OUR FEEDING AND CARE TECHNIQUES
DOUBLING THE LIFE SPAN OF YOUR DOG!
We have achieved amazing success in lengthening the lives of our rescued dogs. We have our dogs living an average of twice their normal lifespans.
We have accomplished this by utilizing our feeding and care program and feeding all natural Gentle Giants dog food.
Here are the three
critical areas that you should focus upon:
(1) What you feed your dog;
(2) How you feed your dog; and
(3) How you care for your dog.
What You Feed Your Dog - Gentle Giants World Class Canine Cuisine
We have our dogs living far longer than is traditional for our giant breeds. Our program for increased longevity combines early spay/neuter, our special feeding and care techniques, and our high nutrition, balanced protein, low fat dog food. Because our dog food is so nutritious, your dog can obtain all the nutrition he/she needs by eating less food than with other dog food formulas. This provides your adopted dog with increased protection against bloat and torsion, a major killer of giant breed dogs, and a killer of other breeds as well.
We require dog food with our minimum specifications to be fed to our adopted dogs. The requirements are as follows:
Crude Protein = 22% - lower protein content to protect against hypertrophic osteo dystrophy in puppies and panosteitus in adult dogs
Crude Fat = 9% - lower fat content to protect against heart disease
What We Believe Is Absolutely Critical!
Only Feed Your Dog 100% All Natural Gentle Giants Dog Food!
Never Feed Your Dog More Than 22% Protein!
And Never Feed Your Dog More Than 9% Fat!
(check the "Guaranteed Nutrient Analysis" information on your dog food bag)
Our additional requirements are as follows:
Protein Source: Chicken, Fish and Eggs;
Vegetables: Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Beets, Peas, Celery, Lettuce, Parsely, Watercress and Spinach;
Fruits: Cranberries, Blueberries and Apples;
Nutritious Grains: Pearled Barley, Brown Rice, Oatmeal and Flax Seeds;
Vitamins and Antioxidants: Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Beta-Carotene, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Niacin and Biotin;
Omega-6 Fatty Acids = 1.25% minimum for healthy skin and a healthy coat;
Omega-3 Fatty Acids = .5% minimum for healthy skin and a healthy coat;
Glucosamine = 600 mg/kg for bone, hip, and joint benefits;
Chondroitin = 300 mg/kg for bone, hip, and joint benefits; and
Prebiotics and Probiotics to increase digestion and absorption of food.
We recommend Gentle Giants World Class Canine Cuisine dog food to maximize the longevity of all dogs. It is specially formulated with the highest quality ingredients and with the proper balance of protein and fat content to maximize the longevity of all breeds at all ages.
In addition to complying with our minimum requirements, all natural Gentle Giants World Class Canine Cuisine contains 3 protein sources, 9 real garden vegetables, 3 natural fruits, and 4 nutritious grains. It also includes enriched levels of antioxidants (Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Beta Carotene) to help support the immune system, sequestered trace minerals (SQM) for improved mineral bioavailability, and numerous important vitamins and nutrients.
How You Feed Your Dog
Here is how we feed our dogs to maximize their life span . . .
We feed Gentle Giants World Class Canine Cuisine only, because it is highly nutritious with balanced protein and low fat content to be heart healthy.
We feed dry food only. Only if a dog is severely underweight or upon the recommendation of a veterinarian, do we add canned food.
We elevate all of our food and water bowls at a height so that our dogs don't have to lean down to eat, they just tilt their heads down to eat. We do this to avoid bloat and torsion, the number two killer of giant breed dogs.
We do not limit the amount of dog food that we feed at each feeding. If our dogs are hungry, we feed them more.
We feed our dry food for 10 to 15 minutes only, and then we remove the food. We never leave the food out (free feed) because if dogs have any stress or exercise with food on their stomach, they can bloat and die.
We always provide fresh water daily.
We do not allow our dogs to exercise for 1 hour before and for 1 hour after each feeding - We do not feed for at least 1 hour before and after riding in a vehicle.
We feed our puppies under 6 months of age 7 to 8 times a day.
We feed our puppies 6 months of age to 1 year old 6 to 7 times a day.
We feed our puppies and adults over 1 year old 5 or more times a day.
