A Dog’s Diet Dogs are carnivores (meat eaters). Their teeth and digestive system confirm this. However, dogs can still eat plants and vegetation. Dry dog food contains less protein, less fat and more carbohydrates than the Ancestral Diet, which is what the wolves eat. A dog’s food should be: •Higher in natural fats and oils •High in meat-based protein •Lower in carbohydrates •Free of animal by-products •Free of artificial flavoring, coloring or preservatives •Formulated from a non-generic, named animal source (chicken, lamb, fish, etc.) •Complete in all essential vitamins and minerals There are different diets you can choose from to make sure your dog is eating healthy and getting the proper nutrition. Grain-free diets are becoming more popular, as owners are finding out the benefits of it. Grains are difficult for dogs to digest because dogs lack salivary amylase, which is an enzyme produced in the saliva. Amylase is needed to begin the breakdown of carbohydrates into simple sugars before they enter the stomach. Dogs DO produce amylase, however not until the small intestine, which makes digesting carbohydrates more difficult for the dog. Feeding grain-free diets are considered hypoallergenic because they are usually made with limited novel, or high-quality, ingredients. By using limited ingredients, it’s easier to find the possible “allergen” in the food that your dog could be allergic to. Novel ingredient dog foods contain elements that are less likely to be known to a dog’s immune system. Seeing as allergic reactions generally require previous exposure, such as chicken, beef or pork, these novel foods are usually new to the dog’s system, as the dog has not been exposed to it before. These foods may be “rare”, or hard to find or something you have not thought about feeding your dog before, such as deer, goat, lamb or rabbit. Foods that contain rabbit, goat, etc. may be priced higher than foods containing beef or chicken. Dry dog food (kibble) cannot be made with just meat, because a dough-like binder is created to hold everything together. Vegetables are the most common source of carbohydrates found in grain-free kibble since corn, wheat, rice are barely are all grains. Another diet that is becoming extremely popular is the Raw Diet. The raw diet mimics what wolves would eat in the wild, which would contain bone, meat, organ, skin and so on. It is proven that the raw diet is the healthiest option for your dog, as it is the most natural. Raw diets provide optimal health, benefiting the skin, teeth, coat, digestive system and immune system, etc. Raw diets contain no grains. If you decide on feeding your dog a raw diet, be sure to get as much information about it as possible BEFORE you start feeding it. Ask other raw diet feeders for their thoughts and opinions as to what to feed, how much, how many times a day, etc. Each dog is different though, so once you gather all the necessary information, be sure to customize it to YOUR dog’s individual needs. Be wary that there’s more to the raw diet than one might initially think. You cannot feed just meat, the dog’s diet must contain several protein sources (chicken, pork and beef, etc.), bone and organ. Many different organs are required to make a complete diet. If you choose to feed raw, you cannot not just throw a pound of chicken in a bowl and not add organ because it grosses you out. Most raw diet feeders, DO start out solely on chicken for the first few days because it is an easy protein that isn’t too fatty, but eventually other meats and the organ and bone are added. Starting the raw diet takes time and cannot be rushed or you will overwhelm your dog and could make them sick if you give them too much too soon of foods they are not used to. You must know before you starting feeding raw how much of what must go into the diet to prevent you from depriving your dog of any essential nutrients. If you do not feed raw and are feeding kibble, be sure to feed your dog only a high-quality food. If you don’t know which kibble is best for your dog, ask your vet, breeder, trainer or other dog owners what they suggest. You may be overwhelmed at the variety of foods available, and prices are usually a big factor in what you choose. But remember, buying the cheapest food available is not the healthiest for your dog. The money you save now on food will cost you later in vet bills. You do not have to buy the most expensive, but choose a high-quality food that can fit your budget. Nutrient Content Compared: Ancestral Diet: 56% Protein, 25-30% Fat, 14% Carbohydrates Dry Food (Kibble) Diet: 18-32% Protein, 8-22% Fat, 46-74% Carbohydrates For information on dog foods, check out Dog Food Advisor. This is a great site that offers information on food ratings, reviews, nutritional information, recalls, etc. You can also read different articles, find stores that sells the brand of dog food you are looking for, use the "Dog Food Calculator" and more! dogfoodadvisor/
Posted on: Thu, 06 Jun 2013 04:07:57 +0000
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