English Setter Food

English Setter Food

English Setters as with all dog breeds require very specific nutritional needs. Due to kidney ailments that can be common of the breed, these dietary needs are especially important. As with all dogs it is important to keep in mind where the breed originally came from. Digestion of certain foods and compounds are governed by genetics in most dog breeds and the genetics spring from their origins.

The English Setter, despite the name is not native to England. They are in fact a Spanish breed that was introduced to the British Isles as hunting dogs. Their ancestral diet would have been comprised of grains such as wheat and brown rice, poultry, and cattle.

Never feed an English Setter store bought foods as they are made with generalized recipes that may contain too much or not enough of certain vitamins and minerals. The best diets for these dogs contain fresh foods cooked by you for the dog.

The English Setter needs large amounts of arachidonic acid. They will produce this acid through natural body functions only if fed food sources that contain certain polyunsaturated fatty acids. A diet containing high natural fibers along with high carbohydrates and low proteins will most adequately fill the English Setters’ needs.

The thought of a fresh diet may be daunting to some owners but a sufficient diet for one week can be prepared for your dog in as little as 2 hours with all fresh ingredients. Every English Setter is however different and for proper nutrition a veterinarian should be consulted on dietary needs.