If you are a proud owner of a Beagle, you would know that they love to eat food! Anything you put in front of them, they will chomp it down. Even if your beagle has a great appetite it is very important that you know the proper food your Beagle should be eating so that they stay in shape and in good health. What you are feeding to your Beagle can determine his health for the present and also his future. In this article, we will cover everything that you need to know so that you can give your Beagle the proper diet they require for physical and mental growth.
What should there be in your Beagle’s food?
Beagles tend to be very energetic and therefore they require a balanced diet to provide them with enough energy to go about their day. They require nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and healthy fats. Even if it is processed food that you are feeding to your Beagle, you need to make sure that your dog is receiving nutrients to help it grow. You need to know the ratio of the nutrients that your Beagle should be taking in, with 30% to 40% of the meal being protein. 15% to 20% being healthy fats and about 20% to 50% being carbs. The best guide for how much nutrients you should be providing your dog with can only be availed from a vet.
Best age-wise diet chart, quantity, and type of food you should feed to your Beagle
Age-wise diet chart and quantity for your Beagle:
How often should you feed your beagle? This depends on your Beagle’s age:-
| Beagles in the age range of 4 to 8 weeks | Beagles in the age range of 8 weeks to 6 months |
|---|---|
In the initial 4 weeks, Beagles should only have their mother’s milk. But by the time they are between 4 weeks to 8 weeks old, it is necessary that solid food is introduced into their diet. The ratio of liquid to solid would gradually decrease resulting in the puppy to be having a purely solid diet by the time they are 6 weeks old. | If you have bought yourself an 8 week old Beagle puppy then it is very important that you get all the possible details from their past owner. Details like what food brand the puppy Beagle is used to are very important. If you change the food brand and serve the Beagle processed meal from a different dog food brand then you might cause your Beagle to have a stomach upset. If you still want to change the food brand for your Beagle, then it is best to do it slowly and steadily. You should gradually increase the portion of the new food brand and reduce the older food brand’s portion. |
Beagles in the age range of 6 months to 1 year
Once your beagle is now 6 months old, it is time to tone down the amount of food you give them. Resort to giving two full meals per day. 1 in the morning and the other one later in the day during the evening.
One major reason for giving your Beagle only two meals per day during this time period is so that they still have enough space for other treats and snacks which you’re going to give them while training them.
Beagles in the age range of 1 year+
Your Beagle has now become an adult. It is important to be more cautious now and know what to feed to the Beagle to make sure their weight stays under control and they do not gain any extra fat.
Should you feed processed food or Homemade food to your beagle?
What food type would be best for your dog? And how should you make the choice? We got that covered as well.
Homemade Food:
The pros of feeding Homemade food to your Beagle are that you can choose how you want to make the food and also determine how much of each nutrient would be there to make the perfect meal for your pet. The only con for Homemade meals is that they take a lot of time to prepare and make. While you can certainly produce a lot at the same time in bulk but then you might have issues in storing this amount of food.
Homemade food diet chart:
A well-maintained diet of homemade cook should include these:
- 40% of meat/fish which you can avail from white chicken meat, tuna, liver, kidney beans.
- 25% of vegetables can be obtained from Baby carrots spinach green beans. (We will discuss how safe it is for Beagles to eat vegetables)
- 25% of carbs can be sourced from oats, barley, plain rice, and also potatoes.
- 10% of Fruits like raspberries, strawberries, and mango e.t.c
Manufactured Food:
For processed food, you should be able to provide your Beagle with the balanced diet they need as long as you are getting them food from a trusted brand. Smaller brands in the market can have harmful chemicals in them that can greatly harm your dog. As long as you are getting a good brand you should be fine. There are cons associated with processed food as well, if you make up your mind to get the best brands out there for your dog, you need to be prepared to pay more as bigger brands are more costly. In this case, you can always opt for making homemade food if you have the time which is cheaper to make.
This is what you need to know before you select Processed food for your Dog:
As you may already have learned, you have no control over how the manufactured food for your dog is made but what you could do is check the ingredients for these few things so that you can make sure you aren’t feeding something harmful to your dog.
- No Fillers: Fillers can be really harmful to your dog and you should look for Dog Food Brands that promote “No Filler” on their products.
- A good balance of Nutrition: Consult your dog’s vet to make sure that the food you are buying for your Beagle has a proper balance of all the nutritions.
