Nutrition For Dogs: What Your Dog Needs
Your dog’s health is largely dependent on the dog food you are feeding. Understanding your dog’s nutritional requirements will go a long way in keeping them healthy and happy.
If your dog does not get the proper nutrients from his food, the result can be stunted growth, shortened lifespan, and a greater susceptibility to illness and allergies.
Dogs, like any other animal, need five basic nutrients to survive: protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients provide different functions and are necessary to sustain the health and well-being of your pet.
Proteins are the building blocks of your dog’s health. Proteins consist of amino acids and are necessary in an animal’s diet since animals cannot synthesize all the amino acids they need – they must obtain essential amino acids from their food.
You therefore need to have a satisfactory amount of protein in your dog food to help your dogs grow and stay healthy. But too much protein can be a cause of obesity, as excess can be stored as fat, and has even been linked to temperament problems in dogs.
Fats are as necessary for dogs as humans. Most people don’t think about the fat content, or the kind of fat, that is in their dog’s food. But without the correct kinds and amounts, your dog will suffer. Fats are needed for a healthy skin and coat, proper kidney function, and to transport the fat-soluble vitamins to cells. But just like with proteins, too much can cause problems, such as obesity.
Carbohydrates are nutrients which are converted into energy for your dog. The best source of carbs for your dog are whole grains as they have the most nutrients still in them. Inferior dog foods will use grain by-products (left-over parts from other food processing) which tends to boost carb and protein ratios, but really has very little nutritional value for your dog. These grain by-products are also common allergy triggers for dogs. Look for minimal grain by-products in your dog food, and if your dog has allergies, stay away from common allergy triggers such as corn, wheat, and soy.
Vitamins and Minerals are the last area of necessary nutrients for your dog. These should be supplied naturally through your dog food. However, some dog foods will need to add in a lot of vitamins and minerals because they get destroyed in the manufacturing process of the food. But these vitamins and minerals will start to diminish in both quality and quantity the longer the bag of food is opened – so you won’t get as much by the bottom of the bag as you do when you first open it. To ensure optimal health for your dog, you should provide a specially formulated vitamin supplement.
Just like with humans, dogs need a balanced diet – the correct ratio of proteins, carbs, fats, vitamins and minerals. And it is up to you to make sure his dog food is healthy. To learn more about healthy dog foods and how to read dog food ingredients, visit the Healthy Dog Food blog – helping you learn how to keep your dog healthy through nutrition.