Blue Heelers or Australian cattle dogs are very popular for households around the globe beside Australian Shepherds. They have a jolly personality and they are very energetic as well.
Blue heelers are known to be very intelligent, active, alert, protective and very resourceful. They may not be as cute as the tiny little dogs or they may not be as big as the other working dogs, but their active lifestyle is something that any person would love about them.
Basically, taking care of a blue heeler requires a lot of knowledge about their diet and the foods that would keep them healthy. We will explain some basic information about blue heelers and the best dog foods that you can give them for healthy living.
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Contents
The Common Traits and Behavior of Blue Heelers
Before we proceed to the dog foods for blue heelers, the first thing that you should do is to understand their behavior.
Blue Heelers are known to be very energetic. They may not have the size of a big dog, but their energy is definitely on the same level. As a matter of fact, they can run around other breeds and even the owners. This is what makes them the best herding dogs for active owners as well as cattle farmers.
These dogs require a lot of activities that involve moving, running and jumping. They also need a lot of room to run around. This is the reason why they are not suitable for a small and compact apartment.
You need to at least have a back yard where they can run around and play. They are easily trained as well so they are suited as a herding dog.
It is very important to keep your Blue Heeler on a least most of the time. They love to run around and roam so they might damage some of your things inside the house. They also have issues with dogs that they don’t know so it is better to keep them in check.
As you can see, Blue Heelers are very active and this lifestyle also requires a proper diet to help them get the energy that they need for all their antics.
The Right Diet for Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers have an active lifestyle and it is already in their genes. This dog is always moving around and running and it doesn’t seem like it is running out of energy.
As the owner, you need to support your dog with whatever it needs. You cannot change the behavior of a Blue Heeler. If you decided to take care of this dog, you need to adjust and provide the nutrients and the right diet that it needs.
Here are some of the things that you need to know when choosing dog food for your Blue Heeler.
1. Lots of Protein
Don’t be surprised. Dogs with an active lifestyle require a lot of protein and fat to support their energy consumption throughout the day.
Protein can provide the energy that your dog needs throughout the day and it will allow them to stay active. It is also required to build healthy muscles for your dogs.
You have to make sure that the protein intake of your Blue Heeler comes from animal sources because their body is made to effectively digest animal products. Animal protein is also complete because it contains all 10 essential amino acids that your dog needs.
As for fat, it provides a concentrated energy source for your dogs and they should come from animal products as well.
2. Low Carbohydrates
It’s not a bad thing to give some carbohydrates to your Blue Heelers as they can also be a source of energy, but you have to limit the number of carbohydrates that you give to your dogs.
You have to be sure that the carbohydrates would come from digestible sources of carbohydrates. It should come from whole grains, beans, legumes, and starchy vegetables.
The key here is digestibility. You should only look for dog foods with a fiber content of about 3 to 5 percent. You can go for dog food with 6 percent, but don’t go over that.
3. Supplements that Support Bone Health
Blue Heelers are very hard on their bones and joints so you need to look for food that supports bone health. You can try looking for dog foods that contain glucosamine and chondroitin.
They are very important because Blue Heelers are prone to a condition known as dysplasia. It is a kind of medical condition where the joints develop abnormally.
If you want to make sure that your dogs won’t have to suffer this kind of issue, look for foods that would promote bone health.
Blue Heeler Diet for Different Stages of Life
If you don’t have a Blue Heeler yet, but you are planning to get one, you should know the diet needed for your dogs to grow strong and healthy.
We will give you a few simple tips on how to choose the right diet for your dogs.
Diet for a Puppy Blue Heeler
If you are going to get a Blue Heeler puppy, you need to know the nutrients that the dog needs for its growth and development. Basically, your Blue Heeler requires a minimum of 22 percent protein and about 8 percent fat in his food.
You should only consider dog foods that contain ingredients from high-quality animal sources. Their digestive is not yet fully developed so you have to make sure that the foods will be digested properly.
Diet for an Adult Blue Heeler
For your adult Blue Heeler, this is the time when your dog needs the most energy. They will be very active in doing a lot of running and hopping inside and outside of the house.
For adults, you need a minimum of 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat. You can give them more protein percentage as it can help with the maintenance of their muscle. More fat can provide more energy for your dogs.