How You Care For Your Dog
Longevity: Our Physical And Emotional Care Has Doubled The Average Length Of Our Dogs Lives!
Nurturing The Physical And Emotional Needs Of Our Gentle Giants And Little Giants
Our Gentle Giants Are Living An Average Of 14 To 18 Years!
Because we have been enormously successful in prolonging the healthy, happy lives of our Gentle Giants, we have strict care requirements so that our adopters can hopefully enjoy the same amazing success that we have had. Everyone wants their dog to live the longest, healthiest, happiest life, and if you follow our feeding and care techniques and feed all natural Gentle Giants dog food, you will have the opportunity to love and enjoy your loving canine family member with you nearly twice as long as you might have otherwise.
Our Gentle Giants and Little Giants are house dogs, not outside dogs. And, they are not garage dogs, laundry room dogs, barn dogs, shed dogs or patio dogs. Your dog should live inside your home in the main living area as a member of your family, day and night, and go outside only to eat, to go to the bathroom, for short periods of play, and to be with you and your family whenever you are outside. At all other times, they should be inside the main living area of your home.
Many people have traditionally left their dogs outside during the day, and brought their dogs in only at night. Their dogs usually live short lives (in the case of Gentle Giants, usually 7 to 9 years). Some people leave their dogs outside day and night, and their dogs usually live even shorter lives.
We cater to the physical and emotional needs of our dogs, and they live a lot longer.
For example, we allow our dogs the freedom to go outside whenever they want to, and conversely, the freedom to come back inside whenever they want to. These are the same freedoms that a human has.
So, it does take a little extra effort to pay attention to what your dog is trying to communicate to you. And by doing this, your dog feels that he or she has some say so in their life and they don't give up and resign themselves that they are either “cooped up” outside or “cooped up” inside. This freedom we give them enriches their emotional needs and their spirit, and they are happier. Happier dogs live longer.
Our dogs go outside every few hours (or sooner if they want to). Yes, they frolic and play in between feeding times. You can see that in the many photos on our website. But, after about 15 to 20 minutes, they've had enough and that frolic and play gets old for them and they want to come back into their "den" (figuratively speaking), which is your house.
We say in our literature that a “doggie door” is optional, not required. What isn't optional is leaving your adopted dog outside other than when it is eating, going to the bathroom, briefly playing, or being with you or your family when you are outside.
Our dogs are house dogs, and your dog should be allowed to stay in your house, whether you are home or not.
When we started rescuing Great Danes 16 years ago (and more than 30 other breeds since then), our dogs were living an average of 7 to 9 years. Now, our Great Danes, and the many other Gentle Giant breeds that we rescue, are living an average of 14 to 18 years. A significant attribute of our success in doubling the length of their lives is to nurture their needs and instincts, and living inside has shown itself time and again . . . in fact, thousands of times with the giant breed dogs that we've had living here during the last 16 years, to be a key ingredient in lengthening their lives.
Spaying And Neutering
All of our Gentle Giants and Little Giants are spayed or neutered at six months of age or as soon as we get them after six months of age. Spaying (females) and neutering (males) does not only prevent excessive breeding, which, if left unspayed and unneutered, results in so many millions of unwanted dogs that end up in animal shelters each year (most of which are put to death), but, spaying and neutering your dog at an early age (the optimum age is five to six months) is critical to extend and prolong your dog's life.
Cancer is the #1 killer of dogs, and 85% of all cancers (whether they end up developing in the bones, organs, blood or skin) originate in the reproductive organs. So, by spaying or neutering your dog at an early age, you are giving your dog the gift of a much longer life! This is one of the most important things that you can do for your dog, and it is one of the key things that we do to help our dogs live an average of 14 to 18 years.
If you want to adopt a dog from us, you must spay or neuter your own dog prior to be approved for adoption. Also, unspayed and unneutered dogs do not always get along with spayed and neutered dogs, and we have achieved an amazing level of socialization, good behavior and easy handling with our dogs (see Our Gentle Giants Training) by combining spaying/neutering with our immensely successful training techniques. We feel that it is in the best interest and safety for our dogs and for your dog that you spay or neuter your dog before we adopt a dog to you.
We Use Crates To House Train Puppies!
