How to Choose the Best Dog Food for Scottish Terriers
The Scottish Terrier is a self-assured little pooch that carries itself with elegance and dignity. A breed often affectionately referred to simply as a Scottie, the Scottish Terrier was originally developed to hunt small game such as badgers and foxes alongside its owner. The Scottie has a strong personality, and thus, is best suited to an owner with previous terrier experience.
A breed that truly has a mind of its own, the Scottish Terrier is a very intelligent breed. However, the Scottish Terrier’s independence means it often prefers its own company and is sometimes standoffish with people. The Scottie is naturally suspicious and should be allowed to formulate its own opinion about new circumstances and people.
The Scottish Terrier is both a courageous and devoted companion. Though this breed takes a while to warm up to strangers; once its trust has been earned, the person has gained a lifelong friend. However, this steadfast loyalty is also accompanied by an unwillingness to forgive perceived transgressions. The Scottish Terrier’s memory is very long.
A relatively small breed, the Scottish Terrier can thrive in a home and an apartment so long as it receives regular daily exercise. This dog type loves being in the company of its family and can be good with children though all interactions with them should be carefully supervised for safety. However, the Scottish Terrier is intolerant of rough treatment and will bite if feeling annoyed, bullied, or threatened.
A true terrier, the Scottie loves to dig. The breed also has a very strong prey drive, and thus, must be kept safely contained to prevent accident or injury to the dog.
The Scottish Terrier has a loud and insistent bark. Naturally territorial, the Scottie will protect its property from intruders.
A dog with a very serious nature, the Scottish Terrier can be very obstinate. This means creativity and patience will be required to teach this dog new tricks. The breed responds best to positive reinforcement training techniques.
The Scottie is a high energy dog. If properly exercised and fed an appropriate amount of food each day, weight gain should not be a problem in this hardy, strong willed breed. Free feeding is strongly discouraged.
Though most often a very healthy dog, the Scottish Terrier, like all dog breeds, can be plagued by certain genetic health conditions. These include cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, neurological issues, several types of cancer, hypothyroidism, bladder stones, deafness, hemophilia, and Cushing’s disease. It is recommended that this dog breed be fed a diet that includes supplements to support eye health to maintain good health.
The best dog foods for the Scottish Terrier should be comprised of approximately 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat.
Choosing the Correct Calorie Count for Scottish Terriers
The Scottish Terrier is a busy breed and requires a high quality diet to thrive. Determining how much of a food to feed this energetic little pooch can seem like a difficult task. Thankfully, the best dog foods for Scottish Terriers provide suggested serving sizes based on age and weight. These can be utilized along with some trial and error until the appropriate portion for the dog is found.
For best results, it is recommended that the Scottish Terrier not be free fed. Maintaining an ideal body weight is an important component of health and wellness in the Scottie. To this end, all food should be measured and all intake carefully monitored.
Dietary Requirements for Scottish Terrier Dog Foods
The Scottish Terrier is an active breed that thrives on a diet that is based on a lean meat protein. The best dog foods for the Scottish Terrier base their recipe upon a whole meat or meat meal of exceptional quality. By-products are taken from less desirable cuts of meat and can be difficult for dogs to digest well. Likewise, the plant-based proteins soy, corn, and wheat are not as nutritionally viable and can be common allergens for many dogs.
Many commercially prepared diets include ingredients that are of no nutritional value but that improve the taste, appearance, or shelf life of a food artificially. These ingredients are best avoided. Among the ingredients to avoid in a diet for the Scottish Terrier are chemicals, additives, fillers, artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
Carbohydrates help the Scottish Terrier to attain good digestion and a healthy immune system. These carbohydrates can come from antioxidant and fiber-dense fruits, vegetables, whole grains, or a combination of the three. Though not typically a concern with the Scottish Terrier, some dogs can be sensitive to grains. If this is the case, the dog may benefit from a diet that is grain-free.
From healthy fats, the Scottish Terrier gains many benefits, but of primary importance is the nutrients derived from these foods that promote excellent coat and skin quality. The ideal sources for these fats are animal-based and include such food as chicken fat and oily fish. Some plant-based oils also contribute adequate amounts of the needed essential fatty acids to boost optimal health and wellness in the Scottish Terrier.
Supplements help a food to be well-rounded, improving its overall nutritional efficacy. The best supplements to look for in a diet for the Scottish Terrier are glucosamine, chondroitin, prebiotics, and probiotics.
Things to Look for in the Best Dog Food for Scottish Terriers
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best dog food for a Scottish Terrier:
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Lean meat-based proteins listed at the beginning of the ingredients list
A carnivore, the Scottish Terrier does best on a diet that is based on a lean, easily digestible meat. Though whole meats make the ideal foundation, meat meals also offer excellent amounts of highly concentrated protein. By-products and the plant-based proteins soy, corn, and wheat should be avoided.
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Prepared without the addition of chemicals, flavorings, fillers, or mystery ingredients
All items introduced into a food formulation should add nutritional value. Chemicals, flavorings, fillers, and mystery ingredients do not contribute anything positive to a Scottish Terrier’s diet. In fact, many of these ingredients can be the cause of allergy issues in Scottish Terriers.
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Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
The most beneficial supplements to look for in a dog food for the Scottish Terrier are glucosamine, chondroitin, prebiotics, and probiotics.
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Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
The AAFCO seal approval should accompany any food considered for the Scottish Terrier. This designation indicates a food has been assessed and found to be complete and properly balanced.