Feeding Your Beagle

But you know something? They were right — and not just when they applied their adages to you and your peers. Good nutrition is just as important to the Beagle body as it is to the human bod.

That said, good nutrition doesn’t always mean holding your nose and eating those veggies. And eating right certainly doesn’t preclude eating for fun. This chapter not only gives you the lowdown on what to feed your Beagle, but also tells you what you need to know to make eating a pleasure for your little hound — and a great training tool for you to use.

“Um,” you’re saying. “I don’t know beans about canine nutrition.” Not to worry. Here’s a primer on the nutrients that every Beagle needs to stay in tip-top condition:

In just a few short years, the food choices available to the discriminating  Beagle and her person have expanded exponentially. Justpick up a copy of a high-end dog magazine, such as The Bark (a great read for any dog-lover, by the way), and you’ll see a cornucopia of food options to buy from a store or online, not to mention a bunch of ideas for making your dog’s food yourself. Such an abundance of options can make you crazy, unless you have some basic info on your Beagle’s possible dining choices. Without further ado, here’s the scoop.

The vast majority of Beagle people and other dog owners prefer to have someone else create their dogs’ meals. Who can blame them? Most people are so busy these days that they don’t have time to cook their own dinners, much less their dogs’. Not to worry, though. Pet food manufacturers have created two basic types of chow for you to buy for your beloved Beagle.

If you’re looking for the ultimate in convenience and value, dry food is the way to go: Just pour, serve, and count your change. Often called kibble, dry food consists of baked pellets that are bite-sized or smaller. They’re derived from grains, meats, and sometimes vegetables, with supplements such as vitamins added. In addition to its ease of preparation, dry food generally is nutritionally complete, which means you don’t have to feed your Beagle anything else to keep her healthy. A Beagle whose daily fare consists of nothing but kibble also produces poop that’s easy to scoop, and she’s likely to have cleaner teeth than a dog that consumes softer fare. Need more advantages? How about the fact that kibble doesn’t need refrigeration and costs less than any other type of dog food.

Alas, however, no food is perfect — and for many dogs, kibble carries a big disadvantage: It’s relatively bland. Many dogs like to have some variety in their diets — and to such dogs, kibble may seem boringly, depressingly the same. More than one dog in my acquaintance has gone on a partial hunger strike after being subjected to too much kibble for too long a time. And face it, the most economical, nutrientpacked food is a total waste of money if your dog refuses to eat it.

If your Beagle turns up her nose at kibble, try giving her canned dog food. I’ll bet that as soon as you pour it into her dish and serve it, she’ll practically fall into the dish. Dogs everywhere generally prefer canned food to dry, because of canned food’s enticing aroma and better taste. It’s also just as easy to fix as dry food: Just pour and serve. But for all that ease of preparation and great taste, canned food does have some disadvantages. For one thing, it generally costs more than dry food does. Moreover, because canned food contains quite a bit of water, it delivers less nutrition than the equivalent quantity of kibble does. Other disadvantages: It’s got more calories, and thus is more likely to pack pounds onto your pooch; it’s too soft to scrape tartar from your dog’s teeth; it’s much more perishable than dry food; and it results in bigger, moister, harder-to-clean-up poop compared to the poop a kibble-eating Beagle produces.

You can be overwhelmed by the variety of dog foods at your local grocery or pet store. Some foods are vastly superior to others. But the uninformed consumer may struggle to distinguish between a truly good product and one that’s simply drowning in commercial hype. That’s where knowing how to read a dog food label comes in mighty handy.

Look at the list of ingredients. Are meats listed first? That means that the food contains more meat than anything else — and that’s a sign of good quality. Foods of lesser quality usually list grains first.

Check, too, to see what form the meat takes. If the label says “beef” or “chicken” or “aardvark” or some other meat, you’ve got a highquality food. If the label lists a meat byproduct without specifying what that byproduct is, you may be subjecting your Beagle to eating such unsavory products as chicken beaks — not exactly a great form of nutrition.

Look, too, for additives and preservatives, such as ethoxyquin, BHA, and BHT. The short story here: The fewer the better.

Are you a control freak? If so, instead of buying your Beagle’s food off the shelf, you may want to fix her food yourself. Being your dog’s personal chef gives you complete control over what goes into your dog’s tummy. Such control can go a long way toward helping you deal with any food allergies your Beagle may have or the rare problem of a Beagle who’s a picky eater. Even better, you could save yourself some money.