Our dogs are crated trained, but we only use crates when our youngest puppies are learning to be housebroken. When our puppies are housebroken, usually at four to six months of age, we stop using crates. If a puppy is still in the chewing stage, we will "baby gate" them in our kitchen when we can't watch them. Giant breed dogs are not comfortable in crates, and they are not happy in kennels, so we don't use either after four to six months of age.
Keeping Your Dog Out Of The Sun And Out Of The Heat
The sun's rays can be very detrimental to your dog's health. Giant breed dogs and some smaller breeds need to stay out of the sun. Most giant breeds have a single coat of fur, and have no protection against the harmful rays of the sun. They can develop skin cancer very quickly. Once the skin cancer develops, the dogs usually develop internal cancerous tumors as well. This can quickly lead to death.
Other breeds of dogs have a short, thick inner coat of fur that protects them from the sun. Because most giant breeds do not have a short, thick inner coat of fur, they should not be allowed to lie out in the sun at all.
Giant breed dogs also need to stay out of the heat. Their bodies do not dissipate heat well, and they can get heat stroke, which can cripple them or kill them.
If someone wants to keep their dog outside, whether it is during the day or at night, whether they are home or not, we will not adopt to them.
Feeding Your Dog To Maximize His/Her Life Span
Our care and feeding program has worked magnificently for the thousands of giant breed dogs and many small breed dogs in the last 16 years here where we could see and experience the results first hand. No one else in the country that we know of who cares for dogs has accomplished this or anywhere near this to our knowledge.
It is our love for these dogs and our total commitment to saving, enriching and lengthening their lives that has provided us with the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of these magnificent animals.
That is why we do what we do and why we have (what may seem strict to some people) the requirements that we have. In the end, the dogs we adopt have proven to be living longer, happier lives in their new adopted homes, and that has made their adopters happier because their loving canine companion is with them longer. You can read this first hand in the many emails that we have posted on our website.
You can experiece the same or similar results with your dog by following our feeding and care techniques and by feeding all natural Gentle Giants dog food to your dog.
10 Frequently Asked Questions
QUESTION 1: WHY ARE YOUR DOGS LIVING SO MUCH LONGER THAN EVERYONE ELSE'S DOGS?
ANSWER: Because we are not prematurely killing them by how we care for them, by how we feed them, and by what we feed them. Dogs are physically not designed as sophisticated as humans are. Their bodies wear out easier and much sooner than ours. So, if we want to keep our dogs with us longer, we need to make a special effort to feed and care for them to maximize their life spans. We will tell you how to do that so that you can enjoy the same success that we've had, and so that you can have your dog with you a lot longer! Speaking our our success in helping dogs to live much longer lives, please watch the Fox News video at the top of our home page. Many of the dogs that in that video are 10 to 19 years old, already living twice their normal life span. Please check out the harlequin (white with black spots) Great Dane "puppy" climbing up on me as I sit on a bench. Her name is "Galaxy" and she is 16 years old, already twice the normal life span of a Great Dane (Great Danes traditionally live 7-9 years). Also note "Rhino", the Mexican hairless dog in my arms as I stand on our little bridge. "Rhino" is a Xoloitzcuintle who is also 16 years old!
QUESTION 2: WHAT MAKES YOU AND YOUR GENTLE GIANTS DOG FOOD DIFFERENT FROM OTHER DOG FOOD MANUFACTURERS AND THEIR DOG FOOD?
ANSWER: We are worlds apart from every other dog food manufacturer. Dog food manufacturers are in the business to make money selling you dog food. We're in the charitable business of helping dogs live longer! Dog food manufacturers main focus is on MAKING MONEY WITH DOGS. Here at Gentle Giants, our main focus is on ADDING YEARS TO DOGS LIVES! We measure our success on how long dogs live, not on how much money we make. Dog food manufacturers test their dog food on dogs in cages in laboratories (usually 10-15 dogs during a 1-2 week period). We've tested our dog food on thousands of dogs since 2005, feeding 600 lbs. of our all natural Gentle Giants DAILY! Who do you think has conducted more valuable testing on more dogs in a real life situation rather than testing a few frightened dogs couped up in cages in a testing laboratory?
QUESTION 3: WHY DO I HAVE TO LIMIT HOW MUCH MY DOG EATS WHEN I FEED OTHER DOG FOOD?
