Something like 95% of the pet food available is owned by 6 huge corporations. Namely - Mars (yes the candy company owns 41 brands of pet food), Nestlé owns 30 brands, J.M. Smuckers, 14 brands, Colgate-Palmolive owns Hills Science Diet, General Mills owns Blue Buffalo... I say this to say, there is no one size fits all solution to mass produced dog food.
Copyright LINY Dalmatians, Anastacia - August 2022
If you relate it at all to how these same corporations mass produce human food for consumption with acceptable levels of rat/mice droppings by the FDA, all things are questionable. I'm not advocating for one brand or another just simply here to relay that asking on social media from people all over the world typically won't be the most sound advice on what you should feed your Dalmatian.
Your first recommendation should come directly from your breeder, (provided they are reputable). When purchasing a puppy from a breeder, it is extremely important to be able to have an open line of communication, especially in regard to basic things like food requirements.
I, too, am in varying Dalmatian social groups and the one thing that bugs me the most is the amount of people that have purchased puppies from breeders and haven't the slightest clue what food their puppy should be eating.
Nutrition for Your HUA Dalmatian
When you first bring your puppy home, you should be feeding exactly what the breeder was feeding. If you decide you'd like to switch foods, your breeder should be able to give you quality recommendations and a solid time frame for incrementally introducing a new food. It is never advisable to rapidly switch to a new food as this can cause stomach upset, allergic reactions, and other unpleasant effects.
From the time you bring your puppy home until they are 1 year old, they should be on puppy food. When it comes time to switch to adult food, this should also be a slow transition as puppy food contains higher fat, higher protein, higher nutrient content, etc.
Dalmatians require a diet that is low in protein, purines, and should avoid game meats, organ meats, and high yeast products.
Purines are a type of protein found in some red meats, some poultry, game, offal and yeast products - all of these foods typically contain very high of levels of Purines. Dalmatians, like other breeds, genetically carry the HUA (hyperuricosuria) gene which causes elevated levels of uric acid in the urine that can lead to the formation of bladder and/or kidney stones.
The increase in protein purine consumption is directly associated with an increase in ammonium ions in the urine, which then contribute to the formation of urinary stones. The formation of these stones can be extremely painful for your pet, and very costly to treat - which is why preventative measures are crucial to the Dalmatian diet.
Another major preventative measure is plentiful and quality filtered water consumption. If your Dalmatian is not consuming enough water, the likelihood of stone formation increases. When the concentration of the urine increases, excess purines are not effectively being flushed from the bladder. If your Dalmatian does not seem inclined to drink plenty on their own, a solid way to ensure they are consuming enough water is to float their food.
Are there other solutions? Of course there are, however, these other options are not always a viable option for most people. A raw, nutritionally balanced diet is likely the best food that your Dalmatian can consume. If you do decide to feed a raw diet, it is imperative that you consult with your veterinarian and/or a dog nutritionist.
If kibble is your choice of nutrition, that's not only completely fine but often the most feasible, affordable, and quality option. Everything in moderation is what is important. When feeding a kibble diet, make sure to not overfeed - aside from being a weight management necessity, kibble diets are formulated with a specific set of ingredients to ensure every bite has a set amount of nutrients. Any dog food you buy will have a recommended serving size and it should be followed for proper nutrient consumption.
In all breeds, and especially the Dalmatian, overfeeding can be extremely detrimental to their health; as an excess of food inherently increases the amount of nutrients per bite, notably - an increase of purines, yeast, or other ingredients that are only intended to be fed in a specific quantity.
Lastly, I know it is super tempting to go out and buy every type of dog treat that exists for your new puppy - don't do it! Training kibble is generally fine (especially in the crucial training stages), however, it is too easy to not take into account the treats in relation to a nutritionally balanced daily diet. Similar to the effect overfeeding kibble can have, treats can and will do the same. Moderation is key!
Rather than spending a small fortune on all of the latest puppy treats, consider using some treats you can find right in your kitchen - apples (no core or seeds), blueberries, strawberries, melon, banana, cantaloupe, cranberries, cucumbers, mangoes, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapple, pumpkin, raspberries, watermelon, sweet potatoes, and others!
The most important aspects of any dogs nutrition are quality foods, moderation and appropriate water intake.
Every single person you ask will tell you what works for their Dalmatian and 9 times out of ten, same with humans, our bodies adapt to what we are accustomed to consuming. Does not mean it's good for us....
When asking for advice on a public forum with people from all over the world, take it all with a grain of salt and please consult directly with your breeder and veterinarian for nutrition recommendations!
-LINY Dalmatians
FB/IG/TIKTOK: @linydalmatians
Copyright LINY Dalmatians - August 2022
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