Nutrition & Care for Your Basset

Here I will write a bit about how we feed our dogs and puppies.  There are as many ways and opinions about feeding as there are people, but throughout the years of breeding and research,  I have found that this is what works for us. 

Bassets are a large breed.  They require some special attention when it comes to feeding and nutrition.  Proper nutrition plays a huge role in the proper growth and health of bassets, from proper development in puppies  to prevention of bloat and joint disorders in adults. There are a few major points on puppy feeding and nutrition that all large breed owners should be familiar with as they are crucial to proper growth and development:

Slow Down

Overfeeding a basset puppy  is a big no no!  There is a misconception that by feeding more, your puppy will grow to be a larger adult. genetics are genetics - your dog will grow to be the same size in the end, it's just a matter of how long it takes for them to get there and how healthy they are in the end.

Studies have shown that by feeding large breed puppies approx 25% less calories and by feeding the proper ratios of protein, fat, calcium and phosphorus (all slightly reduced levels compared to normal puppy food) you can greatly reduce, if not eliminate their chances of developing certain diseases such as HOD, OCD, Pano, and environmentally caused hip dysplasia.

When a basset puppy is fed more calories or foods with high levels of protein and fat (most experts agree that an average of 23% protein and 12% fat are the ideal levels) it can cause their bones to grow faster than their muscles, which can lead to the very painful and disfiguring diseases listed above. Proper feeding allows for more consistent, slower and proper growth.

NO regular puppy food

Typical puppy formulas contain too much fat and protein for large breeds and are not properly balanced for special needs of large breeds. Look for a good quality largebreed  formula. We feed  all of our dogs, and prefer  CANIDAE All life Stages Formula.  We also like holistic select,  innova large breed puppy and wellness large breed. You should watch your puppy carefully for any signs of irregular growth, including bowing or curving of the front legs or toes, swollen joints or legs, or hip or joint pain, and see your veterinarian promptly if you suspect problems.

How often to feed

Puppies from 7 weeks to 3 months should be fed three-four times per day. We like to feed three times a day up to 4 months. Studies show that more frequent feeding in smaller amounts can reduce the likelihood of developing bloat, so we feed smaller, more frequent meals throughout our dogs' life.

You are what you eat~

And so is your dog! Many commercial pet foods contain “junk food” ingredients. Salt, sugar, corn and by-products (the junk left over after the good meat is used elsewhere) are just as bad for your pet as they are for you. Its helpful to learn a bit about how to read and interpret the labels on dog foods. Poultry meal and poultry by-products are most definitely not the same ingredient. Any ingredient which is designated as "by-products" is most likely stuff like beaks, feathers and feet, basically unusable protein sources for dogs. Poultry meal means that the whole chicken has been utilized. Also protein levels can be misleading depending on the source of the protein. A dog food label can list 28% protein but if it's derived from leather dust, the dog will never be able to utilize it. The first ingredient listed on the label must be the highest percentage of the food. Therefore if you see poultry meal as the first ingredient, the chances are that it's a higher quality food. If grains make up the bulk of the first ingredients, beware, these are cheap fillers that will do your puppy/dog no good. 

 Especially during the crucial growth period, don't settle for a lesser quality food, always go for a super-premium large breed  food to give your pup the best chance at growing into a healthy adult. Most large  breed  formulas are balanced with the proper levels of protein, fat, calcium and phosphorus for these fast growing  breeds. We feed our puppies  CANIDAE All life Stages formula.  There are links to other premium brands at the bottom of the page.

DOG SOUP!

 Yes we cook for our dogs.  Every few days  I whip up a Large batch of what everyone around here calls dog soup.  I Start with a couple of lbs of Ground meat.  Usually venison, elk or Beef.  Sometimes I use ground turkey, pork or chicken.  To this I add a quart of Chicken Stock, several Diced carrots, sweet potatoes, Canned pumpkin and Misc other fruits/ vegetables.  They love broccoli, green beans, apples,  brussel Sprouts.. whatever I have available at the time.  all of the dogs get a cup or so of "dog soup" with their Kibble.  We feel the addition of fresh food can only add to thier overall well being and health... and it shows!   Some breeders recommend fresh raw bones and raw foods (BARF) as an alternative to processed foods. If you choose to go this route, make sure you consult a vet that is familiar with the special needs of large breed puppies to make sure you're feeding your puppy the correct ratio of ingredients. Although we don't feed exclusively raw foods, we do like to supplement with them. 

Healthy treats

As great as some super-premium foods are, they are still processed foods. We like to give our dogs healthy treats rather than packaged bones in order to add some fresh ingredients to their diets. Some of our daily  favorites are fresh goats milk, fresh eggs, raw  or boiled chicken, zucchini, carrots, plain yogurt, sweet potatoes (they love them raw) buttermilk,  broccoli, canned pumpkin, peas, apples, oatmeal,  bananas, and whatever is in the salad Im fixing for us!

Take care of their joints

We've had the most success keeping our bassets feeling good & playing like puppies well into adulthood by choosing foods with glucosamine and condroitin for healthy joints, and by choosing super-premium foods along with fresh whole foods.   We also add Fish oil to their daily regimen.  They are “cookies” around here!  Everyone lines up to get theirs.  Our dogs each get a 1000 Mg fish oil Capsule every day. 

Torsion/Bloat Prevention

This is a very serious matter.  It is important that you do your research and educate yourself about Torsion.  All Deep-chested breeds,  including the basset, are susceptible to bloat (or gastric torsion), a condition where the stomach fills with gas, twists, and kills the dog if untreated immediately.  Nutrition and feeding practices can  play a huge role in the prevention of bloat.  We are very firm believers in Probiotics.  All of the foods mentioned here contain added probiotics to their formulas.   Every day all of our dogs and puppies have 4 in 1 Probiotics from First Choice Naturals added to their meals.   We feel this is very important and highly recommend that all of our puppies stay on this product.