Black Gold Frequently Asked Questions

If your dog's weight is about right but he just doesn't like the food, try Black Gold. This dog food is very palatable to the majority of dogs. Choose a blend that is consistent with your dog's age and activity level.

First, a lot of changes in a dog's food will give many dogs diarrhea. Try mixing the old food with the new over the course of ten days to a week before feeding just the new food. Some dogs will have diarrhea from eating too much food, or getting too much protein in their food. Try feeding less food or break up the amount you are feeding into several meals at set times. If your dog seems to have the problem no matter what you feed, try Black Gold Lamb Meal & Rice. This feed is great for dogs with a sensitive stomach or digestive system as well as those with food allergies.

This usually indicates that there is a build-up of waste matter in the dog's system. The vomiting or diarrhoea is a way of discharging this waste thus helping to cleanse the system for a time. There is probably some sub-clinical disease present. This pattern of behaviour is usually associated with feeding low-quality pet food and a change to a decent feeding regime will usually solve the problem. Many owners find that the dog (or cat) habitually vomits in the mornings. The owner may be advised to feed frequently. This is often successful in stopping the vomiting but it is not good practice because this is only keeping the lid on the problem, not curing it.

Some dogs seem to be always hungry and to want to eat non-stop. This occurs even when it is clear that the dog does not need more food. Many humans are similar in this respect. Sometimes there is no solution to this problem of feeling guilty that the dog is being deprived. Very often, the desire for food is conditioned. That is, the dog has learned from past experience that if the owner is eating then the dog will be given food. The best way of dealing with this is the same as for the fussy dog - by providing diversion and stimulation in the form of a walk or play. The more you give food on demand, the more the dog will expect it.

I hate all this pooper-scooper duty! Is there a feed better than what I buy at the discount store to help reduce the quantity of waste?

Yes, not only will all the Black Gold blends require less food being fed to your dog, but there is not the filler in Black Gold that lesser quality feeds contain. The dog's coat will show improvement in a couple of weeks, and your pooper-scooper duty should be cut down dramatically. And your dog will love the taste of Black Gold!

If you are working your dog a lot, try a bag of the Blue which is our High Energy blend. This feed seems to help dogs that need a higher level of fat in their diets to maintain weight in stressful situations like traveling or show competition. You could also give the Performance Blend in the black bag a try if you are feeding less than 26% protein and 18% fat. It's a great all-around food for very active dogs.

Grass-eating is an intuitive action by the dog or cat that wants to vomit as a means of discharging toxins from the system.

The Kennel Blend in the white bag is 21% protein and 8% fat. This feed is excellent for the geriatric, under-active, or overweight dog. It provides the nutrition they need, but not the higher fat and protein content that they don't require because of their lifestyle. You could also very carefully control the amount of feed that your dog is getting, but your dog might feel you're picking on him or her that way when your dog could be eating about the same amount, just not getting so much fat and protein.

How the food is presented is of minor importance compared to what the ingredients are or their proportions. Moist foods tend to be tastier than dry but that is mainly because moist foods tend to be higher in protein and fat. Dry food is more convenient and usually more economical. When comparing the analysis of moist and dry foods it is necessary to allow for the difference in moisture content. A moist food with a declared 10% protein and 80% moisture has 10 gr. of protein in 20 gr. of dry matter, i.e., 50% protein on a dry matter basis. A dry food with a declared 20% protein and 10% moisture has 20 gr. of protein in 90 gr. of dry matter, i.e., 22.2% protein on a dry matter basis. The moist food, although appearing to have a twice as much protein, actually has half as much protein on a dry-matter basis.

Black Gold is formulated to specifically maintain your dog's health, coat, and conditioning. It will also help reduce the quantity of stools. The cost is very reasonable for a premium dog food, and compared to the amount of food you are currently feeding on a price-per-pound basis, you will probably find it more than reasonable if not less expensive. You will only feed approximately half the amount because Black Gold does not have fillers in it and the dog's body will utilize the majority of what he or she eats. And your dog will eat it without a fuss because Black Gold tastes good.

Health problems are more likely on a low-quality food and they often develop without showing outward signs. For example, the liver and the kidneys may lose as much as 75% of their function before signs of disease appear.

It is much easier and much more common to overfeed rather than underfeed. Recommended feeding amounts are only a very rough guide and as such should only be used as a starting point. Two similar dogs may require very different amounts and this will only become apparent with experience. Also the amount will probably vary from summer to winter. The dog will probably need more food in winter in order to generate body heat. The amount of food your dog needs and how much he wants are not necessarily the same things. Remember you can undo the value of good quality food by overfeeding.

No. The theobromine in chocolate that stimulates the cardiac and nervous systems is too much for dogs, especially smaller pups. A chocolate bar is poisonous to dogs and can even be lethal. The same holds true for cats and other household pets.