Is it possible to give a puppy fermented baked milk? To a caring owner about whether dogs can have kefir
Preface
Proper natural food for a dog is mostly a monotonous, species-specific diet that does not require heat treatment, mainly consisting of fermented milk products of medium fat content, raw meat or raw offal (heart, tripe, kidneys, etc.) and plant foods (vegetables and some unsweetened fruits) in raw form, as well as in the form of bran from cereals as an additive to the main diet.
Actually, cereals (porridge and other flour products) should not be present in the dog’s diet. Porridges and products made from or with the addition of flour contain easily digestible carbohydrates, which can cause disruption of the intestinal microflora, as well as a decrease in resistance, in all dogs and cats, which are known to be carnivores. The state of the animal’s health directly depends on the state of the intestine, which is a key organ not only in digestion, but also in providing the defense system (resistance and immunity of the body). Thus, the presence of dysbiosis in the intestines, which is facilitated by disturbances in the diet, can lead to the development of a host of pathological processes, including an increased tendency to allergies, disruption of the functioning of internal organs, the occurrence of a number of chronic inflammatory diseases and obesity, often associated with each other.
The health and resistance of animals depends very much on nutrition; the state of the gastrointestinal tract and healthy intestinal microflora play a very important role in this. If your dog's diet includes cereal or commercial dry food that contains from 40 to 55% grains, corn or sweet potatoes, then you cannot expect normal, healthy intestinal microflora. However, even with a natural diet, digestive disorders are possible, indicating a painful condition of the dog.
Meat in a dog's diet
The main meat in a dog’s diet is lean beef, maybe not the first grade. It is not necessary or even advisable to feed your dog tenderloin and other high-quality meats. It is allowed to feed dogs of all ages lamb, horse meat, and rabbit meat, given the high calorie content of lamb and rabbit meat. It is not recommended to give pork.
Chicken, turkey and their offal can also be given, but individually, paying attention to the reaction from the digestive system and skin. It is not advisable to feed chicken skin to dogs.
Meat, both beef and chicken, is always given raw, pre-frozen; there is no need to rinse it with boiling water or carry out other heat treatment on the meat. Meat should not be ground into mince.
By-products and beef tripe
Meat feeding a dog can include not only meat, but also by-products (kidneys, heart, udder, by-products of chickens, turkeys, etc.), which can completely replace meat. By-products must be raw. It should be borne in mind that offal is a less nutritious component of the meat diet compared to meat, but at the same time the udder is significantly higher in calories than meat
The exception is liver and lung; these by-products are not recommended to be given to the dog often, since not everyone tolerates raw liver equally well, and it makes no sense to treat it thermally. However, many people successfully use these components in the diet of dogs and cats. Unprocessed, unpeeled beef tripe deserves special attention; it is often given to dogs. You can start introducing meat into your diet with tripe, then gradually adding beef. Cleaned tripe is simply a lighter organ meat. However, not all dogs tolerate one or another meat component equally well, so if an ingredient is intolerant, which is manifested by diarrhea or vomiting, it should be removed from the diet, as well as if other components of the dog’s natural diet are not accepted.
Of course, one can become infected with one or another disease from one or another product, but rare cases of infection from raw, untested and not frozen meat do not allow one to be afraid of feeding a dog a raw product. It is unlikely that any veterinarian will be able to recall a case of infection from anything from meat. In addition, the concentration of hydrochloric acid in the stomach of carnivores is higher than in humans and is sufficient to perform its disinfecting functions in relation to raw meat and fish. We also do not recommend purchasing meat “from hand” at the Poultry Market, where you can buy products obtained from a known sick animal, and even freezing it will not help, and heat treatment of meat reduces the nutritional value of the product for the dog.
Fish in a dog's diet
Dogs can be given raw fillets of sea and oceanic frozen fish, not bony, low-fat varieties, replacing meat with seafood in meat feeding 2-3 times a week. However, it is not recommended to constantly feed fish.
