A Filipino veterinarian urged pet owners to feed their dogs a healthy and balanced diet as this is crucial for their growth and development.
Dr. Saza Curaming, technical advisor of Mars Petcare Nutrition, said that dog ownership comes with greater responsibilities.
“Regardless of its life stage, a dog will need a pet owner’s regular attention and a healthy diet to develop appropriately. Good nutrition is as important to your dog’s health as it is to your own, but its nutritional needs are quite different,” she said in a statement.
Curaming added that equipping dogs with adequate nutrition should start from the moment of conception.
“It starts when the mom is pregnant as she can pass on the right nutrients to the puppies. Pregnant and nursing dogs need high-quality and nutrient-dense pet food, formulated for all life stages for growth,” she said.
The veterinarian emphasized that a “dog’s behavior can be determined by several factors like breed, socialization, environment, and its health.”
“Small breeds and larger breeds have different nutritional needs. [F]eeding your pet with nutritional food appropriate to their age and size helps it develop socialization skills and behaviors which aid in having a long and meaningful life,” she said.
The pet care services provider and pet food maker recently teamed up with the Animal Kingdom Foundation, Inc., a non-government animal welfare organization.
They launched an online pet education program called “Peptalk” as part of their “Better Cities for Pets” initiative, which aims to create pet-friendly communities for all dogs and cats.
Having a dog at home helps humans “have healthier physiologic responses to stress, lower levels of loneliness and isolation, and better overall heart health,” according to research by Waltham Petcare Science Institute.
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