Feeding your Fila
Brasileiro
The Fila is a giant breed and as such needs to
be fed carefully, especially through puppyhood, to avoid joint and other health problems.
The consensus is that a pup should grow slowly, so a high fat, high calorie
diet is to be avoided.
Many Fila owners and breeders choose to feed
their dogs a natural diet such as
BARF as
opposed to kibble, since dogs are closer to being carnivores than
omnivores. Most kibble has way too high a ratio of carbohydrates to
protein, something that is not natural to dogs. Poor quality kibble can
contain questionable ingredients that you would never ordinarily feed
your fila, some of which is basically worthless byproduct of human
foods, and have little or no food value.
The Fila Brasileiro is very susceptible to
bloat, so avoid foods that tend to produce gas, like broccoli and beans.
Although there is little hard evidence as to what exactly causes bloat,
there are some common guidelines that most agree on...such as not
allowing your fila to bolt their food and not allowing exuberant play
for at least an hour after eating.
A raw diet would typically include beef, deer, pork, lamb,
fish, chicken and turkeyas well as yoghurt, milk, cottage cheese,
eggs, vegetables and fruit...usually whatever the human family is eating. Some people
believe in feeding once a day, others prefer to feed two or three
smaller meals.
They usually have bones to chew on ad lib. During hunting season you
will usually find a
hunter willing to bring you his carcases, venison is a great low fat
source of protein and the filas love it Cooked bones on the other hand
tend to splinter and should be avoided.
The following is a list of prepared food
products that other
fila owners have recommended:
The Wholesome Hound
- Holistic, organic, human grade pet foods
Flint River Ranch
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