Still, the do-it-yourself option has a downside. For one thing, fixing your dog’s meals can be inconvenient and time-consuming. The inconvenience multiplies if you travel, whether your little hound accompanies you or stays in a kennel.

But the biggest disadvantage to DIY-feeding is that preparing a nutritionally balanced regimen for your dog is far from simple. To keep your Beagle at her very best, you need to make sure that her food contains the proper proportions of all the nutrients that she requires.

Tip

If you decide that the advantages of cooking your Beagle’s food outweigh the disadvantages, be sure to consult your veterinarian. He can help you devise a meal plan for your Beagle that keeps her not only healthy but happy. Consider, too, consulting a book such as Dog Health and Nutrition For Dummies, by M. Christine Zink (Wiley).

To BARF or not to BARF? Feeding a raw food diet

– Cleaner teeth

– Glossier coats

– An end to food allergies

– Infection-free ears (Full disclosure here: My own dog has enjoyed a near-total absence of ear infections since I put her on BARF two years ago.)

– Raw bones can cause internal injuries or choking.

– Raw foods increase the odds of contracting salmonella or other bacterial poisoning — either by the dog or by the person handling the food.

– A diet of raw food causes some dogs to develop chronic diarrhea or vomiting.

Warning!

A raw diet isn’t for every dog or for every owner. If the idea of handling raw food makes your stomach queasy, then bag the idea of BARF-ing without feeling any guilt. If your dog has a compromised immune system or a lot of chronic illnesses, a BARF diet probably isn’t a good choice.

Tip

Before you decide to do the BARF diet with your Beagle, consult some expert sources. A great book to start with is The Holistic Dog Book: Canine Care for the 21st Century by Denise Flaim (Howell Book House).

But is your chow of choice good for her?

– How does her poop look? Food that’s good for your dog is easy for her to digest — and the clearest indication of digestibility is small, compact stools. If your Beagle’s poop is big, bulky, soft, and/or stinky, she may be having trouble digesting the food you’re giving her. Try switching to another brand — but do so gradually (see “Making the switch” later in this chapter).

– Is she getting flaky? If your Beagle’s coat is littered with flakes, her food may be lacking vital fats. Consider switching to a food that has a higher fat content, or ask your veterinarian whether your Beagle needs a fatty acid supplement.

– Do her toots clear the room? If your Beagle’s gaseous emissions are frequent and/or make you want to keel over, her daily fare may have too many carbohydrates. A higher protein/lower carb regimen may reduce the flatulence and restore a fresh smell to your home.

– Is she porking out? A dog food that’s loaded with calories and fats will probably cause your little hound to lose her girlish figure. A switch to a low-calorie food — or smaller portions of what she’s currently eating — can help her regain her svelte shape.

A new take on table scraps Almost every dog care book exhorts the reader to refrain from feeding table scraps to her dog. But anyone who’s been subjected to the guilt trip that a dog can inflict (courtesy of those big, soulful eyes) knows that such restraint is almost impossible to sustain. Consequently, I offer a new take on table scraps: an approach that bows to reality. The short version of this approach is that it’s okay to feed your dog table scraps, within the bounds of good taste, your Beagle’s health, and simple common sense. The long version includes these tips for healthful, guilt-free sharing of your food with your Snoopy-dog: – Don’t be literal. Don’t dispense table scraps directly from the table unless you enjoy having your Beagle stare at you and your plate while you eat. (And even if you don’t mind, other members of your family — not to mention dinner guests — may take exception to the sight of Beagle begging.) Instead, wait until you and your family or friends have finished eating, and then place some carefully chosen leftovers into your dog’s dish. – Go bland. Limit those leftovers to foods that don’t contain a lot of spices or fats, both of which could cause your little hound to have a major digestive upset. Opt instead for veggies, fat-free meat, fish, or white-meat portions of chicken or turkey. And don’t feed cooked bones or gristle. Ingesting either can cause intestinal obstructions or pancreatitis, both of which can make your dog really sick. – Waste not, want not. Neither you nor your Beagle should consider the contents of the garbage can or any other waste receptacle a food source for her. Food from these locations quickly becomes laden with disease-causing germs and bacteria. In other words, after the scraps leave the literal table, they should be off the figurative table — permanently.

Making the switch

Getting the Skinny about Your Hound’s Pounds

Slimming the portly pooch

– Ask your vet for help. Your Beagle’s veterinarian can help you help your dog in two ways. First, he can see whether your Beagle’s extra inches result from a health problem such as those described in Chapter Dealing with Health Issues. Second, if he can rule out a health problem, he can help you develop a diet and exercise program that will help your dog slim down safely.