- Healthy Fats: Healthy fats are very essential and a must-have in a dog’s diet. It helps them to grow and stay healthy.
- Presence of real meat: Make sure that the dog food you are getting for your Beagle has real meat in it. Meat is a source of protein and it should be there in every Beagle’s meal for healthy growth.
The different types that Manufactured dog food come in:
Manufactured food can come in two forms, dry food, and wet food. While dry food is more preferred by dog owners due to it being easy to store and also very economical compared to wet food. The dense concentration of nutrients in them also makes them more ideal. While wet food would have water content in them and is a good option to keep your Beagle hydrated. Also, it is ideal for feeding newborn Beagles who might find it harder to chew down dry food. No matter whichever form of manufactured food you choose, Beagles love to eat food and they will chomp down anything you give them.
How to feed your Beagle?
As your Beagle grows the method of feeding them food can change as well.
How to feed your Beagle puppy?
Beagle puppies are fed using the process of Weaning. Weaning is the process of introducing solid food to your puppy’s meal while they are relying on their mother’s milk. Weaning should be done only when your puppy has reached up to 4 weeks old. The transition should be carried out for 12 days at least and do make sure you do not make any sudden switches as that might cause your puppy to get an upset stomach. There are a lot of dog food brands that make weaning food but you can also feed your puppy normal dog food. Just mix it with warm water and make sure you aren’t giving your Beagle and hard dry food.
How to feed your adult Beagle?
Beagles that are between 1 year old and 7 years old have slowed down their growth. They need fewer calories per body weight during this time cycle and you would want to cut down on the amount of food you give them. It is also a wise decision to give them Adult dog food that you can find in the market. The dog food should have the age of your Beagle labeled on it.
How to feed a senior Beagle?
Beagles that are more than 7 years old are considered to be senior Beagles. By the time Beagles are 7, they have a really slow metabolism rate and it is wise to give them low calories. Giving them a higher calorie intake might increase the chances form them getting obese and cause other serious health issues to them. Senior Beagles have a weaker immune system as well so they get prone to a lot of health issues. You should take your pet to the vet so they can advise the best supplements for them which you can administer by mixing with their meal.
A few possible reasons why your Beagle is not eating properly:
By now you do know how much Beagles love food because that is what I keep telling you guys! But if your Beagle is not eating properly then there is certainly something wrong with your pet. There are a few reasons why your Beagle might refuse to eat including stomach issues, teeth problems, or behavioral issues. There might be other severe health factors as well if your Beagle has stopped eating all of a sudden and it is very important that you take them to the vet immediately.
Stomach being upset:
This is one of the common reasons why your Beagle might not be eating properly. They are always munching on something and beagles might end up with an upset stomach if they eat something that they are not supposed to. Indigestion can be a common cause for an upset stomach and might be caused if your Beagle’s stomach isn’t used to the food they ate. Beagles can also end up with gastritis which can cause diarrhea and a score of other stomach diseases. While you can fix indigestion by giving some yogurt to your Beagle, for gastritis it is best to take them to the vet for further checkup.
Choosy with food:
While Beagles do love food, some Beagles tend to be more choosy as to what kind of food they want to eat. They might not be eating the food you give to them because they do not like the flavor of it or if it is not tasty. The best you could do is give them wet food or food with gravy as Beagles love that moreover Dry food or flavorless dog food. You can also try changing the brand of the dog food, as some dog food brands do provide more flavourful dog food.
Aging issues:
As your Beagle ages, it is very likely that it will lose its appetite and not find food more appealing. This is very common where they lose interest in food due to a reduced sense of smell and taste. They might not like eating as they used to before and become full by eating very little. If your Beagle is growing up and refusing to eat the usual food you have been giving them then you can opt for senior dog food that is available in the market. These food options have a more flavourful taste and have a low-calorie count as well which would also be really healthy for your Beagle.
Dental issues :
The Dental diseases like tooth decay, loose teeth, or inflamed gums can be a reason your Beagle is refusing to eat as it hurts them when they try to chew. Beagle’s dental issues can be really painful for your dog and it is really important that as an owner you make sure you are taking care of your beagle’s dental health. You need to make sure you are brushing your Beagle’s teeth daily and taking them out for routine dental checkups. Give them dental treats that help keep their teeth in good health by reducing the amount of plaque-forming on their teeth.