ANSWER: Other dog foods are not designed for your dog to self-regulate how much your dog eats. In fact, they are designed just the opposite way . . . to make you dog eat more of their dog food! Other dog foods contain too much fat, among other things, which makes your dog more hungry! So, when you feed your dog other dog foods, what is actually happening is that the dog food that you are feeding to your dog is making your dog wanting more and more, which may be good for the dog food manufacturer who gets to sell you more of their dog food, but it is really bad for your dog to overeat. So, what do you do to keep your dog from overeating the dog food that you are currently feeding to your dog? You LIMIT how much you feed your dog to keep your dog from overeating. And why is that so bad? Well, first of all, when you LIMIT how much you feed your dog, you don't know if you are giving your dog too much dog food or too little dog food . . . you're guessing. Much worse for your dog though, is the fact that what you are feeding to your dog at every meal is making your dog more and more hungry, and then by you denying your dog the additional dog food that he/she thinks that he/she wants/needs, (1) you are causing your dog be stressed that he/she can't have all the dog food that he/she wants to eat, and (2) what you are feeding to your dog is filling your dog's body with excessive fat and nutritionally empty calories. Do you remember the story on TV several years ago called "Super Size Me?" A man went into McDonalds every day eating every meal there for one month. He gained 50 lbs. and became quite ill. He gained the weight because of the fat content in the food that he ate. A recent report currently circulating through veterinarian clinics states that as many as 40% of all the dogs in America today are overweight. Ask your vet if your dog is overweight, and if so, ask your vet if being overweight can and will likely shorten your dog's life? The answer is "Yes."
Occasionally, someone says that their dog is not hungry and leaves dog food in their bowl. When we ask them if their dog is overweight, they admit "Yes." Then, we ask them how energetic their dog is, they answer "Not as much as he used to be." This is an unhealthy situation where their dog is being overfed and is not as fit and healthy as he should be.
QUESTION 4: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR DOGS TO SELF-REGULATE HOW MUCH DOG FOOD THEY EAT?
ANSWER: Assuming that your dog is not being tricked into believing that he/she wants more and more dog food by the excessive fat content in the dog food that you are currently feeding to your dog, when your dog eats all natural Gentle Giants dog food, your dog gets all the nutrition that he/she needs with low fat content, so your dog won't feel hungry, won't feel stress, won't become overweight, but instead will feel better, and can live a much longer, healthier, happier life. Please watch this video of our dogs self-regulating how much of our all natural Gentle Giants dog food that they are eating. You will notice that NONE of our dogs are overweight and ALL of our dogs are HEALTHY and LOOK GREAT!
QUESTION 5: HOW IS IT THAT YOUR GENTLE GIANTS DOG FOOD IS THE ONLY DOG FOOD DESIGNED FOR DOGS TO SELF-REGULATE HOW MUCH THEY EAT WHEN EVERY OTHER DOG FOOD REQUIRES ME TO LIMIT HOW MUCH OF THEIR DOG FOOD THAT I FEED TO MY DOG?
ANSWER: All natural Gentle Giants dog food has maximum nutrition with minimal fat content.
QUESTION 6: WHY ARE DOGS HEALTHIER AND WHY DO DOGS FEEL BETTER WHEN THEY EAT ALL NATURAL GENTLE GIANTS DOG FOOD?
ANSWER: You can easily discover that for yourself. Take what we call "The Clogged Arteries Test." Closely examine the dog food that you are currently feeding to your dog and compare it to all natural Gentle Giants dog food. Place a small amount of whatever dog food that you are currently feeding to your dog into the palm of your hand. For 5 to 10 seconds, use your fingers to rub the dog food firmly back and forth in your palm, then open your hand. Do you feel a greasy stickiness? If so, that is SATURATED FAT FROM LARD OR ANIMAL FAT that has been sprayed onto your dog's food to get your dog to eat it.
Now, think of that greasy stickiness coating the arteries of your dog. Think about what would happen to you if your own arteries were clogged with saturated fat and cholesterol from eating EVERY MEAL IN YOUR LIFETIME with your food coated with lard or animal fat? Now, isn't it easy to understand why dogs live such short lives?
Did you also know that dogs get heart attacks just like humans? Now, test Gentle Giants World Class Canine Cuisine dog food in the same way and your hand won't feel sticky. Which dog food do you think is better for your dog's health? Which dog food do you think can help your dog live a much longer, healthier, happier life?