There are several questions that are often asked regarding fish feeding:
1. Feeding fish leads to thiamine deficiency due to the thiaminase it contains;
The problem with thiaminase is relevant for animal farms, where there is mainly a mono-diet and if you feed only raw fish, there will be hypovitaminosis B1, and therefore this is almost not relevant for a home mixed diet.
Dairy products
Dogs can be given fermented milk products with a fat content of up to 9%; not everyone tolerates such fat content well. In many dogs, a fat content of cottage cheese of more than 2% can already cause loose stools. But low-fat dairy products should not be given either.
Also, loose stool may be associated with the brand of kefir, which must be selected more individually for sensitive dogs. Ryazhenka should not be given to dogs, nor should yoghurts with fruit or sugar.
The most optimal fermented milk products are cottage cheese with a fat content of up to 5-9%, kefir with a fat content of 3.5%, and yogurt, with a short shelf life of up to 7 days.
Using Evitalia and Narine starter cultures based on pasteurized milk, you can make a healthy fermented milk product that is useful not only for dogs and cats, but also for humans, and feed it either separately or together with cottage cheese.
Dividing dog food into fermented milk and meat
The main components of the diet are fermented milk products at one feeding and raw vegetables and raw meat with a small amount of butter at another. As mentioned above, vegetables can, if possible, be fed to the dog separately.
This means that fermented milk feeding can include either kefir alone, cottage cheese alone, or kefir with cottage cheese, curdled milk, yogurt, etc. It is advisable to give fermented milk products with a short shelf life, up to 7 days. Only bran and raw eggs can be added to dairy products no more than 2-3 times a week.
Meat feeding may include raw meat, offal or fish. You cannot mix the components of meat and fermented milk feeding with each other.
Vegetables in a dog's diet
Dogs can be fed most vegetables: carrots, white cabbage, bell peppers, pumpkin, zucchini, beets, cucumbers. It is useful to give greens: parsley, dill, lettuce.
Vegetables may be present in the diet as a mono option, or there may be several types of vegetables, but one type of vegetable is quite sufficient, with the exception of cabbage and cucumbers.
Once a week, it is advisable to give the dog a raw clove of garlic, 2-3 times a week a few tablespoons of sauerkraut, which is very rich in ascorbic acid.
Greens and vegetables should always be given raw, finely chopped or grated on a regular coarse grater. In the summer, when keeping a dog at a dacha, you can feed any edible greens, including young shoots of steamed nettle growing in the garden. If the animal eats plants and fruits on its own, then you don’t need to add any extra.
Vegetables and greens should always be given only with meat feeding or separately. There is no need to mix raw plant foods with components of a fermented milk diet, with the exception of bran, which goes well with meat and dairy foods.
As a treat and as a source of raw fiber, dogs can be given vegetables or unsweetened fruit to chew on.
Bran (about bran, see below) in a dog’s diet can complement or even replace raw vegetables, especially in cases where the addition of vegetables leads to various types of indigestion (flatulence, vomiting, diarrhea).
Consistency of dog food
Dogs should not be given food in the form of minced meat or puree. The meat should be cut into pieces, hard vegetables grated on a large regular grater, greens and lettuce finely chopped. Dogs love to chew apples on their own; bran can be added to wet food, both dairy and meat. Dogs and cats do not chew food, but swallow it if the piece corresponds to the size of the animal or they bite off a piece that is accessible for swallowing - this is physiological for them and does not cause harm. In addition, ready-made ground meat contains too much fat. Even if the dog has few or no teeth, food can be given in chunks.
Eggs in a dog's diet
Eggs can be given raw, both chicken and quail, adding to milk feeding 2-3 times a week. Both puppies and adult dogs can and should be given both the yolk and the white, without separating.
Bran
Bran in a dog's diet, like vegetables, is a source of fiber and therefore it is recommended to add them to the dog's diet along with vegetables or replacing them.