Diet for a Senior Blue Heeler
Like most dogs, your Blue Heeler will slow down a bit and his metabolism will also slow down. You can continue with the same diet for an adult Blue Heeler, but if you noticed that the dog is starting to gain weight, try feeding them less.
Top 5 Best Dog Food for Blue Heelers
Most of you are probably having a hard time looking for the right dog foods for your Blue Heelers. You don’t need to worry because we listed down some of the best dog food that you can find in the market for Blue Heelers.
As you all know, most dog foods are plant-based so it is a bit difficult to find dog foods that are focused on meat. Bully Max Super Premium Dog Food is one of the few products in the market right now that is meat-based.
Since it is composed of high-quality meat, you can expect a high amount of protein for your Blue Heelers. It contains 30% more protein and 20% more fat compared with other dog food formula in the market.
If you are worried about preservatives, it doesn’t contain any artificial preservatives that can cause problems for your dogs. There are no artificial flavors and hidden ingredients that can harm your Blue Heelers.
The protein contained in this dog food brand comes from real meat and it is rich in amino acids that will help support the muscle development of your dogs.
This is definitely the healthiest option available in the market today.
This is currently the most popular dog food formula in the market right now. If you don’t have any idea what to feed your Blue Heelers, you can go for this premium dog food.
It won’t be popular without a reason. It features natural ingredients and protein that come from animals. It is also a grain-free recipe so you can expect that carbohydrates are very minimal.
It comes in different recipes and flavors. There are some that are made with buffalo as the main ingredient along with supplement proteins which will include chicken, bison, lamb, venison, and more.
The best thing about this is that it contains 32% protein and 18% fat. This is more than enough to sustain the energy that your Blue Heeler needs for the whole day. It can also be a good choice if you have a puppy.
3. Victor Hi-Pro Plus Formula Adult Dry Food
This is one of the dog food formula made for Blue Heelers that are already adults. Basically, adult Blue Heelers require more energy as they are more active compared with puppies and senior dogs.
It means that adult dogs need a lot of protein and fat as their source of energy. Victor Hi-Pro Plus Formula Adult Dry Food provides exactly that.
It contains 30% protein and 20% fat that are sufficient enough to provide the energy that your Blue Heelers need. It contains beef, pork, chicken and fish as the main source of protein so you won’t have to worry about your dogs not being able to digest it.
This is also one of the meat-based dog food formulas in the market right now. You won’t go wrong with this dog food for Blue Heelers.
4. Instinct Healthy Cravings Natural Wet Dog Food
Actually, this is a dog food topper, but it is one of the best in the market right now. It is made from USA-raised beef and it is definitely a meal that can provide a lot of protein for your Blue Heelers.
This is a wet dog food topper that you can use if you want to add more protein to their current diet. It can also be considered as a dog treat for picky dogs as it is made from real meat.
The best thing about this is that this particular dog food is grain-free, which means that the carbohydrates in this dog food are minimal. There are no artificial preservatives added as well so it is completely safe for dog consumption.
It can provide supplemental nutrition that comes from real ingredients and it is a good choice for your Blue Heelers from young to adulthood.
5. Holistic Select Dry Dog Food
This is one of the dry dog foods in this list that contains grain, but it doesn’t mean that it is not one of the best. The reason why this dog food formula made it to the list is because of health benefits that it can provide, especially for the digestive system of your Blue Heelers.
It contains probiotics and healthy fiber as well as digestive enzymes that would help improve the health of your dog’s digestive system.
It contains natural and high-quality ingredients that would help your dogs maintain their health. It contains some fruits and veggies and it is packed with proteins and fats that can help provide the energy that your dog needs.
If you need an alternative, this is one of your best options.
Wrapping Up
If you are planning to take care of a Blue Heeler, you should always be prepared, especially when it comes to their diet. Blue Heelers are very active and they love to play around and run.
It is a bit difficult to raise them because of their active lifestyle unless you also love to jog and exercise outside. They are the best companions when you are working out or jogging because they can definitely run with you every day.
You just need to find the right dog food formula that would help keep their activeness in check and provide the right nutrients and vitamins. They need to have enough energy the whole day to do whatever they need to do.
The list mentioned above will give you an idea on the best dog foods that you can feed to your Blue Heelers. They all have complete nutrients for the overall health of your Blue Heeler.
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