Feeding Your Dog
If you are changing to Flint River Ranch food from another brand, please remember that food changes can upset a pet's digestive system. You should make the change gradually over 5-7 days by mixing the Flint River Ranch food with the brand previously used. Start with a mixture of 10% - 15% Flint River Ranch food, then increase the percentage of Flint River Ranch food by 10% - 15% each day until the transition is complete. Without the gradual transition from the other brand to richer Flint River Ranch food, pets may get upset stomachs and diarrhea. Don't try to speed the process by mixing a bag of each food together for a 50/50 mix and starting your pet on that. You and your pet may both be dissatisfied with the results.
Feed your dog twice a day. Have plenty of fresh water available. Feed an amount that will maintain your dog's weight. Following are suggested daily feeding amounts however, keep in mind your dogs breed, age and activity level determines the amount you should actually feed (my theory; all dogs deserve a waistline):
10-15 lbs.
| 0.5 to 1.0 Cup per day |
| 20-30 lbs. | 1.0 to 1.5 Cups per day |
| 40-50 lbs | 2.0 to 2.5 Cups per day |
| 60-70 lbs. | 2.5 to 3.0 Cups per day |
| 80-90 lbs. | 3.5 to 4.0 Cups per day |
| Over 100 | 4.0 to 5.0 Cups per day |
OVERWEIGHT PETS. Humans and pets both have to push away from the table. We find many pet owners that have switched to Flint River Ranch products still feeding the amount of food they formally fed. With concentrated Flint River Ranch super premium foods, it is best to feed at least 25% less. Pets, like humans, require a little adjustment over a period of time to the stomach and reduce their food intake. During this period of reducing the amount fed to a dog, add lightly cooked vegetables of all types - carrots, rice, broccoli, potatoes, celery, green beans and pasta. This is great for your dog's health.
Keep in mind, when you feed a diet that is low in protein and fat, sometimes the pet will eat more than they should in order to satisfy their taste buds. Improper feeding is the greatest cause of a pet being overweight (along with those extra treats from the dinner table), not the protein content or quality of the food.
SOFT STOOL. Premium food is very rich and has little in the way of useless fillers - during a change to a premium food, some pets may have a softer stool. A premium food will start cleaning the pet's digestive tract rather than just passing though the system. In time you will have a firmer, much smaller stool for easy clean-up.
COMPARE - WITH THE "BLOAT" TEST:
In one bowl place 1/4 cup Flint River oven-baked dog food. In a second
bowl place an equal amount of any other dog food. Add warm water to
cover and shake. Keep the food covered by adding water as needed. At the
end of the day you will find that the Flint River Ranch food has broken
down and has not expanded. Depending upon the brand of the second food,
it may have expanded in bulk 2 to 3 times the original size. Many
professionals believe food that expands can cause a serious bloat
problem in your dog's stomach.