The main advantage of bran is its high content of dietary fiber (fiber), which enhances peristalsis, regulates and improves the condition of intestinal microflora.
Bran can be purchased in bulk at health stores, pharmacies or grocery stores and added in this form to both fermented milk and meat feeding.
But fermented milk is preferable, since bran shows its maximum effect when it absorbs liquid and swells. Then, once in the stomach, the bran does not undergo any changes and, retaining water, enters the intestines, accelerating intestinal motility.
Or you can buy bran in the form of crispy sticks or bran plates and pre-soak them. You should not buy bran products, including crispy sticks with added salt. But at the same time, you can give bran combined with fiber from carrots and other vegetables. The amount of bran (in dry form) for a dog weighing 20-25 kg is 1 tsp. without a slide added to each feeding. The dose can be varied for greater effectiveness or for high sensitivity.
Oil in a dog's diet
Dogs can add different types of oils to their meat diet: olive, unrefined sunflower, pumpkin, flaxseed, etc., but exotic ones should be avoided. The main oils are unrefined sunflower and olive. Vegetable oils are added to the bowl where there are plant components of food (vegetables) in a dose of a few drops for a small dog and up to a tablespoon for a large dog.
Fruits and dried fruits
There should be no sweet fruits in a dog’s diet; dogs simply should not be given sweets. Almost all fruits are sweet, the only acceptable fruit is a green apple that is not too sweet, although there is no need to prohibit the dog from eating berries at the dacha.
Bones in a dog's diet
Raw bone is an important source of calcium and phosphorus; they are part of the canine diet and, of course, bones can be fed to dogs that have a full-fledged dental apparatus and do not have chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Large dogs are fed the ends (epiphyses) of bones; smaller dogs can be given spongy raw chicken bones: brisket, neck. It is not recommended to give boiled bones to dogs; they are difficult to digest, as they can cause intestinal obstruction.
Prebiotic and probiotic environment in the intestines. Carbohydrates in the diet
Probiotics are preparations based on living “good” microorganisms: lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which remain viable when passing through the gastrointestinal tract, multiply in it and suppress the development of pathogenic bacteria.
Prebiotics are completely indigestible food ingredients that serve as a substrate, a nutrient medium for the growth and life of beneficial microorganisms in the intestine, and also stimulate its work.
In the absence of a prebiotic environment (indigestible fiber), the number of beneficial bacteria sharply decreases, since they lack the prebiotic environment they need for nutrition and their share in the intestinal microenvironment will be occupied by pathogenic strains of E. coli, yeast, etc., which, in essence, is a dysbacteriosis.
Cereals, bread, pasta are easily digestible carbohydrates (starch); dogs need complex carbohydrates of another type, which are found in raw vegetables or bran and which dogs and cats cannot digest. Carnivores cannot extract energy from complex carbohydrates and raw fiber; ruminants and herbivores “specialize” in this. It is raw vegetables and bran, or rather the indigestible fiber they contain, that create a prebiotic environment in the dog’s intestines, which is the basis and substrate for creating a probiotic environment and the formation of healthy intestinal microflora.
Moreover, if the dog has proper natural nutrition, then the dog, even without the use of probiotics, will eventually develop the correct probiotic environment and intestinal microflora, but only if the animal is healthy and free from congenital and acquired diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that require treatment and independent of the correct diet. It is for this reason that introducing probiotics into the diet of a dog that receives cereal or dry food does not bring the desired long-term results.
The role of the prebiotic environment in a dog’s diet is played by raw vegetables, which are best (but not necessarily) given to animals as a separate feeding, and also, when added to a dairy or meat diet, these components are compatible.
It is better to give dogs veterinary probiotics, only if they are not available, then try using human ones. It is possible to take probiotics prophylactically once every 3-4 months, but prebiotics must enter the digestive system constantly, especially since this is not a medicine, but a regular component of the diet.
