Healthy Eating During the Holidays

The holidays can be hard for humans trying to maintain a healthy weight, with so much good food and sugary treats around. Healthy eating can be hard for dogs too. Uncle Stew may be a bit too generous with the leftover turkey. Grandma loves to give the dogs “just a tiny taste” of the cheese bread. More people around the house means more people to give the dog a treat.

Just as Petcurean Senior Nutritionist Dr. Jennifer Adolphe shared with us, keeping our dogs at a healthy weight is very important for their longevity and overall wellbeing. Here are five ways to stay vigilant this holiday season and keep your dog from gaining that festive five (or ten!)

• Stick to the “10% Rule.” As this video from Petcurean explains, treats should make up no more than 10% of your dogs daily food intake.

• Ask your family and friends to help keep your pet from eating too much. Explain to everyone when they arrive that feeding Fido is not good for him.
• Keep your pets in a different room at dinner time. This can be hard, but try not to allow begging at the table. If you must give them scraps, put them in their dog bowl and reduce their food intake for that day.
• Keep all unhealthy treats out of the dog’s reach. Remember that chocolate, nuts and other foods can be toxic, even lethal for your dog. Don’t leave candy and other snacks out on low tables or within reach of your “counter surfer.”
• Look for treats made with whole food and natural ingredients, that are lower in calorie. You can even make your own treats, there are lots of recipes!

Always remember to feed your dog food with the highest nutritional value possible. Petcurean has several fresh and natural recipes including NOW FRESH™. Bart’s favorite flavor so far is Turkey, salmon & duck!