Keep Your Dog in Tip Top Shape with These Coonhound Nutrition Tips

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Since coonhounds are hard working dogs and can literally hunt for hours on end, their nutrition is very important. You want to keep your coonhound in tip top shape so that she can perform well in pleasure hunts and in competitions.

You can keep you coon dog in excellent shape by following these coonhound nutrition tips.

Choose the Right Diet

When it comes to coonhounds, the basic fact is that they require a balanced diet consisting of all of the necessary nutrition components. However, some nutrients are required more than others and in different amounts.

  •  The first thing to consider is what the dog does. If a dog is active in hunting it will require more energy. This means that the diet has to contain a lot of carbohydrates and fats. If your coonhound is more laid back and usually stays home, you need to reduce fat levels in the diet to prevent an increase in weight.
  •  Commercial diets. Many people to tend to rely on commercial diets in feeding coonhounds. This is advantageous in that the feeding process is easy since the food is already prepared. You also get to give your dog food that is researched and approved by experts. It is however important to not completely depend on commercial foods. Some of the commercial foods are tainted or mixed with other low quality products that could lead to serious health concerns.

Here are some of the best options in commercial foods:

Diamond Naturals Dry Food for Adult Dogs, Extreme Athlete  is great for active dogs. It contains 32% protein and 25% fat. Hard working dogs need higher levels of protein to maintain their lean muscle mass. Protein  is also needed to maintain the vital organs and a healthy immune system.
Diamond Dry Adult Dog Food, Maintenance  is great for moderately active dogs. It is naturally preserved and chicken protein is the number one ingredient. This food also contains Omega Fatty Acids to keep your dogs skin and coat healthy.

Diamond Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food for Puppy contains Omega 3, is naturally preserved, and formulated to suit the needs of a puppy or and adult pregnant or lactating dog.

Homemade food. Giving your dog homemade food is probably the best option. This is because you get to decide what to feed the dog, hence removing any chance of low quality of tainted meals. When preparing homemade foods you should focus on providing a wholesome diet. It should consist of raw meat which is good for coonhounds. Raw meat and other raw foods are also easier to process than cooked ones. Despite its many benefits, homemade cooking can have its downsides too. For one you have to be ready to use a lot of time and effort in preparing the coonhound diet. Raw diets are also associated with various diseases such as worms.

Effects of wrong nutrition

Feeding a coonhound the wrong diet can have far reaching consequences. If fed an improper diet, the immune system becomes weak and the dog is exposed to diseases like cancer and premature aging.

A coonhound requires a lot of proteins for body and muscle build-up. It also requires a lot of fat to be burned for energy production. Lack of these two crucial dietary components may have severe health effects. Additionally, coonhounds require vitamins and supplements to keep their immune system active and alert.

Whatever you decide, the most important thing is to consult your vet. Your vet can help you decide what will be the best diet for your hound.