At the same time, you need to understand that if the dog has proper nutrition and the dog is healthy, then without the use of probiotics in the intestines, over time, a healthy intestinal microflora will form on its own.
Is it possible to mix dry food and wet natural or canned food?
Mixing different types of feeding does not have any advantages over the strict principles of feeding a dog, in fact, dry food is designed to be fed exclusively. If you add other components throughout the day, then an imbalance is guaranteed. In addition, combining diets does not make any sense: either convenience or a natural diet.
Vitamins and mineral supplements
An adult dog that receives proper natural nutrition does not necessarily need to be supplemented with any vitamin and mineral supplements at all times. In spring and early summer, you can add dry yeast to your food, which is a natural complex of vitamins. You can also give seaweed (kelp) once a year as a natural source of vitamins, but you must take into account the possibility of an individual allergic reaction.
At the same time, puppies and adult dogs need vitamins and minerals during pregnancy and lactation. You can read more in this publication.
The total volume of food from all feedings per day is calculated using the formula: up to 6 months. 6-7% and older than 6 months. 3-3.5% of body weight (body weight is calculated without taking into account body fat, of course, approximately).
The resulting daily volume of food is divided in half between 50% fermented milk products, 50% raw meat and everything related to meat (beef by-products, poultry, fish), raw plant foods are given ad libitum, but approximately 15-20% on the volume of meat portion. For example, for an average dog weighing 20 kg, you can eat a medium carrot, a cabbage leaf, two teaspoons of bran, a medium apple, etc. per day. Please note that vegetables and bran are supplements to the protein diet and are not included in the calculated percentages (6-8% and 3-4%).
An example of calculating the volume of food for a dog weighing 15 kg, age 6 months and older:
15x0.04*=0.6 kg. or 600 gr. Of these, 300 gr. this is cottage cheese and kefir, which will make up fermented milk feeding and meat feeding will consist of 300 grams. raw meat, to which about 100 grams are added. raw grated vegetables and 1-2 tsp. unrefined vegetable oil.
An example of calculating the amount of food for a dog weighing 15 kg, less than 6 months old:
15x0.07*=1 kg. or 1000 gr. Of these, 500 gr. This is cottage cheese and kefir, which will make up fermented milk feeding and meat feeding will consist of 500 grams. raw meat, to which about 100-150 grams are added. raw grated vegetables and 1-2 tsp. unrefined vegetable oil.
* — Coefficient obtained by dividing 4 and 7% by 100
This formula is not absolute and mandatory, the dog’s feeding regimen, and the amount of food can also vary depending on the physiological state (pregnancy, breed tendency to be overweight, the presence of hormonal disorders, etc.); age: for old and aging animals, the amount of food is reduced to 2.5-3% of weight; from physical activity (duration of walking, office work, swimming); the animal’s habitat (apartment, open enclosure); time of year (more in winter, less in summer); other individual characteristics, etc. Fasting days without meat at all, but also without increasing the dose of dairy foods, are also welcome.
Are there breed specific characteristics of a dog's diet?
There are no fundamental features for a healthy dog of any breed, regardless of size and anatomical discrepancies with the ancestor of canines - the wolf. A sick animal may need correction, but this requires individual work with the pet.
Afterword
As you can see, among the indicated food components there are no dry or wet commercial feeds, cereals in the form of porridges, breads or other carbohydrate foods. They are not recommended for a dog, just as feeding sweet, sugary fruits and everything else is not recommended.
The main mistake that owners make in feeding dogs is overfeeding. Even if the recommended components are kept, but their volume is greater than the norm, then this is as harmful as feeding the dog unacceptable products.
You should adhere to a simple rule that works in most cases - if after eating food a dog or cat leaves any amount of it in the bowl, this means that the animal is already overfed. The bowl should not be constantly filled, as is often the case. Only an animal with a moderate feeding instinct will not overeat in conditions of unlimited access to food.
