Choosing Coonhound Cuisine

If you've found a good diet, over time, your dog should remain healthy. It should not suffer from recurrent illnesses or infections, such as skin or ear problems, respiratory infections, or digestive problems while on a good diet. When Atchley started her kennel, she fed the best food she could afford, but over time, upgraded to even better dog foods. As I started feeding higher-quality food, I found I saved on vet bills, because I had fewer sick dogs, Atchley says.

Redditt agrees: I have dogs that never get sick, and live to be 14 years old. I truly believe nutrition contributes to my dogs longevity. Your coonhound can reap these same benefits of better health and longer life through better nutrition! u

Susan Bertram, D.V.M., enjoys the company of her two Rhodesian Ridgebacks and Beagle on hikes and horseback rides in the scenic high desert of Central Oregon where she resides and works as a veterinarian and freelance writer.

Healthy Snacks
Coonhounds love food, period. They'll beg, countersurf and raid the garbage to get it. Better keep some healthy snacks handy when they look at you with those big brown eyes, convincing you they're starving! Healthy commercial treats do exist, but you'll usually have to shop the pet-supply stores, not the grocery shelves to find them. Select treats that contain healthy ingredients, such as lean meats, eggs, fruits and veggies, or omega fatty acids (for healthier skin and coat). Avoid treats containing corn syrup (sugar) or high fat levels, which promote the same problems in dogs and people, including blood sugar spikes and obesity.

Other Healthy Snack Ideas:

 Plain mini rice cakes.

 Raw or lightly cooked veggies. Try carrots, green beans, broccoli and squash. (Avoid onions, which are toxic to dogs.)

 Fresh fruits. Try bananas, apples, melons and berries. (Avoid, grapes and raisins, which are reported to cause kidney problems in dogs.)

 Whole grain toast (no butter).

 Whole grain, low-fat crackers, such as Wasa Crispbread.

 A dollop of lowfat cottage cheese or plain yogurt.

 Hard-boiled eggs (whites are fat-free, perfect protein).

 Lean cooked meats doled out in tiny, but flavorful morsels.

- More Breed Diets -

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