DIET & MAINTENANCE
We all have jobs to do: some of us are svelte ballerinas, work-
ing the barre every morning. Some are thick loggers, tugging &
shifting heavy stumps, requiring lots of muscle to finish the
order.
Regardless of job description, sufficient caloric intake/expenditure is necessary
to keep our bodies balanced w/ adequate energy reserves.
BFII pups are gently weaned w/ cereal composed of dry kibble, soaked in
hot water (5-20 min), powdered puppy-lac, yogurt, & the
smallest amount of sour cream & cottage cheese. As growth
progresses, puppy lac, sour cream & cottage cheese are removed
from recipe, leaving yogurt in slightly crunchy kibble. Water & soak time is cut
back, allowing grinding teeth to do their job.
Momma permits babies to continue to suckle until 5-7 weeks, when her milk supply (& its' nutritional substance) is pretty well depleted & nesting together is more of emotional hunger, rather than nutritional gain. Pups become less interested in the "milk bar" & more interested in wrestling their littermates. Therefore, by the time pups seperate to go to their new homes, all facets of weaning (physical/emotional/mental) have evolved.
Weaning occurs naturally, some slower than others to leave the nest - usually there is no reason to interfere. Pups evolve in their own time frame.
Same w/ horses: nutritional gain via Momma's milk lasts long enough for the foal to learn to graze & digest adult forage.
During any weaning process, innoculations are given to support the youngsters' immune system, as well as wormers to destroy parasitic cycles in the intestines.
During early months/years, most energy is needed for sturdy growth. Babies require the greatest amount of space to roam, stretch their limbs & strengthen their bones. Therefore, diet and exercise for a youngster is different than whats required for an adult.
As a general rule, puppies are kept on growth formula until the age of 16-18 months. Annual booster shots are in their best interest.
Horses require Spring/Fall innoculations, including rabies.
Like human children, certain growth formulas may be too rich, providing excessive crazy energy & weight gain.
Not sure??? ---- ask your vet.
TREATS
Well, you say, what about treats?
Similar to humans, too many treats are not good for the digestive system.
Yes, they love them, but watch for signs the body is rebelling: tummy upsets, diarrhea, bloody stools, lethargy, vomiting, refusal to eat normal diet.
Whats good?
There are a multitude of commercial choices for dogs/horses - hard, chewy bone to clean the teeth are great for dogs, apple treats are tasty for horses.
CC's are partial to peanut butter, right from the jar. However, sometimes commercial peanut butter treats are not as popular (maybe stale?).
Fresh banana? Yum. Watch your fingers.
Mandarin oranges (canned) - drives CC's crazy! They will climb walls to get to mandarins.
Pineapple (canned) - another delectable delight. They can't get enough.
Apples - high on the list of favorites for both dogs and horses.
Carrots - loves by horses - only so-so for most dogs.
Fresh oranges - LOVED by both horses and dogs.
Yogurt - fruit or regular - tastes good & good for digestive system.
Green hard chew bones, designed to clean teeth are terrific. Beefy giant knuckles or femur bones - tastes good & wear tartar from teeth.
Bellissima Farms is not a vet center, but we love to share info among other pet lovers. Always consult your vet for bottom line medical advice.
What should be denied? Chocolate, grapes & raisins - bad, bad, BAD. AVOID! Serious health concerns.
