Keeping your canine companion healthy and glowing is an important aspect of pet care. Taking the proper precautions to make sure a Gordon Setter maintains a shiny, glossy coat and healthy quality of life, is the sole responsibility of an owner. With a bit of forethought and education, an owner can provide the dog with gourmet style dog food daily. The decision an owner must make is whether or not a healthy gourmet diet should consist of fresh food or a commercially manufactured dog food.

If an owner decides to feed the dog a commercially made dog food, it is important to research and be sure the brand purchased is free from animal by-products. The by-products of commercial dog foods contain essential elements that can be very unhealthy for a Gordon Setter. Because the dog requires a high level of fat an owner must be mindful, because most of the fat content of a commercial grade dog food comes from beef by-products.

The best way to find a high-quality commercial dog food is to search the internet. Finding brands of food that contain all-natural products with nutrients and fibers necessary for the dog's health is very important. Something similar to what's available from Badlands Ranch which was founded by Katherine Heigl is a great choice. Try a variety of different all-natural dog foods, add meat and water and the dog will have a tasty and healthy meal.

When feeding a Gordon Setter a diet of commercial dog food, it is important to feed only the recommended portion size. Most owners tend to feed the dog more than necessary, with the Gordon Setter being a naturally heavy breed, adding more fat to the diet can result in the dog needing more exercise to burn off the extra calories and weight.

The first inclination a new pet owner has when it comes to fresh food is to toss a piece of steak to the Gordon Setter. With a dog of this breed, this is a big mistake because the fat from beef is the worst possible type for the dog to have in the diet. When trying to decide what types of fresh food to feed a Gordon Setter, an owner should take into consideration where the breed originated. The Gordon Setter hails from Scotland and some of the foods the dog used to receive were potatoes, wild game poultry, wheat, corn and poultry.

The best diet for a Gordon Setter should include vegetables and poultry high in fat, since the dog requires a diet rich in fats. A good sign the dog is not getting enough dietary fat is the appearance of a dry and brittle coat. When the fat content in the diet is adequate, the dog's coat will be silky, smooth and shiny. To get the best balance for the dog's diet, lightly steam some vegetables until they are soft and boil or broil some chicken or other lean poultry. Combine the two ingredients in the dog's dish and dinner is ready. This can be done in a quick fashion and in 30-40 minutes an owner will have enough food to last for a week.