Keeping your companion healthy and beautiful is an essential part of daily care. Taking the proper precautions to make sure your Gordon Setter keeps his beautiful shiny coat and healthy disposition for years to come, is the sole responsibility of you, the owner. But the good news is that with just a little bit of planning, you can give your pup gourmet style food everyday. The decision you have to make is whether that healthy gourmet food will be fresh or commercially produced dog food.

Fresh Food

The first instinct of any new pet owner when it comes to fresh food is to just throw a piece of steak at the dog. With a Gordon Setter, this is a gigantic mistake because the fat from beef is the worst possible thing for its diet. When deciding what fresh foods to feed your Gordon Setter, you should take into account the location in which the breed originated. The Gordon Setter is specific to Scotland and some of the foods included in the diet were potatoes, poultry, specifically wild game poultry, wheat and corn.

The best diet for your Gordon Setter should include poultry and vegetables that are high in fat content since the Setter requires a high fat content diet. A sure sign that your Gordon Setter is in need of more fat in his diet is a brittle coat. When the fat content is where it should be, the coat will be silky smooth. To achieve this perfect diet for your Gordon Setter, lightly steam the vegetables until they are soft and boil the chicken. Combine the two in your pet's dish and dinner is served. This can be done quickly in about 30 minutes for the entire week.

Commercial Food

If you make the decision to feed your Gordon Setter commercially produced dog food, do your homework and be sure that whatever brand you purchase, it is free from animal by-products. These by-products are leftover scraps from the animals and may contain elements that are unhealthy for your Gordon Setter. Because the Gordon Setter requires a high level of fat content, you must be especially careful because most fat in dog food comes from beef by-product.

Your best option for finding high-quality dog food is the internet. Find brands that include all-natural products that include the nutrients and fibers necessary for a healthy Gordon Setter. Try any number of the dry all-natural mixes available for dogs, all you add is meat and water and you've got a tasty and healthy meal for your pet.

When you do feed your dog commercial food, be sure that you give your dog the recommended portions. Many owners tend to over feed their dogs. The Gordon Setter is naturally heavier so over feeding the dog will add more fat to the body and require even more daily exercise to shed those extra pounds.