The Bearded Collie is one of the herding dog breeds. It is a very lively breed, full of energy, lively and always ready for action. It is perfect for farms, where it has space to run out, run around and give vent to its activity. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle and spend weekends reading a book in front of the fireplace, this is rather not the dog for you. It is a medium-sized, very lively breed and therefore needs a diet that is tailored to this lifestyle. In this article, we will describe the basic principles that should be followed when preparing a menu for the popular Birdie.
A suitable diet for the Bearded Collie
As with other breeds, it is particularly important to choose the amount of food according to the activity level of your “bearded collie”. This will be described in the following paragraphs, and at the moment we will focus on what is always very important, namely the ingredients of the food. For a bearded collie dog to be healthy, happy and have natural energy, we must provide it with the right amount of
- protein – an extremely important nutrient, affects the proper development of muscles, good condition of hair, skin and nails. The ideal source of protein is beef or fish, but also eggs or lamb. The proportion of protein in the diet should be around 20%.
- Vitamins – they play a very important role in every dog’s body. It is especially important in such an active dog as Bearded Collie not to allow deficiencies. We can use supplementation, but it is also worth considering natural treats in the form of vegetables and fruit suitable for dogs.
- Fat – provides the necessary energy, also supports kidney function and has a positive effect on hair and skin. However, do not overdo it as excessive fat leads to obesity and other health problems. Recommended share of fats in Bearded Collie’s diet is 5-8%.
In addition to this, it’s worth ensuring that your dog has the right amount of fibre in its diet to positively affect and regulate its digestive system.
These are general recommendations, but before giving the chosen diet, always consult with your vet, who will individually advise what ratio of dietary elements will be most suitable in the case of this particular dog.
Weight, immunity, mood and smell – that is the BARF diet for Bearded Collie.
The BARF diet is in many cases a great solution regardless of the breed of dog, because dogs are naturally adapted to eating foods based on raw meat. In the case of herding dogs, it can have a particularly salutary effect on the condition of our pet. It is worth focusing on the functioning of the intestines. The Barf diet for the Bearded Collie promotes an intestinal ecosystem called the microbiome, which affects the animal’s immunity and well-being. It strengthens the natural immune defence by providing the right trace elements. When feeding a Bearded Collie in this way, however, several factors must be taken into consideration, such as the dog’s metabolism, the quality of the food, activity, current weight, and age and any medical conditions.
Homemade food, Barf or ready-made food for the Bearded Collie?
We recommend a Barf diet prepared at home. Of course, it takes a lot of time and work to feed your dog this way, but it’s the safest way of feeding your Bearded Collie – we know exactly what ingredients your dog is taking in. Although this is the surest way of feeding, we cannot reject the other ways. Ready-made BARF food, ready-made dry and wet food can also provide your dog with the right ingredients, but it’s worth sticking to certain rules:
- Check the ingredients, especially the meat content in Bearded Collie food. Meat should make up a large percentage of the finished food. It is also worth paying attention to what the source of meat is, the best source is chicken, turkey, salmon, duck, beef. If there is a predominance of cereals or other supplementary ingredients – it’s better to choose something else. Unfortunately, the quality of food is usually related to the price.
- Additionally, let’s use supplementation of dog’s diet. Both natural and commercial supplements are good additions to a dog’s diet. Check to see what micronutrients and vitamins your dog’s food contains prepared by yourself or purchased from a shop. If something is missing, add suitable ready-made ingredients to your dog’s food or in the form of fruit and vegetables for dogs.
Best food for Bearded Collie puppies
Puppies and young adult dogs consume a lot of energy. At this stage, it’s especially worthwhile to use foods containing good quality protein. When preparing a homemade diet for a Bearded Collie it is worth paying special attention to this component. If we want to use diet based on ready-made dry or wet food, we should buy one that is dedicated to shepherd puppies, or if we don’t find such – to puppies in general. Foods dedicated to young dogs usually have, in addition to the % of fats and protein, adequate amounts of other micronutrients such as calcium, which are extremely important in the early stages of development of the Bearded Collie.
How many calories for the Bearded Collie?
It all depends on age, medical conditions and activity. Taking an average, we can assume that for an adult dog with moderate activity, 1312 calories will be the right amount. If the dog has been neutered or spayed, or is elderly, the calorie intake should be reduced. If the dog is regularly shepherded, it may be necessary to increase the calories to 1500 or even over 2000 kcal per day.
Although everyone is able to estimate quite accurately the quality and quantity of food needed in the diet of their Bearded Collie, it is always advisable to consult a vet, who will suggest and adjust the quality and quantity of food that will be optimal in a given case.