An animal that experiences health problems (diarrhea, regular vomiting) while eating natural food is sick and requires treatment. Switching to dry food will only adapt the animal to the disease, and will not relieve it. This is like a diet that makes life easier, which has the right to be used in the practice of a veterinarian, especially in cases where the animal’s health condition is irreparable or the doctor is not able to cope with the pathology with a natural diet. Owners need to understand this.
Therefore, the question - What to feed a dog can be answered this way: only natural food that contains everything necessary for the body of a carnivorous animal. And all the talk about the domestication of the dog is nothing more than talk: the dog, like the wolf, was and will remain a dog and a wolf. It is also necessary to know that the recommendations of breeders or felinologists, as well as the popular literature written by them on keeping and feeding cats, have nothing to do with objectively correct methods of feeding, because the reason for such recommendations is partly due to ignorance and lack of understanding of the biological nature of dogs and cats, and, partly to reduce the cost or simplify the maintenance of the animal.
If you follow all the above feeding rules, your pet will live a long and healthy life.
Health to you and your little brothers.
It is recommended to add prescribed vitamins and probiotics to “curd feeding” for puppies.
A puppy under one year old, especially if he is a large breed, can be given and occasionally, but without getting carried away with it. Excess calcium leads to hypercalcemia, a very unpleasant disease.
Reference: is a fermented milk product to which a solution of calcium chloride is added (in droppers, ampoules, bottles) or calcium lactate in powder. You can buy it at any pharmacy. This product contains more calcium than usual, promotes healthy growth, strengthens bones and teeth, and maintains muscle tone in the puppy. It is given to prevent rickets.
Recipes with cottage cheese for animals
The main rule is not to mix cottage cheese with meat, but you can mix it with (or) vegetables. Try these recipes:
What if you feel sick from what you eat?
After eating cottage cheese, your dog may develop diarrhea. If the product was stale or of poor quality, poisoning is likely. If these occur, contact your veterinarian. You can help yourself like this:
- For diarrhea- give
On our website you can easily find information about what can you feed a one-month-old puppy and can a dog have kefir bread and bones? In order for your dog to grow up strong and healthy, it must be fed properly from childhood. So, in this article we will talk about what to feed the puppy, what you can give him, and what you should abstain from. First, let's look at the ratio of foods that should be fed to a small pet.
- A two-month-old puppy should be fed in the following ratio: 35-50% meat, 40-50% dairy products and 15% to 25% cereals and vegetables.
- From three months, a small pet should be fed with a meat content of 50% to 70%, slightly less dairy products from 25% to 50%, about 20% vegetables and about 15% of various cereals.
Observe the preferences in what you feed your pet, for example, if the puppy loves fish more than cottage cheese, then you need to give less dairy products and more meat products. But you still need to feed in a balanced manner.
By the way, the most important point about what to feed a puppy is not to give both dairy and meat products at the same time; these products must be divided into different feedings. Before feeding meat to a puppy, the product must be frozen for a couple of days in the freezer or doused with boiling water. It is better to give meat with vegetables, and sometimes you can add sunflower oil, although you should not regularly feed it with it. If the dog’s diet is a little off due to the lack of any food, it’s not a big deal, just feed the animal what you have. There is no need to catch up, continue to feed the dog as usual. Now let’s take a closer look at what foods to feed the puppy and how to give them correctly.
Milk products
Puppies under three and a half months should be fed using milk as the main food. Any dairy products are allowed, for example, kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese, yogurt, and so on. You can cook porridge with milk. Sometimes it is very useful to add a little honey to dairy dishes. It would also be a good idea to add nuts, grated carrots, an apple, and so on to yogurt or kefir. You can also make calcined cottage cheese for your puppy yourself and feed it to him occasionally. To do this, add 2 tablespoons of calcium chloride, which can be purchased at a pharmacy, to 1 liter of milk, bring to a boil, stirring, then cool. As a result, the resulting dish will consist of transparent whey and curdled mass. You can give it all together, or you can separate only the cottage cheese, depending on the puppy’s desire. Feeding your dog dairy products is necessary under the control of its stool. Very fatty dairy products can lead to loose stools; in this case, you need to reduce the fat content of the products, but you shouldn’t give them completely low-fat ones, because they have no benefit.