– Reduce portions. It’s simple: Dogs who weigh too much need to eat less. Your vet can tell you how far to cut back your Beagle’s rations. Your goal here is to help her take off weight, but not to starve her!

– Limit treats. Reducing your Beagle’s mealtime portions will be useless unless you also reduce the number of treats you give her. Don’t let your little hound have a snack attack!

– Give more meals. Make those reduced rations go further by dividing them up into three or more meals. That way, you’ll help your dog’s tummy stay fuller for a longer period of time. And don’t think that free feeding, or leaving large amounts of food out for your dog to dine on as she feels like it, is an acceptable alternative to feeding your Beagle three times a day. See the “Free feeding forbidden” sidebar for drawbacks on this practice.

– Add some fruits and veggies. A low-cal way to fill your dog’s tummy is to add some fruits and vegetables to her regular fare. Good stuff to try includes apples, carrots, frozen green beans, frozen Brussels sprouts, and frozen broccoli. Be careful not to feed too many of these items, though, or you’ll find that your dog will need to poop more often. Cut any fruits and vegetables into very small pieces or, better yet, run them through the blender so your Beagle can eat and digest them more easily.

– Get her moving. Exercise is as important for your Beagle as it is for you. Your dog’s small size makes it easy for you to give her extra exercise opportunities without tiring her out or taking too much of your own time. A couple of extra walks or longer-distance strolls can burn up extra calories; so can swimming. More info on great exercises and activities for Beagles is in Chapter Getting Physical: Exercising Your Beagle.

Picky, picky, picky

– Add something special. A diet that’s all kibble all the time may be nutritious, but for some dogs it’s also way too bland. Back in my less-enlightened dog-owning days, my dog went on a hunger strike after enduring an exclusively kibble diet for way too long. Adding canned dog food or nutritious table scraps — or even just pouring some warm water on the kibble to create a rich gravy — can lure your bored Beagle gourmand back to her dish.

– Make a change. Another way to combat gastronomic boredom is to change the food your Beagle’s been eating. Look for something that’s a little more flavorful than what you’ve been giving her, and gradually switch her from one food to another over several days.

– Add some variety. Some experts advise Beagle owners and other dog owners to refrain from varying their dogs’ menus. They contend that consistency keeps a dog healthy. However, consistency may also result in a dog who’s less than thrilled at mealtime. In my many years as an enthusiastic dog owner, and almost as many as a student of all things canine, I’ve concluded that many dogs enjoy variety in their meals, just like we do. Consequently, I rotate three or four different meats in my dog’s fare. You can do the same — and give your sweetie something to look forward to at mealtime.

Warning!

The suggestions here apply only to those Beagles whose pickiness is habitual and long-standing. If your usually ravenous Beagle suddenly loses interest in food for more than a meal or so, she could be seriously ill. Call your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Attending to Ambience

For example, some dogs prefer to eat alone, while others like to have the rest of their family around them. Some prefer to eat in one place, while others have such a strong need to be where the family is that you need to bring the dog’s dish to wherever the action is. In any case, catering to these preferences won’t spoil your Beagle. Instead, your thoughtfulness will help her eat more regularly (and thus, eliminate more regularly) and cut down on digestive troubles that unnecessary stress can trigger.

Free feeding forbidden The idea of leaving food out for your Snoopy-dog 24/7 may seem like a great idea — or, at the very least, a practice that would be really convenient for you. And if your dog is like most Beagles, she’d probably like nothing better than to have food at the ready instead of having to wait for you to feed her. But this is one case where the convenience for you and desirability for your Beagle of leaving food out all the time — a practice that experts call free feeding — don’t offset the downsides of this practice. Here’s why: – Free feeding = housetraining hassles. As Chapter Housetraining Your Beagle explains, a basic principle of teaching your Beagle basic bathroom manners is understanding that what goes into your dog eventually comes out. If you know when your Beagle’s been scarfing down food at one end of her body, you have a better chance of forecasting when that food will reappear at the other end. Such predictability helps you anticipate when your housetrainee needs a bathroom break, and you can get her outside before she has an accident. By contrast, free feeding makes it impossible for you to figure out when and how much your dog has eaten, which makes forecasting her need for pit stops equally problematic. – Free feeding = weaker bond. If your Beagle sees food in her dish all the time, she’s likely to forget who’s providing that food: you. Banning free feeding and turning daily meals into a twice-daily ritual reminds your dog that you are the source of all good things in her life. That understanding makes her likely to want to please you, which will strengthen your relationship with her. – Free feeding = lost clue. Still not convinced? Here’s another, potentially serious downside to free feeding: the loss of a vital indicator of your dog’s health status. The symptoms of many canine illnesses — including serious ailments, such as cancer — include a lack of appetite. If you feed your Beagle twice a day, you’ll see any changes in food intake immediately, and get her the help she needs right away. By contrast, keeping your Beagle’s bowl filled all the time may mask this vital sign of health and wellness, unless you’re keeping track of how often you’re filling the dish.

