How to Choose the Best Dog Food for Miniature Pinschers
The regal Miniature Pinschers carries itself with grace and charm, but fans of this breed should not be deceived, the Miniature Pinscher is a hardy dog with attitude to spare. A member of the toy family, it is believed that this spitfire of a breed traces its roots to the German Pinscher. In its earliest days, its lineage included such breeds as Dachshunds and Italian Greyhounds.
The Miniature Pinscher’s original job was rodent control in its native Germany. Its name “Pinscher” is a term commonly applied to dog breeds whose jobs were to rid their homes of pests. The German name for the Miniature Pinscher is Zwergpinscher, meaning dwarf or midget rodent hunter.
A breed that appears to be rather fragile, the Miniature Pinscher is actually sturdy in both temperament and conformation. A dog with a strong personality, the Miniature Pinscher requires an owner that will establish boundaries and expect the dog to heed them. However, this breed responds best to positive reinforcement training techniques, thriving under a confident leader who rewards for appropriate behavior through treats and praise.
A unique trait of the Miniature Pinscher is its manner of walking. Its high prancing ways contribute to its air of self assuredness, drawing admiring glances from all who see this dog in motion. The breed is quite high energy, requiring regular daily exercise to remain physically and mentally content. Though not prone to becoming overweight, it is particularly important to never free feed a toy breed like the Miniature Pinscher.
A breed that is naturally extremely nosey, the Miniature Pinscher loves to explore. This tendency to seek adventure can mean the Miniature Pinscher tries to taste things it uncovers on its explorations. For this reason, it is important to carefully supervise this dog when outdoors and to provide a safely contained area to prevent any escape attempts.
The Miniature Pinscher is loyal and loving to its family but is not particularly fond of strangers. The breed possesses no fear and will defend its family and its home with fierceness if feeling threatened.
Though the Miniature Pinscher most often enjoys good health, there are a few genetic conditions that can befall the breed. These include Legg-Calves Perthe disease, hypothyroidism, patellar luxation, allergies, sensitive stomachs, and progressive retinal atrophy. To help promote optimal health and wellness in the Miniature Pinscher, it is recommended that owners select a diet that includes supplements to support excellent eye, joint, and digestive health. The best dog foods for Miniature Pinschers include such ingredients as prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, chondroitin, DHA and ARA.
The ideal food for the Miniature Pinscher contains approximately 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat. Since the Miniature Pinscher can be predisposed to having a sensitive stomach or allergies, it is best to avoid common allergens such as corn, wheat, and soy.
Choosing the Correct Calorie Count for Miniature Pinschers
The feisty Miniature Pinscher is a dog of small size but immense heart and attitude. The breed requires a diet designed to meet the unique needs of toy breeds and that is based on a lean meat protein.
To help determine how much of a food to feed the Miniature Pinscher, it is a great idea to consult the diet’s packaging for suggested serving sizes. The best dog foods for Miniature Pinschers offer recommended amounts based on the dog’s age and weight. For best results, these amounts should be adjusted with the dog’s appetite, activity level, and body condition serving as helpful guides until the correct amount is found.
Free feeding toy breeds is always strongly discouraged as even a small weight gain puts far too much stress on their joints and can lead to injury. It is best to measure all of this breed’s daily food and to monitor all intake.
Dietary Requirements for Miniature Pinscher Dog Foods
The Miniature Pinscher is a sturdy dog with a spitfire like personality. To fuel the energy reserves of this active dog breed, a diet based on a lean meat is ideal. The best dog foods for Miniature Pinschers include either a whole meat or meat meal as their basis. By-products are commonly used in many commercially prepared dog diets; however, these are not of sufficient nutritional quality to meet the needs of busy dogs like the Miniature Pinscher.
Plant proteins such as soy, corn, and wheat are also found in many commercial dog foods. Unfortunately, these ingredients are common allergens for many dogs. It is recommended that diets containing these items as well as any chemicals, additives, fillers, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives are strictly avoided as the Miniature Pinscher can be predisposed to both allergies and stomach sensitivities.
Carbohydrates in the Miniature Pinscher’s diet can come from fruits, vegetables, or whole grains. From these ingredients, dogs gain the nutrients they need to enjoy good digestion and a strong immune system. Dogs that have previously shown sensitivities to grains may do best on a grain-free diet.
Healthy fats are an important component in the health and wellness of the Miniature Pinscher. From this important food group, the Miniature Pinscher is able to enjoy support for coat and skin health and fuel for its energy reserves. The ideal source of these fats is found in animal-based ingredients such as chicken fat and oily fish.
All foods can benefit from helpful supplements to boost the nutritional benefits found in the diet. Among the best supplements for the Miniature Pinscher are glucosamine, chondroitin, prebiotics, probiotics, DHA and ARA.
Things to Look for in the Best Dog Food for Miniature Pinschers
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best food for Miniature Pinschers:
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Lean, meat-based proteins heading up the ingredients list
The best dog foods for the Miniature Pinscher take a whole meat or meat meal as their foundational ingredient. By-products and the plant-based proteins soy, corn, and wheat are best avoided.
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Prepared without the addition of chemicals, flavorings, fillers, or mystery ingredients
Chemicals, fillers, artificial flavorings and colorings, and mystery ingredients provide no nutritional benefit to the Miniature Pinscher. Diets which include any of these items should be left on the shelf.
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Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
The most beneficial supplements for the Miniature Pinscher are prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
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Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
All foods appropriate for the Boxer puppy should bear the AAFCO seal of approval, indicating it meets the standards for a complete and balanced food.