So, when your dog is eating EVERY SINGLE MEAL of his/her short life with excessive fat content inside their food combined with saturated fat from lard or animal fat coating the outside
of their food, is it any surprise to you that what you are currently feeding to your dog is prematurely killing your dog? We all love our dogs, so the next time you get ready to fill your dog's bowl with dog food, do you want your dog eating what you've been feeding to him/her or would you like your dog eating heart healthy all natural Gentle Giants dog food?
QUESTION 7: WHAT IS BLOAT AND TORSION, WHAT CAUSES IT, AND HOW CAN YOU AVOID IT HAPPENING TO YOUR DOG?
ANSWER: Bloat and torsion is the #2 killer of giant breed dogs and a killer of all dogs, including small and medium breed dogs. Bloat is the distension of a dog's stomach and torsion is the turning of a dog's stomach which is what actually kills a dog in one of the most agonizingly painful deaths imaginable. Horses get a similar killer called colic.
We like to explain bloat and torsion in a way that everyone can easily understand. Do you remember when you were a child and your mother or father said to you, "Don't go in the swimming pool for at least 30 minutes after you eat!" Do you know why your parent told you that? It's because if you have any stress or exercise when you have food on your stomach, you can get a cramp. The difference between what happens to a human and what happens to a dog is that when a human gets the cramp, the human can get out of the pool or eliminate the stress or exercise, lay down, and the human will feel better and be fine. Unfortunately, when a dog goes into the cramp, THEY CAN'T GET OUT OF IT! If this happens to your dog, you have about one hour to get your dog to an expert surgeon, not your typical veterinarian, who can perform open stomach surgery, untangle your dog's stomach and tack the right side of your dog's stomach to the right side of your dog's body wall (muscle to muscle).
Here are the steps we follow to avoid bloat and torsion in our dogs:
(1) Elevate your dog's food and water bowls to a comfortable height to make it as easy as possible for your dog to eat and drink. The top of the food in your dog's bowl should be about level with the bas of your dog's neck. Your dog should simply tilt his/her head down to eat and drink, never have to lean down or lean up to eat and drink;
(2) No exercise for one hour before and one hour after eating;
(3) No riding in a vehicle (motion) for one hour before and one hour after eating;
(4) Feed your dog five (5) or more times each day. Smaller more frequent meals are much better for your dog than one or two big meals. Translating that to your own life, we
suggest that the next time you visit your doctor for a physical, ask your doctor this question, "Am I better off eating one or two big meals each day or four or five smaller meals each day?" You already know the answer. Your doctor will say, "Four or five smaller meals."
(5) Feed your dog only all natural Gentle Giants dog food because it was designed to avoid bloat and torsion.
QUESTION 8: HOW IS IT THAT YOUR GENTLE GIANTS DOG FOOD IS THE ONLY DOG FOOD DESIGNED FOR DOGS TO AVOID BLOAT AND TORSION, THE #2 KILLER OF GIANT BREED DOGS AND A KILLER OF ALL DOGS?
ANSWER: Giant breed dogs are more prone to getting bloat and torsion than small and medium breed dogs. Nevertheless, all dogs can get bloat and torsion and all dogs can die from it. Remember the movie "Marley and Me?" That's how the dog died in the end of the movie . . . very upsetting, but unlike a dog being struck with cancer, bloat and torsion is ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE!
As the world's largest giant breed dog rescue having rescued, fed, cared for and adopted 14,000+ dogs (primarily giant breed dogs) in the last 17 years, we have had to be especially careful with all the dogs that we rescue (usually under great stress when they first arrive here) to make sure that they don't bloat. Over the 17 years of feeding 600 lbs. of dog food every day, we have become acutely aware of what we need to do to avoid bloat and torsion in our rescued dogs. We are most proud of the fact that NOT ONE of our 14,000+ dogs under our care during the last 17 years has ever bloated!
