Understand the fundamentals to understand how to tackle and approach the realms of nutrition.
Pet food is a specialized diet for domesticated animals that is designed to meet their nutritional requirements. It is important to feed your pet good quality food because it is one of the ways in which pet owners can influence longevity and quality of life. The quality of food you feed makes a direct difference in your pet’s health. Dogs eat anything that is given to them but that does not mean that they should. They should only be given healthy food for proper weight management and well-balanced nutrition.
What to feed my dog – Nutrition is critical for your dog’s health.
Plenty of water: Just as it works with humans, optimal nutrition begins with ensuring that your dog has access to clean, plentiful water. Water makes up more than half of your dog’s total body weight. Give two and a half times as much food as water.
Don’t skip carbohydrates: Carbohydrates should always be a part of your dog’s diet. The majority of dog meals are dry and include 30 to 70 percent carbs. Make sure your dog doesn’t get too much carbs. Excess carbohydrates are stored as fat in the body and can eventually contribute to obesity. Rice and veggies are high in fibre and provide an excellent supply of carbohydrates.
Add Fat To Their Diet To Boost Their Energy: They have a significant energy content in comparison to carbs. Fish, chicken, meat, and oils are all good sources of fat. Plants provide some fats, as well. Healthy skin and coats benefit from fats.
Increase Immunity and Disease Prevention: Make sure that every amount of food you offer your dog contains enough vitamins and minerals. Minerals and vitamins maintain a healthy metabolism and immune system in your pet. Minerals like calcium help to keep their bones strong, while iron is necessary for good blood circulation. These can be found in a variety of animal and plant sources.
Homemade vs. Commercial Foods: Most pet owners prefer to feed their dogs leftovers from their dinner tables. That is perfectly okay. You must, however, ensure that the diet contains the correct nutrient mix. It is preferable to feed your dogs commercial foods if you can afford them. This is due to the fact that they contain a variety of vitamins, veggies, grains, and meat.
What is the best way to choose a healthy dog’s food?
- Know what’s in the pet food before you buy it: If a food is labelled as containing a single component, it must contain at least 95% of that ingredient, excluding water. If a particular combination of ingredients is promoted, it must account for at least 95% of the food. If a food claims to be entirely made of chicken, for example, chicken should account for 95% of the total weight. Only 3% of the listed ingredient is necessary if the name says that it contains certain ingredients.
- Read ingredients: Dog and puppy nutrition profiles have been developed by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). This information will give you an overview of the foods available, but keep in mind that labels can be deceiving. Choose food with meat-based items listed as the first two or three ingredients. Avoid foods that contain excess chemical preservatives and high amounts of fillers like wheat, corn, and soy.
- Keep in mind your dog’s age and activity level: Your dog’s energy and nutrition needs are based on multiple factors including growth, activity, reproductive status and age. Dog food is geared for feeding during certain life stages of the animals. A young growing pet will need more calories than an older pet. A pregnant or lactating dog will also need more calories than its spayed or neutered counterpart.
- Take grains and glutens into consideration: Some pet owners, on the other hand, prefer to avoid grains in their dog’s diet. For dogs who are allergic to grains, avoiding them is a viable option. Allergies to other components, such as meats, are, nevertheless, far more frequent than allergies to wheat. People with gluten allergies are widespread, and many pet owners pick gluten-free food for their dogs, assuming that the same is true for dogs. Gluten allergies in dogs, on the other hand, are quite uncommon.
- Ask for a vet’s advice: Request a physical condition evaluation for your dog from your veterinarian, and make sure you understand the essentials. The most important thing to remember is to be able to feel your dog’s ribs.
- Decide between canned and dry foods: Most pets will do fine on either one, but, on occasion, you may find a pet that is sensitive to form of diet. They may develop symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhoea. This shows that their system cannot process the food correctly. Canned foods are generally more expensive than dry food options but it is about 75% water