Meat dishes
What to feed a puppy and can he be given raw meat? Before giving the dog meat, it must be well frozen in the freezer for at least two days, then the meat must be thawed to room temperature and only then fed to the puppy. You can also treat the meat with boiled water, or boil it a little. Pork is a very fatty product for dogs, so it is better to give preference to beef, veal, lamb, horse meat, rabbit, turkey or chicken. Chicken meat should be fed carefully to avoid stomach upset. It is better to focus on beef and veal. Minced meat from any type of meat is not desirable, but offal is quite acceptable, namely liver, heart, and so on. On the day, it is best to feed the puppy portions of meat of about 20-30 grams per kilogram of its weight. For an adult dog, the dose should be reduced to 15-25 grams per day per kilogram of the animal’s weight. The final serving size will be determined over time.
Fish and vegetables
Your pet's menu must include fish. The dog should be fed fish a couple of times a week, but if she doesn’t like this dish, then focus on meat, and fish can be offered after a few weeks. Perhaps during this time the animal will develop a desire for this dish. You can also experiment with different types of fish. Sea fish can be given raw, having previously been treated with boiling water, or frozen for several days in the freezer, and then defrosted to room condition, but river fish undoubtedly needs to be cooked, that is, boiled or fried. Fish bones must be carefully removed. Due to the fact that fish contains very little protein, it should be given much more than meat. You can also grind well-boiled fish in a meat grinder along with the bones, which contain a high calcium content. Vegetables should be an integral part of your pet’s diet, and your dog should be taught to eat them from an early age. Most likely, they will not evoke a great desire in the animal, but vegetables contain all the microelements and vitamins that a dog needs. Vegetables can be given in any form, raw, boiled, fried, stewed, and so on. You can add them to cereals or mix them together, it depends on the preferences of the animal. Almost all vegetables are suitable for feeding a dog: cabbage, carrots, beets, zucchini, cucumbers and so on. You should also try to add greens to the porridge, such as parsley, dill, sorrel, and so on.
Cereals
What should I feed my puppy and should I include cereals in his diet? Of course, a puppy’s menu should include various grains. You can cook them in milk or meat broth. It is best to cook the broth on the bones, since meat, if cooked for a long time, will lose most of its nutrients. Cereals need to be alternated, or you can mix several types of cereals in one porridge. You can also add meat or vegetables or fish to them; in general, you need to improvise and select the most suitable recipe for your dog. For puppies, the best cereal options are rice, buckwheat and oatmeal.
Bones
It is better to cook broth from the bones; a very good broth is obtained, but the bones themselves do not provide any nutritional value. Moreover, they can pose a threat to the puppy; if their fragment gets stuck in the throat or damages the stomach, something irreparable can happen. To pamper your pet, it is better to buy an artificial bone in a specialized store, which is completely harmless and can easily replace a natural one without causing harm.
Water and fruit
The dog should always have a bowl of water in the access area, as it contains mineral salts necessary for the animal’s body. The water must be changed frequently so that it is always fresh. Also, occasionally pamper your dog with fruits and berries in small quantities. 
So, using the example of this article, you can get a good idea of what to feed a puppy for the full growth and development of the body.
Is it possible for dogs to have kefir? Many owners of these animals are interested. Most often, these questions are asked by novice dog breeders. Most of them prefer to feed the dog that appears at home not with concentrates or dry food rations produced by various companies, but with natural food. In order not to harm the animal, you need to know what the dog’s diet should be and whether it may contain dairy products.
