Medium Dog Health Care
Diet
All dogs require a balanced diet that includes proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Giving your pet a good quality commercial dog food in the recommended quantities for the size and age of your dog (as stated on the packaging) will be able to adequately meet the bulk of your dog's daily nutritonal requirements. However, that being said, it is also important to check that your dog looks healthy and active with the amount being fed. If he is becoming too fat or thin with the recommended amount fed, reduce or increase his food intake gradually till he reaches his optimum weight. Of course your dog will more than appreciate snacks like dog biscuits but these should be given sparingly and should not make up more than one-tenth of your dog's daily diet.
Both dry and canned dog food are suitable for most medium sized dogs. Dry dog food is convenient and clean. But canned dog food is usually more tasty and some dogs prefer it to the dry ones. Consider providing dry and canned food on an alternate basis so that you can be sure of meeting most of the nutritional needs of your dog. You could also mix the canned food with dry food once in a while for added variety.
To further ensure that your dog's nutritional requirements are adequately met, it pays to read the packaging label carefully. Meat-based dog foods (having meat as the main ingredient on the label) are preferable to vegetable or grain based dog foods as they contain more protein and are therefore more nutritious for your dog.
Note that feeding only meat and bones is not a balanced diet for your dog. Moreover, chicken and pork bones should not be given to your dog as these bones are sharp and may cut the dog's throat or stomach accidentally.
It is also not advisable to give milk to your dog as many dogs are prone to diarrhoea or loose stools after drinking milk. If your puppy needs milk but is prone to diarrhoea, try puppy milk replacers or yoghurt instead.