Detailed diet for Alabai from birth to old age

Rules for feeding Alabai

The Central Asian Shepherd is a large breed that requires certain maintenance conditions. However, this does not apply to the animal’s diet. The menu of a stately and strong dog is not much different from the diet of other large breeds. But some rules in choosing a diet still exist. To raise a healthy dog, the owner must adhere to them.

What to feed Alabai

Table 1. Diet rules for large breeds.

As a rule, the pet’s diet is formed once and is not changed unless necessary. If the transition is necessary, the dog is gradually transferred to the new menu.

Adult dog diet

An adult Alabai receives food 2 times a day, morning and evening.

Sample diets may include:

1. 700 g of meat (beef, veal, horse meat), 100 g of rye bran, 300 g of raw vegetables, 20 g of unrefined vegetable oil.
2. 1.5 kg of offal (tripe, lung, heart), 500 g of boiled cereal or soaked oatmeal, 200 g of rye flour, 1 egg, 20 g of vegetable oil.

An adult dog needs a large amount of meat (from 750 to 1500 grams), vegetables and cereals.

It is advisable to alternate the proposed menu. Once a week, Alabai is given homemade cottage cheese (1 kg), kefir (1 l) and 400 g of raw or boiled vegetables. In the summer, portions can be slightly reduced (in hot weather the dog drinks a lot and may refuse to eat).

Natural food

Many owners prefer to feed their pets natural food. In this case, food is prepared daily or for 2 days. You can cook the cereal for a week and mix it in the right proportion with chopped meat or fish. When adding vegetables to food, cut them into medium-sized pieces. You should not offer your dog food that is pureed or too finely chopped.

When deciding how to feed the Alabai correctly, we must not forget about the dog’s favorite treat – bones. Beef marrow makes an excellent mineral addition to your diet. Chicken necks are also useful, but sharp bird or fish bones can injure a dog's stomach.

Alabai is practically omnivorous; dogs of this breed are not known for their whims. However, some foods are not recommended for pets; they can cause digestive upset, hair problems (dandruff or hair loss) and other unpleasant consequences.

Cleanings and table scraps, as well as chicken bones and legumes, should not be added to the porridge for alabai.

The stop list includes:

• smoked meats, pickles, meat delicacies;
• chocolate and other industrial sweets;
• lamb and pork;
• raw cereals (except oatmeal);
• whole milk;
• peas and other legumes.

Food prepared for your dog should not be too salty. Natural sodium is found in raw and cooked vegetables; excess salt has a harmful effect on Alabai joints. The animal is not given excessively hot or cold food that can cause oral burns or stomach cramps.

Food from the owner's table is also not recommended. Do not add stubs, leftovers or low-quality products to dishes cooked for a dog; they can cause severe poisoning.

When we reduce the number of feedings, we increase the doses. For an adult dog, it is enough to give food twice a day - morning and evening. But the answer to the question of how much to feed the Alabai depends on many factors. There are individual characteristics of the body, metabolic disorders, when the food eaten is deposited on the sides of the dog in fat folds.

This should under no circumstances be allowed, especially in puppyhood - the paws will give way. With a normal diet, the dog's two lower ribs should be visible, and the rest should be clearly palpable. Then the Alabai is considered to be in good physical shape. It should be taken into account that bitches during pregnancy and lactation should increase the daily dose of food. And for aging dogs, especially those who spend days in an enclosure without much movement, reduce it.

Natural menu for a shepherd

Despite the huge range of dry food for dogs, most owners prefer to feed Central Asian Shepherds with natural food. The advantage of such nutrition is the known composition and control of additives. The disadvantage of a natural diet is the high cost and time-consuming preparation of food.

Natural food is the best food for a puppy

The basis of the diet of an adult animal should be meat. The large muscle mass of the breed requires constant protein feeding, which is what low-fat varieties will provide.

When compiling a menu for the Central Asian Shepherd, it is necessary to take into account that the menu should contain approximately 33% of meat, vegetables and grains.

