Boxer Food, Feeding and Nutrition

There are countless brands of dog food on the market today and many different ideas about feeding dogs.  When it comes to what to feed your Boxer you may be understandably a little overwhelmed, especially if this is your first dog.  Dog food can range from the least expensive grocery store brands to the most expensive brands of gourmet holistic food for specialized dietary problems, as well as some foods that are only available by prescription from your veterinarian.

So, what in the world are you supposed to feed your Boxer?

What You Should Know About Dog Foods

First of all, you should know that price is not always a reliable guarantee of quality.  While it’s true that the least expensive foods may contain lesser quality ingredients, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the most expensive food is the best food for your particular dog.

Secondly, what works for one person’s dog may not work for your dog.  It’s usually best to be guided by your dog’s physical condition and behavior.  If you are feeding your dog a dog food and he’s doing well on it, there’s usually no reason to change the food just to feed him something that is supposed to be “better” or more expensive.  Stick with what works for your dog as long as your dog is happy and healthy with the food you’re feeding.

Many people accidentally encourage their dog to become picky eaters and develop gastrointestinal issues by constantly switching foods without good reason.  (On the other hand, it’s fine to make some additions to your dog’s food to give him some variety.  You can make up to one-third of your dog’s food some of his personal favorites, such as leftovers, boiled or scrambled eggs, yogurt and other things he likes from your own kitchen without upsetting the balance in his prepared food.)

Third, do feed your dog the best food you can reasonably afford to buy as long as it’s something that your dog enjoys and it produces good results for him.  Feeding your dog a good quality food will keep him healthier throughout his life which will pay off in the long run.  Your dog will stay healthy, require fewer trips to the vet and will live longer.

Finally, you may be wondering how you can tell if a dog food is good quality or good for your dog.  The best way to do this is by learning to read dog food labels yourself so you will know what’s in the food and whether or not it will really benefit your dog.  It’s well and good for a dog food to tout the fact that it contains fruits and vegetables but you need to know if there’s any reason to suppose that these ingredients are nutritious for your dog (they’re not particularly necessary for dogs, by the way).

Click Here to Discover Dog Food Secrets That Could Be Harming Your Boxer and What To Feed Them Instead!

Here are some other tips on choosing a good food for your Boxer:

Dog Food Tips

a) Many dog foods rely on corn in some form as a source of protein.  Dogs only digest about 54% of the corn they eat.  The rest is passed as waste (poop).  So, look for dog foods that don’t rely heavily on corn.  Corn should not be the first ingredient in your dog’s food.  Instead, choose foods that have a couple of meat proteins in the first five ingredients.  There may be other sources of grains, such as rice, but whole grains are better than heavily processed grains.

Watch out, too, for a process called “splitting.”  This is when the food may contain corn meal, whole ground yellow corn, corn gluten, and so on.  Individually these corn ingredients may not seem like large amounts but if they are added up you may find that corn would be the main ingredient. This is not to say that you have to entirely avoid corn in your dog’s food.  That’s often very hard to do.  But it should not be the first or main ingredient.

And do avoid the “gluten meals” (corn, wheat, rice protein concentrate, soy protein) which are often used as a protein filler.

b) Avoid foods that have BHA, BTA, ethoxyquin and other artificial preservatives.  Vitamin C and E can be used as healthier preservatives.  You should also avoid artificial colors, sugars and sweeteners. Your dog simply doesn’t need these ingredients in his food.

c) Avoid foods that are high in grains.  Some people prefer to feed grainless foods but that’s probably not necessary.  Dogs do need protein rather than carbohydrates, however, so pay attention to the protein percentage in the food you buy.  At a minimum, a food for an adult dog should have 22-26 percent protein.  Remember though that the source of the protein is as important as the amount of protein.  If the protein is coming from a poor source then it won’t benefit your dog.  It is also possible to feed your dog too much protein which can result in skin and coat problems, among other things.

d) Avoid generic fats and proteins such as “animal fat” or “meat meal.”  When you see these terms on a dog food label you don’t know what animal they have come from so you could be feeding your dog something very objectionable.  This is a sign of a poor quality food.  Instead you should look for named sources such as chicken fat or lamb meal.

e) Avoid meat by-products and digest.  These terms have specific meanings provided by the USDA and they are the less desirable parts of animals, usually not what you would want to feed your dog.  Instead, look for whole meats or meal on the label, i.e., chicken meal, lamb meal, whole chicken, etc.

f) Many of the better dog foods will have what they call “human grade” meats in their foods, although they are not, by law, allowed to label their food as such.  Some dog foods may also have hormone-free and anti-biotic-free meats.  You will pay more for “human grade” dog foods.  Strictly speaking, your dog doesn’t require foods that are human grade but you may feel better knowing you are feeding this kind of food.

Finally, many dog foods are beginning to add taurine to their foods as a means of helping heart health.  This is particularly important for Boxers who are subject to heart problems, so you should look for foods that have taurine added.  If your dog’s food doesn’t have taurine you can add it by means of a supplement.  Fish oil also contains taurine.

Dog Food For Boxers

You can feed your Boxer any good quality food that you choose based on the above suggestions.  There are also two companies (Eukanuba and Royal Canin) which make a dog food that is designed for Boxers.  You could try the specially-designed food for Boxers and see how your dog does on it before deciding if you would like to venture out and choose your own dog food.

Feeding Your Boxer

Just a word about feeding your Boxer.  Since Boxers are one of the breeds that can be prone to bloat it’s a good idea to feed your dog 2-3 smaller meals during the day instead of one large meal.  This has been shown in studies to help reduce the incidence of bloat.  You should keep fresh water available for your dog at all times but do limit his intake around meal times so he won’t load up on water on top of a meal.  Some people also like to have their Boxer rest for a short time after eating so they won’t exercise on a full stomach.

You should also prevent your Boxer from drinking large amounts of very cold water when he is very hot since the combination of ice cold water and a hot dog can lead to bloating.  Let him drink small amounts of room temperature water.

Remember that the most important thing is your dog’s health and condition.  If he is doing well on a food, that’s what matters, regardless of what people tell you or what you hear about a food in its advertising.  Let your dog be your guide.

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