What is the healthiest diet for your dog? As a responsible and loving pet parent, you should have a solid understanding of the basics of canine nutrition.
The best thing to do is to consult with your vet on the best dog food for your canine’s breed. Various dog breeds may have different nutritional requirements based on their specific health conditions. Thus, what is optimal for one dog breed may not be the best for others.
When bringing a dog home, you should take age into account. So if you are bringing home a puppy, then you will need a canine food product formulated for puppies.
Adults and older dogs will likewise have their specific formulations. So when buying dog food, go for products that correspond to your dog’s age group.
Larger breeds may have different nutritional needs than smaller dog breeds.
You will want to look for the ‘complete and balanced’ label on the dog food. Pet food products carrying this label have a nutrition profile that meets the requirements of the Association of American Feed Control Officials.
The advantage of feeding pet food products with this label is that they provide a wide spectrum of nutrients for your canine. You will not have to supplement as is necessary when putting your dog on a raw food diet.
There are certain nutrients that should always be mentioned on any good canine food product. One of the most important is omega-3 fatty acids.
Almost everyone is aware of how good Omega-3s are for human health. Turns out that they are also great for your canine. Your fluffy canine also needs the correct balance between omega 3s and 6s for optimal health.
Just like human beings, dogs too can suffer from a wide range of health problems that transpire due to the prevalence of omega 6 and omega 3 imbalances in mass-produced food. There is simply too much omega 6 in manufactured dog food which is detrimental for canine health. Omega 3 supplementations can rectify this problem.
Omega 3s are known to provide the following benefits to canines.
Omega 3s are anti-inflammatory and can thus control allergies and arthritis in dogs.
Omega 3 is excellent for joint and coat health. It also works wonders for energy levels and healthy skin.
Omega 3 can boost cognitive abilities in your dog. Smart dogs need plenty of omega 3s.
Adequate omega 3 fatty acids may also help to slow down health decline in older dogs.
Choosing the best dog food formula will certainly feel daunting due to the abundance of choices that the market provides.
Certain canine food products are marketed for all stages of a dog’s life. Other food products are specifically designed for a particular stage of a dog’s life. The 3 main stages are the early growth stage, the adult stage, and the senior stage.
It is better to select dog foods formulated for the age group of your dog.
Once you have picked out brands that cater to your dog’s age group, you will want to scrutinize the nutritional profile of each.
You will find that dog food brands include plenty of vegetables, grains, and fruits in their formulations. Good dog foods have balanced levels of these ingredients. These ingredients can be a healthy part of your dog’s diet when they are in the right proportion.
The most healthy diet for your dog is one that has the best quality ingredients for meat, grains, vegetables, and fruits. They should also be supplemented with nutrients for optimal health and growth.
Equally importantly, these products should be free from wheat, soy, corn, and other known allergens.
You should be aware of terminology commonly found in pet food products.
If a product mentions ‘chicken’ it does not mean that it is entirely chicken. The product should have just 70 percent chicken at a minimum to qualify for the chicken label.
‘Chicken Entree,’ ‘Chicken Dinner’ and ‘Chicken Platter’ imply that at least 10 percent of the food is beef.
‘Chicken Flavor’ means that under 3 percent of the meal is comprised of chicken. The ‘With Chicken’ label means that only 3 percent of the food is chicken.
One of the most pressing questions for dog owners is whether or not they should feed grains to their canines.
Grain-free options are in vogue these days. But are they better?
Pet food marketing claims that dogs in the wild, as well as their ancestors, have a grain-free diet. Hence, a diet full of meat sans grains must work for your dog.
There is a wide range of opinions on whether you should feed grains to your dog.
The best course of action to take is to talk to your vet about it.
You should also first check whether or not your dog can handle grains. Just like humans, dogs too can be allergic to certain grains.
For most healthy dogs without digestive issues or allergies, grains can safely comprise 10% of the total food.
However, there are certain caveats to consider. Grain-free formulas are often more expensive. Grain-free feed also has more saturated fat which could possibly lead to weight gain in your dog.
While dog treats can be great for training and rewarding your dog occasionally, they should not be the bulk of your canine’s diet. Too many treats too often can lead to weight gain.
There are plenty of raw food proponents who advocate raw foods for canines.
They claim that raw foods have live enzymes that are almost entirely missing in packaged dog foods.
You should consult with your vet to find out how you can give raw foods to your dog and whether it is advisable in the first place.
Taking the above into account, you can work out the healthiest diet for your dog.
by Maria A Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™ .
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