How to Choose the Best Dog Food for Keeshonds
The striking Keeshond is a beauty to behold with its lush grey and black coat with ivory undertones. A breed that is easily recognized by its beautiful curled tail, the Keeshond traces its roots to Holland where the dog was employed protecting barges and boats in canals and rivers.
Sweet-natured at heart, the Keeshond will alert bark at the presence of strangers. However, its bark is nothing to fear; the breed is eager to welcome anyone its family calls a friend.
With a thick double coat, the Keeshond enjoys spending time in the great outdoors when temperatures trend towards the cool. However, the Keeshond bonds deeply to its family and does best indoors where it can enjoy their company and take part in their daily lifestyle.
A breed that enjoys children, the Keeshond is both gentle and patient in play with kids. The Keeshond also excels with other animals and is well-suited to life in a multi-pet home.
The Keeshond has moderate activity needs and should be walked daily. A lover of food, the Keeshond will gain weight easily if not sufficiently exercised. For this reason, free feeding this delightful hound is strongly discouraged. A breed that excels at many different activities, Keeshonds are often seen participating in such events as conformation, agility, obedience, and Rally.
The Keeshond shares some kinship with several other breeds of the Spitz family including the Samoyed, Chow Chow, Norwegian Elkhound, Finnish Spitz, and the Pomeranian. The breed rose to great popularity in Holland during a time of war when the country was divided into two distinct factions. At this time, the Keeshond was claimed as the official symbol of the rebels led by a gentleman by the name of Cornelius de Gyselaer.
The Keeshond, as with all dog breeds, can be predisposed to developing a number of different health conditions. Among the problems that can plague this hardy breed are cataracts, heart issues, epilepsy, diabetes mellitus, glaucoma, and more. Though diet alone cannot cure or prevent disease, it can lay an excellent foundation for wellness. The best dog foods for Keeshonds should contain supplements to support heart and eye health.
The ideal diet for the Keeshond should include approximately 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat.
Choosing the Correct Calorie Count for Keeshonds
Determining how much of a high quality diet to feed a dog can prove a great challenge. Thankfully, the best dog foods for Keeshonds list suggested serving sizes on their packaging. These amounts are based on age and weight. Owners can use these guidelines as a starting point, making adjustments to reflect their own dog’s weight, appetite, and activity level until the correct portion is found.
The Keeshond enjoys its meals and will overeat if permitted to do so. Maintaining a good body condition is vital to optimal health and wellness. To this end, all food for the Keeshond should be measured, and its daily intake should be monitored.
Dietary Requirements for Keeshond Dog Foods
The Keeshond is a medium-sized dog, and thus, does best on a diet that is designed to fuel the nutritional needs of the average pooch. The best dog foods for Keeshonds prioritize a lean, meat-based protein as their main ingredient. While some diets like to utilize by-products as their base, these protein sources are not of sufficient nutritional quality for the active Keeshond. Likewise, the plant-based proteins soy, corn, and wheat, all common allergens for many dogs, are best avoided.
All diets require carbohydrates to provide the Keeshond with the nutrients needed for good digestion and a healthy immune system. These carbohydrates can come from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, or a combination of the three. Dogs that have expressed sensitivities to grains in the past may do best on a grain-free diet.
From healthy fats, the Keeshond gains the fuel it needs for excellent coat and skin health. The ideal source for these fats is found in animal-based foods such as oily fish and chicken fat. However, some plant-based oils also offer sufficient servings of the necessary essential fatty acids.
Supplements added to a diet increase the food’s overall efficacy. The ideal supplements to look for in a food for the Keeshond are glucosamine, chondroitin, prebiotics, and probiotics.
Things to Look for in the Best Dog Food for Keeshonds
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best dog food for a Keeshond:
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Lean, meat-based proteins listed at the beginning of the ingredients list
The Keeshond is a true carnivore. Its diet needs a lean meat as its basis in order for this dog type to achieve optimal health and wellness. Though whole meats are the preferred option, meat meals also offer a concentrated amount of the protein required for strong and healthy muscles.
By-products and plant proteins such as soy, corn, and wheat lack the nutritional quality to truly meet this lively hound’s daily needs.
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Prepared without the addition of chemicals, flavorings, fillers, or mystery ingredients
The most nutritionally complete foods for Keeshonds are comprised of ingredients that are easily recognizable to most dog owners. The addition of chemicals, colors, or fillers provide no nutritional value to the Keeshond and can trigger an allergic reaction.
Avoid foods which feature the word “meat by-products.”
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Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
Supplements are an excellent way to help a diet work its most effectively. The most beneficial supplements to look for in a food for the Keeshond are glucosamine, chondroitin, prebiotics, and probiotics.
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Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
As a baseline measure of quality, any food selected for a Keeshond should bear the AAFCO seal approval as indication the food is properly balanced and appropriate to meet the dog’s basic nutritional needs.