No variety in food:
Your Beagle might love eating food a lot, but just like humans, Beagles can get bored if you give them the same food every day. They might lose interest and start avoiding eating. That is why it is very important that you keep changing your Beagle’s meal every day and bring some variety. This will keep your Beagle interested and they will love you more for providing them with delicious food to eat.
Can Beagles be vegetarians?
Vegetables are a really healthy source of nutrients. We all know how vegetables can keep us in good health and they can do the same for Beagles. You can choose to add vegetables to your Beagle’s meal every two days to provide them with nutrients and also improve the taste of their meal as well. But can beagles be completely vegetarian? No, if your Beagle turns vegetarian you won’t be able to provide them with Meat which is an important part of their diet as they would need a lot of protein while growing up. Vegetables need to be slowly introduced to the Beagle’s diet and you need to test out whether it suits their stomach or not. You Beagle might take time to adjust to the vegetable but when it does it is going to love it a lot.
What vegetables can Beagles eat?
Not all types of vegetables can be served to Beagles as some of them might not be safe for their health. There are still a good number of vegetables, that you can feed your Beagle with that include Green peas, celery, Broccoli carrots, Beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, corn, ginger, peanuts, lettuce, olives, parsley, pumpkin, zucchini, tomato, radish, potato, and many more. All these vegetables are safe for your Beagle to eat but there might be some that are not safe for your Beagle to eat.
What vegetables should your Beagle avoid?
Cassava is something that you should avoid as it can be really toxic if given in large quantities to your Beagle. You should avoid feeding your Beagle food such as Beans, sprouts and Beetroot in high quantities as they can cause indigestion and even gastric issues for your Beagle. Spinach is another vegetable that can be really harmful to your Beagle. Spinach contains Oxalic acid, which can be really harmful to the Kidney and can also cause severe kidney damage for your Beagle.
What other food can Beagles eat?
Beagles can eat a few more food items that haven’t been listed above.
Cheese:
Beagles can eat cheese, in fact, they love to eat cheese a lot. Most Beagle owners use cheese to train their Beagles as a treat. But the amount of cheese given to your Beagle should be moderated and only given once in a while as it can cause your Beagle to gain weight and become obese. Cheese has a lot of healthy nutrients in it like Protein, fatty acids, vitamin A etc. It can be really beneficial for your Beagle. To make sure that your Beagle isn’t lactose intolerant as cheese can cause them to end up with a bad stomach.
Honey:
Honey is really beneficial for a Beagle’s health. It has loads of health benefits for your Beagle while also being a good replacement for other sweeteners available in the market. Honey contains minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients which can help keep your Beagle healthy. If your Beagle has a weak immune system or if they are very young, then honey should be avoided as it can cause some health issues in them due to the Bacterial spores that honey contains. Nevertheless, a spoonful of honey works as a great treat for your furry friend.
Can Beagles eat Mangoes and Strawberries? also their benefits.
Yes, Beagles can eat fruits like mangoes and strawberries. Mangoes are very beneficial for a Beagle’s health as they have scores of health benefits such as providing your Beagle with Vitamins, Minerals, and many other nutrients that can help in keeping your beagle healthy. At the same time, Strawberries are high in fiber and a good source of Vitamin C. Strawberries also have antioxidants in them that help in purifying the liver of your beagle.
Can Beagles eat fiber-rich food, and what are the benefits?
Most dog owners skip fiber-rich food from their dog’s meal. It is a very important part of a healthy meal for dogs just like humans. FIber has a lot of benefits for your Beagle that include aiding in their digestion, keeping their weight in check while also making sure that their diabetes stays in control. Fiber comes in the form of whole vegetables and whole fruits that can be included in your beagle’s meal easily. It is best to get these ingredients and cook at home to feed your Beagle. This is much better than getting a brand of processed food that might just have artificial fillers in them and can provide no health benefits to your Beagle while giving them a series of health issues.
Final words
By now we hope you know all the ins and outs of how to feed your beagle efficiently. Do remember that your Beagle loves food as I have already mentioned multiple times in this article. Only opt for home-cooked food for your Beagle but if you lack the time you may choose to get a good brand of dog food. At the same time if you see your Beagle facing any health issues that might be stopping them from eating then it is best to take them to the vet as soon as possible.