Border Collie’s healthy condition. You need to keep your Border Collie healthy and strong but you do not want a Border Collie that is overweight as you can cause many health problems for your Border Collie.
Border Collies that are not pregnant, nursing, or working hard do not have very high nutritional requirements. If your Border Collie is not competing in dog sports, training, or using high levels of energy you need to feed it a complete diet to keep its body in good proportions.
How you tell if your Border Collie is gaining weight is if it is losing its waist. A Border Collie in good condition has a waist behind its ribs and, when you run your hand along the ribs, you can just feel them with a light layer of fat covering them.
Tips for Feeding your Adult Border Collie
Choose a nutritional way to feed your Border Collie, whether you are using the raw feeding method or commercial food. It should be fairly straight forward, but you can always add a good quality, pure fish oil to your Border Collie’s daily diet.
If you are adding table scraps, then these should be factored in as part of the diet and feed less when given.
If your Border Collie is not very active or puts weight on easily, keep an eye out for any weight gain and adjust the amount you feed accordingly.
How much you feed your adult Border Collie dog depends on the individual Border Collie’s needs and your preference. Whether you feed your Border Collie once or twice day is up to you, but try to feed your Border Collie at the same time every day, after you eat. Make sure there is always fresh water available for your Border Collie to access whenever it wants.
Your Border Collie’s appetite can vary from time-to-time and is nothing to worry about, and is quite normal. If your Border Collie loses its appetite for more than a few days and it starts to lose weight or show signs of being ill, seek the advice of your vet.
Remember, if you want to change your Border Collie’s diet, do it gradually by reducing the amount of the old food and adding the new food. By doing this it reduces the likelihood of causing your Border Collie a tummy upset.
If your Border Collie is a couch potato and is not very active, it is easy to overfeed it. They are at high risk of becoming obese, which can cause more serious illnesses in your Border Collie.
Your Border Collie my be inactive for many reasons, but essentially they all have one thing in common, and that is they do not exercise and often have no interest in exercise. You will know if you have a Border Collie that is inactive. Here are some reasons why your Border Collie is not very active:
The obvious thing is to feed your inactive Border Collie the right amount of food to suit its activity level. If you find your Border Collie gaining weight and you are still feeding the same amount you always have, take a look at its activity and energy levels. It may be your Border Collie has slowed down and does not need the same amount of food as before. Here are some tips to try:
If you are not sure what to do, consult your vet about your Border Collie’s diet to get you back onto the right track.
Once your Border Collie reaches seven or more, it will enter its senior years. When your Border Collie reaches this part of its life, it may benefit a diet tailored to its specific needs.
Border Collies become senior when they reach the last 25 percent of their expected lifespan. You can tell when your Border Collie reaches this age when:
While these are the sign to watch out for in your older Border Collie, keep in mind these are also symptoms of other ailments that may need medical treatment. If you are not sure or worried about any of these symptoms in your Border Collie, consult your vet for treatment and advice.
If your Border Collie has reached its senior years, there are special commercial preparations formulated to meet your Border Collie’s needs. Your vet will advise you if your Border Collie will benefit from these senior dog foods.
Something you do need to watch out for is whether your Border Collie is gaining weight or not. As your Border Collie gets older it naturally slows down so it does not burn up the same level of energy as when it was younger. Very much like us. When we get older and our activity levels drop, we are in danger of becoming obese if we do not reduce our calorie intake. It is the same for your Border Collie.
Also, when they reach their senior years, your Border Collie may have trouble chewing on its raw meaty bones so change them to a chicken carcass with the fat removed. Or soften dry food with a little gravy to help make the food more palatable to your Border Collie.
The most important thing to remember is to feed each Border Collie according to its individual needs.
Elkana Border Collies