Many people disagree about the right way of feeding our dogs. As a breeding club we are only capable of guiding you towards the right food choices that you can make for your Thai Ridgeback. There are people who see the Thai Ridgeback as an ancient type of dog and therefore also want to feed their dog in that manner. But you must remember, the food that you give to your dog is balanced for the condition your dog is in at that moment. Do you walk often with the dog or do sports? Iis the dog pregnant or are you planning a mating?  Below we have written down some information that may be of importance for your dog’s food choice.

Standard dry dog food:
Most dog owners give their dog the normal plain dog food that meet the minimal nutritional value. Most brands have a good puppy and adult selection in their assortment. Many dogs react differently to different dog foods, but you know your dog best. If you are planning to switch food, we recommend that you do this slowly and not in one instance. This way your dog will get used to the change of dog food. We advise you to pay close attention to the nutrition facts that are written on the package so you know what is different and what may help your dog.

Meat:
There are also people who love to feed their Thai Ridgeback only fresh or frozen meat. We know there are no rules of feeding meat or the way you prepare it. There are positive and negative sides to feeding your dog meat. You must see for yourself what suits you best as an owner and especially how your dog reacts to certain types of food.. We advise you to be well informed before starting to feed your dog this way. There are many things you must consider well. For example, what are the nutritional needs of my dog. It may be possible that you must add supplements to the food. Discuss it with your vet or at least do a regular check-up with your veterinarian in a regular period of time. He / She can determine if your dog’s condition is well or not. If you choose to start feeding your dog this way, it will be no problem for your dog to adjust to its feedings. The nutritional facts are important as well as the activities with your dog.

Combination dry dog food and meat:
Of course there is also a combination possible to feed your dog both dry dog food and meat. If you choose to feed this combination you must remember that you will always be giving your dog treats so now it is even more important to adjust the nutritional values for your dog.

Alternatives:
Finally there will always be people who want to let their dog eat along with the family dinner or let them be vegetarian. These are methods of feeding that we do not advise due to nutritional values.  There is little research available to provide guided advice. Also in this situation we advise you  to have your dog checked regularly by your vet.

Final conclusion: 
As you may have read, you will see that the method of feeding your dog has many considerations. Every dog reacts differently to its feedings. Not only will it show through its way of eating, its coat, its general appearance, but also in its behavior.  The Thai Ridgeback is a breed that is still too close to its forefathers and therefor it is quite able to feed itself to its needs and will not grow fat easily. It may grow fatter during the years as it grows older and as things change, so should its diet be adapted. The dog will sometimes not eat everything or anything. It is something we do not like to see because we have a dog to care for and want to take care of it as best we can. You should not be afraid when this happens as long the dog does not get skinny, not drink enough, looses its shiny coat, becomes inactive or displays a change of character. If everything stays nutritionally well balanced, scheduled and proportioned, your dog is receiving the nutrition it needs.
Also do not forget to keep an eye on how many times you have to feed your dog and how much money you want to spend on good dog food. Some methods of feeding can be fairly intense on different levels, so please take that into consideration.

Nutritional research:
There are many aspects that play a role in the overall development of your Thai Ridgeback, such as the amount of daily exercise and its character. The TRCN has tried to obtain more information about dog food and the Thai Ridgeback behavior. Unfortunately, most of research performed have been short and independent. We can say that there has not been any specific research yet that makes the comparison between the general domestic dog and its forefathers..

There has been some research performed at Wageningen University about the connection of feeding meat and behavior. The research should explain why this method of feeding makes changes a dog’s behavior in general. In March 2009 this research has been defended by students and they explain that it is a combination of reduction in protein and vitamins that show a reaction in the brain that is related to its behavior. These are facts that we have experienced within our breeding club, and it is experienced as ancient / aggressive behavior, but has never been properly researched. Because there are many aspects to this breed that we would like to bring out as researched facts, we may be able to make this connection in the future. The TRCN has decided to work together with Wageningen University to learn more about the Thai Ridgeback breed with respect to the combination of feeding and behavior. Unfortunately, the research had to be cancelled due to not having enough participating dogs. We hope to have more facts for our members in the future, which will allow us to get to know the Thai Ridgeback better and better.