Understanding that the best way to avoid bloat and torsion in dogs is to have a minimal amount of dog food in a dog's stomach at any given time (that's one of the main reasons why we feed
our dogs five (5) or more times each day), we've spent six (6) years developing our own dog food that contains the maximum amount of nutrition in the smallest quantity of dog food. All natural Gentle Giants dog food is the result of our observation and evaluation of feeding 600 lbs. of dog food each day for the last 17 years to our rescued dogs, ranging in size from 2 lbs. to 305 lbs., and ranging in age from 3 1/2 week old infants to 21 year old seniors.
Dogs eating our all natural Gentle Giants dog food usually eat 1/3 less of Gentle Giants dog food than other dog food formulas. That results in significantly added protection against bloat and torsion, 1/3 less stool to clean up, and your bag of Gentle Giants dog food lasting 1/3 longer than other dog food (which saves you money).
QUESTION 9: WHAT IS BETTER FOR MY DOG - EATING INEXPENSIVE GROCERY BRAND DOG FOOD OR EXPENSIVE PET STORE BRAND DOG FOOD?
ANSWER: Actually, NEITHER! Traditional grocery brand dog food is very low quality, usually with lower fat content and lower protein content (we've heard comments like, "How much protein can you get out of shoe leather?").
Pet store brand dog food is much higher quality, but is compromised by its too high fat content and too high protein content. Too much fat and too much protein
is equally damaging to your dog's health and maybe even more damaging to your dog's health than poor quality dog food. Here's why and what we've experienced in our 17 years of operation:
(1) Excessive fat content (more than 9% fat): we've discussed that in our answers to the above questions;
(2) Excessive protein content
(more than 22% protein): High end dog food manufacturers want to sell you their dog food. So, how do they differentiate their dog food to you from the high end dog food of the next manufacturer? They believe that you are more likely to buy their dog food if you see more protein in their dog food. They assume that you will think that getting more protein for your money is better for your wallet/pocketbook and better for your dog. They may be right that you will believe that, BUT NOT AFTER READING THIS! We have found that feeding any of our dogs - small to large and young to old - more than 22% protein can prematurely burn a dog's kidneys out, shortening their life. We have also found that feeding any puppy more than 22% protein in their dog food can cause hypertrophic osteodystrophy (see photo) where their forearms swell up so much that they can't even walk. Further, we have found that feeding any adult or senior dog more than 22% protein in their dog food can cause panosteitis (often mis-diagnosed as arthritis), a lameness that travels from leg to leg in older dogs that cripples them.
QUESTION 10: WHERE SHOULD I LOOK TO DETERMINE WHAT THE FAT AND PROTEIN CONTENT IS IN THE DOG FOOD THAT I AM CURRENTLY FEEDING TO MY DOG?
ANSWER: Look on the back or sides of the dog food that you are currently feeding. By law, manufacturers must provide a "GUARANTEED NUTRIENT ANALYSIS." The first two items listed are (1) protein content and (2) fat content. The protein content SHOULD NEVER BE MORE THAN 22%! The fat content SHOULD NEVER BE MORE THAN 9%! Even one percent (1%) more protein or fat is way too much for your dog!
You can experiece the same or similar results with your dog by following our feeding and care techniques and by feeding all natural Gentle Giants dog food to your dog.
How We Feed And Care For Our Dogs
Every day we feed more than 600 lbs. of our Gentle Giants World Class Canine Cuisine dog food to our rescued dogs. We feed our adult dogs five (5) or more times each day, and we feed our puppies eight (8) or more times each day.
Unlike other brands of dog food where you have to limit and regulate how much your dog eats because your dog might over eat another brand of dog food, with our Gentle Giants dog food, your dog will actually SELF-REGULATE itself how much he or she eats and will not over eat our Gentle Giants dog food. Most people find that their dog will actually eat as much as 1/3 less of our Gentle Giants dog food than what they fed their dog before switching to Gentle Giants dog food. Feeding all natural Gentle Giants dog food to your dog can make your dog's coat look healthy and shiny, your dog can have more energy, can make your bag of Gentle Giants last 1/3 longer than other dog foods, and you can clean up about 1/3 less stool!
We receive dozens of emails each month from people who have had amazing results from feeding our all natural Gentle Giants dog food and following our feeding and care techniques that provide their dog with the opportunity to live a much longer life.