– Letting her eat in peace: When your dog is scarfing down her rations, don’t interrupt her — and don’t let anyone else do so, either. That includes not only human family members, but also animal family members, such as cats and other dogs.

– Forestalling food fights: If your Beagle is one of several animals in your family menagerie, feed each nonhuman member separately — either in different locations at the same time or at the same location but at different times. Such forethought will prevent the battles over food that almost always result when you attempt to feed all pets at the same time in the same place.

– Not rushing her meal: Good food is an even bigger pleasure for dogs than it is for people — for dogs, breakfast and dinner are among the high points of their day. So don’t be in a rush to pick up her dish; give your Beagle sufficient time — at least 15 minutes — to savor her daily fare. By doing so, you’ll reduce her chances of getting an upset stomach.

– Doing the dishes: Washing your dog’s dishes not only constitutes good hygiene, but also enhances your dog’s meal. In fact, many dogs refuse to eat food from a dirty dish. Can you blame them? Do for your Beagle what you would do for yourself: Give her clean dishes to dine from.

Treating Your Beagle Right

Selecting scrumptious snacks

– Fish-based treats, such as those available from high-end dog product Web sites, such as SitStay.com (www.sitstay.com).

– Fruits and veggies, such as tiny pieces of carrot, apple, and frozen vegetables.

– Meaty treats that you cook to reduce the fat content. Small hot dog pieces microwaved to a crisp smell like bacon — a heavenly smell to a Beagle. Those goodies will contain a lot less fat if you wrap them in a paper towel before you feed them to your dog. The paper towel will absorb much of the fat.

– Semi-moist dog foods, such as those that come in a tube, can make wonderful treats. They smell delicious to your Beagle, and that great smell can be a wonderful incentive for her to learn what you’re trying to teach her. These foods are full of calories, though, so feed in moderation — and scale back your Beagle’s regular fare.

– Commercial dog biscuits and treats are OK — if you feed them in moderation and if they don’t contain artificial colors or dyes. Those colors may catch your eye, but they do nothing good for your dog’s health and well-being.

Keeping calories under control

Tip

After your Beagle’s learned a new trick, command, or other maneuver, start cutting back on the number of treats you give her for obeying your command. Instead of rewarding her every time she complies, start rewarding her every other time, then every third time, and so on. Eventually, she should be satisfied with some lavish praise and petting as a reward for a job well done.

Avoiding Dangerous Dining

Warning!

Alas, your Beagle doesn’t necessarily have a clear sense of what’s good and what’s not so good for her to eat. She needs you, her knowledgeable human, to keep her away from those foods that could make her seriously ill, not to mention very uncomfortable. Here’s a sampling of food items that you need to keep your Beagle away from if you want to keep her healthy:

– Cooked bones: The big rib from that roast may smell wonderful to your Beagle, but the effect on her digestive tract could be decidedly unwonderful. Cooked bones splinter easily, which could result in small pieces of bone getting stuck anywhere in the digestive tract.

– Onions and garlic: We humans like these flavorful root veggies to flavor our foods, but they can be poisonous to our canine companions if used in raw form. Make sure that your Beagle doesn’t get any! Garlic powder is okay, though.

– Grapes: Another food that your Beagle needs to avoid; too many grapes are toxic to all breeds of dogs.

– Chocolate: I once lived with a dog who would have done anything to get a taste of mint chocolate liqueur, and most canines adore the scent of chocolate. But here, too, the siren smell of a food meant for humans is toxic to members of the canine race. Don’t let your Beagle anywhere near your Godivas — or any other brand.

Your Beagle’s Drinking Habits

And do make sure that your Beagle drinks only the water in her dish. Pond water, water in the toilet, and swimming pool water contain substances that could upset her tummy.

by Susan McCullough