• If you're a past member of the board, but can't recall your password any more, you don't need to set up a new account (unless you wish to). As long as you recall your old login name, you can log in with that user name then select 'forgot password' and the board will email you at your registration email, to let you reset your password.

New owner food/treat questions

We are getting our cavalier puppy soon and we are busy with preparations. Please excuse any silly questions, I figure it is better to ask now then to do something even more foolish later.

We are going to feed him Canidae to start as that is what our breeder has been using. Does it matter what size we buy? I am planning on getting a 44 pound bag, is that okay or will it go bad before we will use it all? Should I get a storage container of some sort to store it in to help keep it longer and fresher or is that unnecessary?

Also, any specific treat recommendations would be appreciated - we visited a pet supply store and were overwhelmed with all the choices. Plus the salesman was very opinionated but all his opinions seemed to side with his store's brand!

Thanks in advance.
 
I do not buy really big bags of kibble because storage is an issue for me. I would buy bigger bags IF I had some type of vacuum seal system. I have a full grown cavalier who eats dry kibble, wet food and a mix of fruit and veggies and I buy 10 lbs bags like every 3 weeks or so. You are going to have to come up with some air tight way to store food.

For treats, I only give fresh fruits and veggies. Fletcher is not too picky but some of his favorites are strawberries, blueberries, carrots, green beans, and plain pumpkin (I freeze in little ice cube trays) I just buy them prep them and freeze. When the weather is warm I just give them to him frozen he loves it. I have also used pieces of kibble. I have never bought a bag of treats. I like feeding fresh treats because they add a lot of taste but not many calories. I'm sure you know but it is VERY important to avoid letting your cavalier become overweight and MOST cavaliers act like they are starving to death all of the time.


By the way welcome and please share more info with us. I for one have a touch of puppy fever and would be more than happy to enjoy your experience.
 
Thank you very much. We will start with smaller bags and only get the bigger ones once we are more experienced.

As for treats, we have children so blueberries, strawberries, etc are always in the fridge. But aren't there any dog specific treats I could also use that cav owners like? For training, walks, etc I don't want to be carrying blueberries and frozen pumpkins in my pockets. I'm not greatly concerned about the weight issue, one of the reasons we decided on this breed was a good friend who takes her cav jogging every day. We are an active family and wanted a dog that could keep up.
 
I sometimes feed my girls Zukes Super treats, the berry or greens ones. The Zukes are great because they can also be broken up into smaller pieces and would be good to carry around with you -plus they're somewhat healthy for a processed treat. I am not sure where you live but I also feed "Northern Biscuits" they fit perfectly snug into the kong so are great to give when you are going out. Other than that, like Melissa I mostly feed fruits and veggies as treats. Frozen blueberries are a favourite but really they will eat absolutely anything I give them including cherry tomatoes (cooked tomatoes are good for the heart), cucumber, broccoli, green beans, mint, basil, banana etc. Just make sure to give in moderation - I only give one or two treats per day otherwise they will become overweight quickly.

As for food I feed a combination of Honest Kitchen raw food and Acana lamb formula. I used to feed the grain-free Orijen but found it too rich for their systems (they didn't adjust after several months). I find they do really well on the HK and the lamb formulas. I also buy the smaller bags and usually have to buy a bag every month.

Also, as for jogging, it is not generally recommended to run with a cavalier. Many have short snouts and breathing problems that simply cant handle running. Lady will run short distances with me (she is extremely energetic and doesn't tire easily) but honestly she doesn't like it that much. Gracie cannot run and I would never make her because I know she would have a very difficult time. Make sure you speak to your vet before starting to take your cav for jogs.

It's interesting that you say you wanted an active dog that could keep up, since Cavaliers are generally known for being couch potato lap dogs. While some are more energetic than others, they aren't what you would usually call an active breed.
 
Hi and welcome. Be careful what treats you give as cavaliers are like hoovers and will eat ANYTHING! Make sure you don't give grapes/chocolate/raisons they are very toxic for dogs! My Leo loves rice cakes, they're very low fat and crunchy so he feels like he's getting a real treat. Good luck with your pup.....very exciting !
 
Back
Top