Switching Your Dog's Food To Gentle Giants
Here is our recommended method for switching your dog's food to all natural Gentle Giants dog food:
Mix the dog food that you are currently using with Gentle Giants in the following proportions:
Day 1: 80% current dog food, 20 % Gentle Giants
Day 2: 70% current dog food, 30 % Gentle Giants
Day 3: 60% current dog food, 40 % Gentle Giants
Day 4: 50% current dog food, 50 % Gentle Giants
Day 5: 40% current dog food, 60 % Gentle Giants
Day 6: 30% current dog food, 70 % Gentle Giants
Day 7: 20% current dog food, 80 % Gentle Giants
Day 8: 100 % Gentle Giants
If during this transition period your dog gets loose stool, stop the ratio change until your dog's stool returns to normal.
If for some reason the loose stool persists, then put in a cup of cooked rice
with the food to help tighten up the stool.
Converting Your Dog's Feeding Program To Gentle Giants
Here is our recommended method for converting your dog's existing feeding program to Gentle Giants multi-meal
self-regulated feeding program. Our dog food is designed for dogs to self-regulate how much they eat, not limit how much they eat. The amounts shown on our dog food bag indicate what you will eventually offer to your dog, not what is expected to be consumed by your dog.
Most regular dog food has 12% or more fat content. This causes dogs to eat more than they should and more than they need.
Gentle Giants dog food has only 9% fat content, which does not cause dogs to eat more than they should or more than they need.
If a dog has been raised on Gentle Giants, it will only eat what it needs to eat. That's why we can present it with more dog food than we expect it to consume, and that is how it can self-regulate how much it eats without overeating.
If a dog is switched from another dog food to Gentle Giants, the conversion period to allowing the dog to self-regulate how much it eats can be several months.
Converting dogs to our way of feeding (5 or more feedings per day), which is how we believe that we are able to help dogs live considerably longer lives, must be a very gradual process for a dog who has only been fed a high fat content dog food (over 9% fat) and who has only been fed 1 or 2 times a day.
How we convert them is as follows:
1. Immediately spread the same total daily amount of dog food that you are currently feeding to your dog into five smaller meals. Do not change the total daily amount of dog food that you are currently feeding until your dog is 100% on Gentle Giants for at least 30 days. For example, if you are currently feeding your dog 2 1/2 cups of dog food twice a day, your total daily amount of dog food is 5 cups. In that case, you would spread the 5 cups of dog food over five feedings, thus feeding 1 cup at each of the five feedings. At the same time, you should begin switching from your current dog food to Gentle Giants as described above in "Switching Your Dog's Food to Gentle Giants."
2. When your dog has been eating only Gentle Giants for 30 days (about five weeks after you began switching your dog's food to Gentle Giants), add 50% more Gentle Giants to each feeding. Using the example above, you would feed your dog 1 1/2 cups of Gentle Giants at each of the five daily meals and visually evaluate how your dog responds.
In the unlikely event that your dog starts gulping down the additional amount, then immediately reduce the amount of dog food
to the amount that you were feeding (using the example above, you would return to feeding 1 cup of Gentle Giants per feeding) so your dog doesn't over eat. Again, using the example above, you should then slowly increase (carefully watching that your dog eats normally) the amount that you feed to your dog until you are up the the 1 1/2 cups of Gentle Giants per meal.
If your dog eats the additional 50% amount of Gentle Giants at each of the five feeding per day normally, or picks at the additional Gentle Giants, or leaves some of Gentle Giants without eating all of it, that is excellent,
and that is what you want - your dog is starting to self-regulate how much he/she eats.
Over a period of time, usually two to three months after you have switched your dog to Gentle Giants, you will likely notice that your dog actually eat less of Gentle Giants. This is because Gentle Giants is so nutritious and low in fat content that your dog will only eat what he/she needs and leave the rest. Dogs eating Gentle Giants dog food usually eat about 1/3 less than other dog food formulas, which results in 1/3 less stool and your bag of Gentle Giants lasting 1/3 longer than other dog foods. You should also see your dog look and act healthier, feel better, and lose any extra weight if your dog was overweight.
We regularly receive emails from people who dogs have displayed amazing results from eating all natural Gentle Giants.
QUESTIONS?
We invite you and encourage you to follow our feeding and care techniques and to feed our all natural Gentle Giants dog food to your dog. Please let us know of your results. If you have questions, you can send email to us at info@gentlegiantsrescue.com.
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