Diet Guidelines for Essential Dog Health

A well balanced diet for your dog is part of your responsibility as a dog owner. Protein, carbohydrates, and good fats should be included.  By providing your dog with a well balanced diet you are making sure that she has a long, happy, and healthy life. A proper diet will also provide her with a beautiful coat and bundles of energy.

The question that many people have is... What is the proper balance for my dog's diet? As a general rule of thumb...

2 - 25% protein
20 - 35% fat
40 - 60% carbohydrates
Along with these essential nutrients you should also provide your dog with vitamins and minerals.

However, keep in mind that dogs have very different needs than us. B1 vitamin is one of the most important supplements that they need. This is because dogs are not very good at storing vitamin B1 in their bodies and it is absent from many dog foods.

Feeding your dog only lean meat will not provide them with all the necessary nutrients. Dogs eat their entire prey in nature and get all that they need. As good owners we shoud try an make their environment as natural as possible.

Studies have been done to look at the habits of dogs and what they eat. These studies have shown that dogs prefer cooked and mushy food over those that are raw and meaty. However, dogs are not usually very picky and many will eat almost anything we give them. So it is our job to make sure we are giving them what is best for them.

Most dog owners tend to feed their dogs commercial dog food. These often have essential vitamins and minerals. The manufacturers know that the dog food must be stored easily so they package them in convenient ways such as bags or cans. Dog owners just love that. The downside is that usually the more convenient and attractive the packaging, the more expensive the food. Wouldn't you agree?

This is probably why so many dog owners are now cooking homemade meals for their dogs. The problem here is that it can be hard to provide our pets with the proper balance in their diet this way. We should not give them the things that we cook and eat ourselves.

The key is to do some research and make sure that you are providing your dog with the best possible source of her nutrition to ensure healthy pets.

Things can go wrong if we are not careful with what we are giving our dogs. Some dogs have a hard time digesting lactose so too much milk powder in their food can lead to scouring. Instead of creating your own recipes a better way might be to search for recipes that have been time tested.

Another is consideration is to be careful of bones. Try and avoid most bones, although your dog does enjoy a good bone. Small, cooked bones are more likely to splinter posing a risk for your dogs. Stay away from bones, especially cooked chicken bones and fish bones. Fish bones are probably the worst of all.

What is best for your dog can be learned over time. You can note any food that she avoids since this may indicate a food that she does not like. Just remember to follow the unique requirements of your dog's diet. This will ensure that your dog is happy and healthy.

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