The dog is a carnivore that prefers to eat mainly animal food. Most of the diet of these animals consists of meat, which serves as a source of protein compounds.
Domestic dogs are accustomed to an expanded menu, which includes both plant and meat foods. It includes various dairy and fermented milk products, which partially replace animal protein necessary for the normal functioning of the canine body. In addition, various dairy products provide the animal’s bones with the calcium they need to function.
Kefir and dairy products can be used to feed a dog in the following cases:
- A dog needs kefir during puppyhood, when its body requires a lot of protein and calcium for growth. When a puppy transitions from mother's milk to the diet of an adult animal, it is best to give him a small amount of kefir instead of cow's milk.
- The product used should have low fat content. For example, puppies should not be given yogurt, as it causes upset bowel movements. But 1-2% kefir is good for feeding them.
- The fat content of the product should be gradually increased as the pet gets older. But you need to carefully ensure that this action does not cause the dog negative consequences for its gastrointestinal tract.
Some people ask, can you give your dog kefir every day? This is done only if the dog is already aging. Dog breeders recommend giving fermented milk product to those dogs who often have constipation. Veterinarians may advise a pet owner to give kefir if the pet is being treated with antibiotics. In this case, we give the dog kefir or other dairy products, as they help eliminate the signs of dysbiosis that occurs after the use of antibiotics.
Possibility of using other products together with kefir
Along with kefir diets for dogs when treated with various drugs, other dairy products may also be needed. Most often, animals in such situations are given cottage cheese, since it contains the largest amount of calcium of all dairy products.
It can be given along with kefir to small puppies, since the low-fat curd mass has a good effect on the formation of the digestive tract in babies. But the owner of the animal should know that it is better to dilute kefir with cottage cheese for her beloved puppy no more than once a week. If she gives the product more often, it may have a negative effect on the dog’s digestive tract. It is better to prepare the curd mass yourself from milk than to buy a finished product on the market.
To do this, you can mix milk and kefir in equal volumes, and then let this mixture sour. After this, the resulting mass is folded onto gauze, and then the serum is separated from it, which can be given to the puppy separately on another day. The resulting curd mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
There is another way to get cottage cheese. This will require a 10% calcium chloride solution. For 1000 ml of milk you need to add 1 tbsp. l. this drug. He curdles the milk, and then the resulting mixture is strained using gauze. Calcium-enriched curd mass is given to puppies immediately after preparation.
If the dog has already matured, then it can be fed with kefir mixed with unsalted varieties of cheese or well-soaked feta cheese. Cheese for feeding a dog should contain a minimum of fat and not have a sharp taste. You need to know that a dog should not be given more than 0.1 kg of cheese per day; it is better to use it when training the animal. This norm is established for medium and large dogs; it is better not to give this product to small breeds.
It is prohibited to give blue cheese or smoked products to your pets.
You cannot feed your animal other exotic types of cheeses. You need to know that many dogs have a persistent allergy to this type of dairy product. Therefore, before giving your pet cheese, you need to take him for examination to a veterinarian.
The owner of any dog must carefully ensure that the dairy and fermented milk products he gives to his pet do not contain sugar. Therefore, it is better not to try to feed a puppy or an adult with sweet cheese mass or yogurt.
You need to know that in some specimens fermented baked milk can cause digestive tract upset, but for the most part dogs tolerate this product quite steadfastly.
It is better not to give milk, for example, from cow or goat to pets. Dogs do not tolerate this product well as it mainly causes symptoms of diarrhea in them.
If the owner or hostess wants to please their pet with sour cream, then it is better to mix it with cottage cheese so that the total fat content of the resulting dish does not exceed 12-15%. In this case, it is better to monitor the animal’s stool and take timely measures to eliminate the symptoms of the disease.
