INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Cocker spaniels usually eat dog food, though it's best to pay attention to the ingredients list to get the right food for them. Manufacturers will often try to use other ingredients, such as wheat or grain, to make the dog food heavier. However, this will make it less nutritious for your cocker. These do not really mean anything as it applies to your dog food. Viewing the ingredients list is the best way to find high quality dog food. In particular, stay away from foods like chocolate, grapes, onions, and candy. Some of these food can cause serious damage to a dog's organs or maybe even cause death. Cockers are especially drawn to eating rich, fatty foods. These foods can cause pancreas problems, so make sure to keep them out of reach of your dog. Puppies need to be fed differently than adult dogs. Puppy dog food is usually higher in vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fats than adult dog food. This will guarantee your puppy gets the necessary vitamins and nutrients to grow up as a healthy adult dog. You can also get dog food that's for "all stages of life" that works for puppies as well. Verify to make sure the food is fortified with vitamins and minerals to guarantee the dog's health. You may also find dog food that meets the unique dietary needs of a cocker spaniel. For a smaller breed like a cocker, dog food may be smaller in size and focused on meeting your dog's high metabolism. Read the labels carefully when you purchase dog food to get the right brand for you. Give them puppy food four times a day for the first six months. After that, you should feed them only twice a day. Avoid overfeeding your puppy. You should be able to see your puppy's waist, but not their ribs. Puppies will eat as much as you give them. Follow the directions on the puppy food and only feed them during schedule times. When they grow up, your cocker needs to have adult food. Consider feeding them different diets, including dry food, canned food, home cooked food, raw food, or vegetarian food. It's also important to maintain a consistent schedule when feeding your cocker. Adult cocker spaniels can eat dry food. It's the most convenient and easiest to feed them on a regular basis. Keep in mind that dry food does not manage a dog's teeth, so you'll need to clean them even if they are eating dry dog food. Dogs love canned dog food, since it's much more flavorful. However, there is a lot of water in canned dog food, so it does become more expensive to feed your cocker on a regular basis. When cooking home cooked meals, you always know what you are feeding your dog. Keeping the nutritional balance for your meal is difficult, so make sure to pay attention to your dog's nutritional needs. Raw food is especially expensive. If you are making raw food yourself, it can also be time consuming. Some pet food companies are beginning to make raw food diets you can buy, but it is also very expensive. Cockers can also eat vegetarian, though you have to make sure to give them plenty of protein in their food. You can also buy vegetarian meals in many pet stores so you don't have to make it all yourself. Cockers need consistency to maintain a healthy diet. If they don't eat all their food in twenty minutes, take it away so they will learn to eat at a specific time rather than grazing.

SUMMARY: Give your cocker spaniel the right food. Make sure the ingredient list for a dog food brand starts with a meat. Ignore terms like "natural" or "premium". Avoid foods that are harmful to dogs. Feed your cocker spaniel puppy food. Look for puppy food when getting food for your young cocker. Find dog food specific for your cocker's breed. Feed your puppy the right amount. Feed your cocker spaniel adult dog food. Feed them on a regular schedule.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: With cheerleading, you're probably putting in a lot of time working on routines, moves, and strength-training, and your flexibility training needs to be a part of your regular schedule, too. Make up a schedule for yourself and plan out which days of the week you'll commit to flexibility training. Try to spread the days out so they don't fall next to each other for optimal benefits. For example, if you do strength training on Mondays and Wednesdays, schedule your flexibility training for Tuesday, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Don't forget to schedule in some downtime to allow your body to rest and recuperate. Getting your heart rate up means there will be better blood flow to your arms and legs. Plus, your limbs will be loose and limber, making them less prone to strains and injuries. Spend 3 to 5 minutes jogging, biking, doing jumping jacks, jumping rope, or even just walking briskly to get warmed up. Neglecting to warm up could make your recovery after a workout harder, and your body will be even sorer than it would be. Because you're not trying to build muscle while working on your stretching, you don't need to do as many repetitions. Remember, if something hurts and you're in pain, stop doing the movement right away, even if your time isn't up yet. If you get bored while stretching, try listening to music or to a podcast to make the time go by faster. Just don't lose track of your reps! For maximum benefits, you don't want to do all the same exercises every day for months at a time. You'll get bored, and your body will get used to the movements. Try switching up your routine every 2 to 3 weeks by adding in some new stretches and retiring ones that have become too easy. If you work with someone on your cheerleading skills, let them know you're interested in moves to increase your flexibility. Based on your skills and needs, there may be some specific exercises that would be really beneficial to your growth as a cheerleader. If you don't work with a coach, think about the movements you struggle with in cheerleading. Pinpoint where you are struggling (whether it's that your legs aren't flexible enough or your shoulders feel too tight) and look up specific stretches you can do for those areas.

SUMMARY:
Commit to working on your flexibility for 30 minutes 2 to 3 times a week. Warm up before each workout to prevent the risk of injury. Hold each stretch for 10 to 20 seconds and repeat it 5 to 6 times. Update your stretching exercises when you no longer feel challenged. Ask your coach for more moves and stretches to add to your routine.