Meat ingredients can be boiled, only occasionally offering the dog raw food. Among by-products, primacy is given to beef tripe and heart. Alabai can also be given liver, but in rare cases.

Alabai has strong jaws.

Alabai jaw

They need constant training, so the diet should not contain only soups. If the basis of the diet is still liquid food, it is recommended to offer the shepherd a treat made from bovine veins. You can buy it in the store.

The natural menu of an adult dog is formed taking into account the individual preferences of the animal. So, some pets love fish, so they can be given crushed boiled sea varieties. If the dog does not eat seafood, they are replaced with omega supplements from the pharmacy.

Dogs need omega acids

Additional Ingredients:

1. Milk . Dairy products are acceptable in the diet of an adult dog if his digestive system can handle them. If problems are observed, or the animal does not like milk, it should not be given.
2. Fruits. Some pets are not averse to eating them. There is no need to refuse a dog. Pears, apples and other fruits are given to alabai raw.
3. Vegetables. Cabbage should be processed thermally. Carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers are suitable in any form. Beets are given in small quantities, as are potatoes.
4. Eggs. Homemade chicken eggs can be given raw or boiled.

You should be careful when offering raw meat to your dog. Pork contains the false rabies virus. It is not dangerous for humans, but it can be fatal for animals. Therefore, raw meat must be frozen for 3 days.

We create a diet taking into account common diseases

Despite their good health and long life span, Alabai are predisposed to a number of diseases.

Due to their large body weight and powerful build, Central Asian Shepherds have an increased load on the bones and joints, especially the paws. Overeating and a sedentary lifestyle can lead to obesity.

It is better not to keep these dogs in apartments where they do not have enough space, and to take them out for walks as often as possible so that the dog can move actively. Calcium and phosphorus must be added to the dogs’ diet. The measures taken will help to avoid diseases of the musculoskeletal system such as arthrosis or arthritis.

The sedentary lifestyle of Turkmen wolfhounds can lead to vascular and heart problems. Regular long walks with your dog and arranging a spacious enclosure will protect against these diseases and keep your pet healthy.

Even a well-groomed dog can become infected with helminths. For prevention, garlic is added to the diet from an early age. In case of infection, anthelmintic drugs are used.

Wool and leather

Alabai wool is a mirror of health and a vulnerable spot of this breed. If it is silky, thick, evenly shiny, then the dog is healthy. Serious diseases of the internal organs are indicated by dull, falling out hair and the appearance of dandruff. The hair itself can be infested with fleas and ticks, or infected with ringworm or fungus.

Prohibited Products

The list of products for the Alabai menu is simple and not much different from the usual dog menu. But when compiling a diet, it is important to take into account not only the required ingredients, but also prohibited foods. You can read more about what you should not feed your dog in our article.

Alabai should not be given sweets

List of prohibited foods for the Central Asian Shepherd:

1. Food prepared for humans. Fatty, spicy and salty foods should not be given to your dog.
2. Bones. Only spongy and moslak are acceptable.
3. Any spices, salt and pepper.
4. Smoked products, sausages, ready-made semi-finished products.
5. Bakery products, muffins, pasta.
6. Products that provoke fermentation - grapes, raisins.
7. Sweets, candies, chocolate.

Important! For Alabai, any confectionery products are unacceptable. Xylitol, found in baked goods and chewing gum, is considered a lethal poison for dogs.

Answer

Alabai is a large breed of dog. Accordingly, caring for and feeding the animal requires a serious approach. There is a common misconception that feeding a large pet is an extremely expensive procedure and will ruin anyone. Professional dog handlers and Alabai breeders claim the diametrically opposite - it is possible to feed the Alabai with products that are eaten by representatives of other breeds.

The diet is simple and unpretentious. However, the dog is large and requires large portions of food. Any breed of dog will envy the Alabai's appetite. This does not mean that a small puppy should be fed with adult portions.

The Central Asian Shepherd is usually classified as a typical type of service guard dog. The dog is not distinguished by the mobility characteristic of hunting dogs; it does not need food in fractional portions. The size of the dog commands respect; the animal eats much more than, for example, a “German”.