You need to know that any consumption of dairy products by dogs depends on the individual preferences of the animal and the characteristics of its body. There are dogs that eat kefir, others prefer cottage cheese or cheese, and still others cannot tolerate dairy and fermented milk products at all. Therefore, when buying a puppy, you should ask the seller how the animal’s parents treated kefir and other dairy products. Most often, a puppy inherits taste preferences from its parents.
In most cases, such questions are asked by inexperienced dog breeders. Having placed a dog in the house for the first time, many owners decide to feed it natural food rather than dry prepared foods. In this case, it is worth arming yourself with useful information about the components of the diet, their quantity, and combination. You also need to know about the features of dairy products in your pet’s menu.
Kefir and dog diet
By nature, dogs are predators who previously ate purely animal food. The basis of their diet was meat. It served as the main source of protein. Gradually, as dogs were domesticated, the diet expanded, and people began to feed them food of plant origin. The animal menu was supplemented with dairy and fermented milk products. They are also sources of protein that dogs need. But still, meat remains the main supplier of this substance, and milk is an auxiliary source of protein and calcium.
If we talk specifically about kefir, it serves as a rich storehouse of the above substances for puppies. At the stage of transition from mother's milk to an adult diet, kefir in small quantities will be much healthier than cow's milk. But be sure to give a low-fat product. Homemade yogurt is not suitable for feeding young pets. But 1% or 2% kefir is ideal. Further, as you grow older, you can gradually introduce a product with a higher fat content. At the same time, it is necessary to monitor the dog’s stool, because even a gradual increase in the amount of kefir and its fat content can lead to stool disorders.
The fermented milk product is perfectly absorbed by the animal’s body and promotes good digestion. Experienced dog breeders recommend giving it daily to adult, aging dogs. The product will also be useful for those pets who are prone to constipation or are undergoing antibiotic treatment. In the latter case, kefir will help avoid dysbacteriosis.
About other dairy products on the dog's menu
Cottage cheese is the richest source of calcium among all milks. It has a great effect on digestion. Cottage cheese in puppyhood is well suited for one-time feeding. But it’s still better to cook it yourself rather than buy it on the market.
So, you can do this in two ways. The first is to mix kefir and milk in equal proportions, let the mixture sour, drain on cheesecloth, and strain off the whey. Her puppy will be able to drink it another time, not at the same time as consuming the resulting cottage cheese. The second method of preparing cottage cheese for a puppy is based on the use of a 10% solution of calcium chloride. You need to add 1 tablespoon to a liter of milk - the milk will curdle. Then the mixture is filtered through cheesecloth. The result is calcined cottage cheese, which is recommended for puppies to prepare immediately before feeding.
For adult dogs, cottage cheese can be replaced with pre-soaked feta cheese or unsalted Adyghe cheese. If we talk about hard cheeses in a pet’s diet, they should not be fatty or spicy. Such products are suitable only as a treat during periods of training a dog, to encourage it during training. It is prohibited to give adult dogs more than 100 grams of cheese per day - this is the maximum allowed portion for representatives of medium and large breeds of dogs. You cannot offer them smoked cheese, moldy cheese or its exotic types. If you notice that your ward is allergic to cheese, then, of course, it must be excluded from the menu altogether.
The owner should always ensure that fermented milk products do not contain sugar. We are talking about curd mass, sweet yogurt.
Ryazhenka can cause fermentation in some dogs, but in most cases it is well tolerated by the animal’s body.
It is better not to offer milk to dogs at all. It is difficult for their digestive system and in most cases causes diarrhea.
As for sour cream, you can add a product with 15% fat content to low-fat cottage cheese, while monitoring the patient’s stool.
In a word, everything is individual. That is why experienced dog breeders always recommend taking into account the taste preferences of your pets: some like kefir, others enjoy eating cottage cheese, and others do not like any dairy products at all.
When buying a puppy, ask the breeder how his parents treated dairy products. Most likely, he will inherit their taste preferences.
