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Feeding Your Labrador Retriever
from: The Complete DogIf you're trying to decide what to feed your Labrador Retriever, how, when, and where are vital aspects when making your choices. Once you've resolved these issues, you can lay down a pattern that will ensure a healthy lifestyle for your beloved dog.
It's important to set a specific place to feed your Lab. In many households he's fed right in the middle of the kitchen floor, often when the kitchen is being used. People naturally feel the dog appreciates being part of the family and sharing meals together. However, dogs are animals with pack instincts and should be able to eat their meal in peace and quiet, without having be concerned about whether anyone is going to try to take their food away.
The majority of dogs gulp their food down quickly, not because of hunger, but they want to finish quickly before they're disturbed. (It's not unusually for them to vomit this food back up and eat it a second time, which is unappetizing people to observe but normal for dogs.) As mild mannered as Labrador Retrievers are, they don't look kindly on interruptions and thus they'll eat better if fed in a private space away from the flow of traffic.
When you feed your Lab is a matter of choice and may be influenced by the age of the dog. Puppies require four to five small meals a day. From about 4 - 8 months, a growing puppy will need three meals a day: one in the morning, noon and night respectively. You should reduce the feeding schedule to two meals a day at about nine months, and then to an adult diet of one large meal a day at 11 or 12 months of age. The majority of dog owners feed their adult dog the main meal in the late afternoon or early evening, and often augment this with a few biscuits or some kibble in the morning. Others just divide the rations into two smaller feedings. You should do whatever works best for you and your dog.
How you feed your Lab also includes how much. There's no set quantity that applies to every Labrador Retriever, but remember that product-label directions should only be used as guides. Quite naturally, the size, age, temperament (active or lazy), and amount of daily exercise dictates how many calories are needed. The main indication of how well a dog is being fed is its overall trim.
A Labrador Retriever should be firm, not plump. It's easy for dogs to get out of condition if they don't exercise enough and are fed too much by well-meaning owners (humans too often equate food with love). Labradors will overeat if encouraged to do so, so don't let him nibble to his liking from a perpetually full bowl. At the other extreme, if the ribs and hipbones can be easily felt upon running your hand down the dog's side, your pet may require additional calories. Telltale signs of undernourishment are a lack of coat sheen and an overall malaise. Labradors are normally peppy, so a physical slowdown should be carefully monitored.
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