The Alabai puppy is fed according to 2 options - natural products or dry food. The foods that your puppy gets used to will form his basic diet throughout his life. Each dog has individual preferences.

Feeding frequency and amount of food

One of the mandatory rules is the regime. The timing of meals is no less important than the quality of food.

The feeding schedule depends not only on the breed, but also on the age of the puppy. Thus, babies aged 1 month need frequent meals - at least five times a day. This schedule is usually followed until the puppy moves to new owners. They gradually reduce the intake, reducing the diet to three approaches per day.

Central Asian Shepherd puppies

For the next few months, the puppy eats three times a day. From 2 to 4 months he should get used to a feeding schedule by the hour. Until 10 months of age, the daily menu should be divided into two full meals. The schedule drawn up before this age should remain unchanged.

The amount of food for a particular individual is determined individually. The owner must ensure that the animal does not remain hungry. It is also necessary to ensure that the animal does not gain excess weight.

10 month old puppy

It is worth considering the seasonal features of the menu. An adult dog intuitively chooses more nutritious food in winter and light food in summer. This is due to the process of thermoregulation, during which a huge amount of energy is spent. In winter, the dog is given more carbohydrates, and in the summer they are offered protein foods, which require significantly less to be full.

Sample weekly menu for an adult pet:

1. For four days, the dog is given 500 g of cereals, 700 g of meat products and a little vegetable oil - no more than 20 g. The daily diet also includes 300 g of vegetables - boiled or grated raw.
2. On the fifth and sixth days, meat products can be replaced with offal. At least 1.5 kg. Also, a day the dog should eat half a kilogram of cereal, a home-made egg and a piece of butter. Rye crackers are also allowed.

   Adult alabai

3. To diversify the menu, the shepherd dog is fed exclusively dairy products one day a week. For example, 1 liter of kefir and 1 kg of cheese. On this day you can also give half a kilogram of vegetables.

The order of days can be changed at your discretion, alternating fasting days with intense protein days.

Breed Features

Alabai was brought out with a specific purpose. He must serve a person as a protector and guard. Therefore, the dog must have remarkable strength. Alabai needs abundant and balanced nutrition. Meat must be present in his diet. Therefore, if funds do not allow you to give your dog two liters of soup per feeding, it is better not to get an Alabai, but to buy a dog of a different breed.

This serious dog always has a good appetite. But you shouldn’t indulge him: excess weight has a bad effect on the dog’s health (as does exhaustion). Therefore, you need to know how to feed the alabai correctly. We will return to the diet later, but for now let’s say a few words about dishes. Alabai's long neck is not welcome.

If you are a novice dog breeder, it is better not to experiment. Buy dry or wet food for your small Central Asian Shepherd. But it must be premium. In addition, specialized - “For puppies of large or giant breeds.” Alabais are shepherd dogs, therefore, they need to be given chondroprotectors to strengthen their paws.

A stand that is appropriate for the dog's height should hold two bowls. One is for food. If the puppy does not finish it, the remainder must be taken away. The bowl of water should always be full. The puppy should be fed several times a day according to its age. The first meal should be no earlier than seven in the morning, and the last - no later than nineteen hours.

Until the age of three months, the puppy is fed six times a day. Then the number of meals is very gradually reduced. A six-month-old dog should eat four times a day. By his first birthday, the young Alabai must be accustomed to three meals. An adult dog should be fed morning and evening at the same time.

Nutrition in old age

After 7 years of life, the activity of these dogs noticeably decreases. They require more time to sleep, as well as the owner's attention. Some people become picky eaters. If you continue to feed the same high-calorie diet, excess weight and joint diseases will form.

During this period, it is necessary to reduce the content of meat products in the menu. It is useful to give low-fat cottage cheese and eggs. Increase the volume of vegetables to prevent constipation. When feeding commercially produced food, purchase products formulated for older large breed dogs.

Alabai require proper feeding. The development of the musculoskeletal system and muscles depends on the quality and calorie content of food. Proper nutrition is the key to health, vitality and good exterior characteristics.