As dog’s age, naturally, certain health issues emerge. Some dogs may even be allergic to certain things or require a specialized diet. That is ok. If your dog has health issues, you should follow a recommended diet that accommodates those problems. If they are not dealing with any health issues, feeding becomes a lot simpler.
Like humans, dogs need a selection of nutritious foods to optimize their health. Trends come and go in the dog food world, but having a healthy dog is always the goal. However, creating a diet plan for dogs can be complex since some foods come with potential risks and complications. Feed the wrong diet and it can cause all sorts of trouble for your dog.
Here are some ideas to plan a healthy diet for your dog:
Table of Contents
Raw Dog Food Diet
Raw dog food is often recommended as a healthy diet plan. The raw diet includes ingredients like raw meats, raw vegetables, and raw bones. As a highly nutritious diet, it consists of all-natural foods. The raw dog food diet plan can be used on any dog who has a compromised immune system or has recently undergone bowel surgery. It’s a high-energy, high-nutrition way of eating that will keep your dog healthy for many years.
How you know a raw food diet plan is working is by several indications. Your dog’s coat is shinier and the skin healthier. Its energy is higher, the teeth are cleaner, and stools are smaller. These are all indications your dog’s living a reasonably full and healthy life.
Raw Meats
Dogs do not need top-quality meats to feel healthy. Lean muscle meats can include chicken, beef, lamb, venison, rabbit, turkey, and pork, all either minced or diced. Internal organs, like hearts, lungs, liver, and tripe, can also be fed in controlled amounts. The liver, for example, shouldn’t ever be more than 10% of a dog’s total diet. When it comes to fish, fatty fish such as herring, salmon, pilchards, and sardines work best.
Raw Vegetables
In the raw vegetable department, leafy veggies like spinach, winter greens, broccoli, and cauliflower are all excellent. Carrots, parsnips, swede, and turnips are all extremely healthy. Potatoes are to be avoided. They are high in starch and will not blend well with a dog diet. If there’s a vegetable not on this list, do your research before adding it to your dog’s diet. Some vegetables, like with anything, are not meant to be given to canines.
Bones
Bones should be given sparingly to dogs. Ideally, they will be a raw, meaty bones. A dog can really sink their teeth into it. From a bone, a dog will get vital nutrients and it will help keep their teeth in check.
What to Avoid
Dogs do not need a lot of carbs or sugars. They get their energy elsewhere. Protein and fats provide energy and protection and allow the body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Add to this shortlist minerals and vitamins, and you more or less have the perfect dog diet. It’s just a matter of where you’re going to seek out these ingredients. Often, with the fillers put into some kibble, commercial-grade dog food from the store doesn’t necessarily do the trick.
Your dog should be able to get a balanced diet from the food they are given. That said, some pet owners will try to supplement certain things under the guidance of their vet, ranging from omega-3 fatty acids to glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, magnesium, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorous, and more. Should you do any of this and for whatever reason, always start with a minimal amount and judge to see what the side effects are.
Other Considerations
Proportions are not something that gets discussed nearly enough. You can very easily overfeed your dog by giving them too much food. Be sure to space out feedings and have an accurate estimate of how many calories your dog needs to feel their best. Time out meals carefully and ensure your dog’s never starving hungry.
Also, search for the ingredients list of any kibble product or special foods you buy for your dog. Research how well it’s rated. When you go down the product label, most people are surprised at how unhealthy these ingredients are. Although there is some excellent kibble food out there, there is also very low-quality kibble that the average consumer wouldn’t necessarily know is so lacking.
Visit the rest of the site for more articles.