The Secrets to Natural Nutrition for Dogs

You can sit there and compare dog food all day, but nutrition for dogs doesn’t always jump right out at you. Even with good dog food comparisons, you still might not be giving your canine buddy what he or she needs to stay healthy. The following are the basics any dog owner should know.

As with all animals on the planet, your dog requires specific nutrients to stay healthy and active, but most of us have no clue on what is the optimal diet for dogs?  Many of us rely on our pets canned, homecooked, raw or dry dog food to supply him with the appropriate nutrition, but the truth is that many of these canine foods fall short of the mark when it comes to an optimal diet for dogs.

Natural nutrition for dogs consists of six key components.  These happen to be fats, minerals, proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates and water. If you provide your pet with these in the appropriate amounts, then your dog will have the best chance of living a long and healthy life.

As you shop for commercial dog food, or even if you homecook your dog’s food, keep in mind that protein is going to be about 50% of a dog’s diet.  You want to use good quality protein - not meat byproducts that can be found as main ingredients in many cheaper commercial dog foods.  Pure chicken, lamb, beef and fish can be given to your dog. 

Your dog requires a bit of fat in his diet too.  While they will get some from the meat, they also should have a supplement of fish oil, flaxseed oil, safflower oil or even olive oil to help keep their coats and skin in good condition.

While we often think of dogs as meat eaters, they actually need all types of foods and carbohydrates which are an important part of canine nutrition.  While the main ingredient in their dog food should be meat, you also want to make sure they get some grains – oats, rice  and barley are the best but you will probably find corn or soy in most dog foods and these are OK too.  When you homecook your dog’s food, its usually perfectly fine to include some of whatever you are eating. One of the best, and also no cost, books on dog food nutrition goes by the name of the Dog Food Doctrine. You can download it for free by clicking here now: healthy dog food

Believe it or not, dogs should eat some fruits and vegetables too.  Giving your canine buddy these kinds of foods will make sure they get quality minerals and vitamins, if you also give your dog raw vegetables and fruits then they’ll get crucial digestive enzymes as well.

Lastly, fresh water happens to be very important to the good health of the dog you love.  Always make sure your dog has an adequate supply of water that he can drink from any time he wants.

Proper nutrition for your dog is important, but it doesn’t have to be complicated.  There are many commercial foods out on the market that will provide good nutrition for dogs – when you compare dog food, you just need to do a little research to find the right ones.