Many new pet owners are clueless when it comes to what types of food they should feed their dogs. Often, this stems from not understanding the nutritional needs of a dog. Unfortunately, many people wait until their dog looks sickly and experiences excessive hair shedding on the dog brush to change the diet. To avoid this, below are simple ways to figure out the best food for your pet.
- Proteins
Dogs require essential amino acids to help them function and stay healthy. For this reason, proteins, including cooked eggs, cooked chicken, and cooked red meat are the main foods that a dog should eat. Even though you can feed your dog on plant protein diet; animal protein is much more beneficial to dogs. When dealing with dogs between the age of 8 to 16 months, its best to avoid raw meat. This is because a pup still doesn’t have a strong enough immune system to fight off dangerous bacterial infections.
- Minerals
To keep your dog’s teeth and bones healthy and in top-notch condition, a dog needs to partake in minerals. Unfortunately, most minerals like magnesium, iron, and zinc that are sold as additional supplements are useless to the dog as a dog can not metabolize them. To give it the needed nutrition, ensure you feed your dog low-fat cheese or yogurt. However, be keen and note if your dog reacts to such a product because that suggests your dog pet might be lactose intolerant.
- Fats, salmon- omega 3 fatty acids- peanut butter, – vitamin B, niacin, and vitamin E
To ensure that your dog has healthy skin and fur, feeding your dog on healthy fats is vital to avoid saggy skin and excessive shedding. Foods that provide good fats include salmon and peanut butter which contains omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin E, B, and niacin. However, avoid giving your dogs foods that contain too much farm as they harm your dogs health. Additionally, ensure you do not feed your dog avocados as they are poisonous to a dog.
- Vitamins
For a healthy metabolic system, vitamins are essential as they are enzyme reaction catalysts. Foods that provide healthy vitamins include cooked green beans, apple, and pumpkin that contain vitamin A, C, and beta-carotene. As excessive fat-soluble vitamins can be dangerous, avoid giving your dog additional vitamin supplements.
- Carbs
Even though carbs has been eliminated in most human diets and given a bad reputation, carbs are still essential. Note, carbs are the primary source of fiber. Fibre keeps diarrhea at bay and helps avoid constipation. Additionally, they provide the dog with the much-needed energy to remain active. Goods carbs you can give your dog include pumpkin, oatmeal, and rise that prove invaluable in your dog’s diet.
- Water
Though water isn’t a food, many people put so much emphasis on the types of food a dog eats but forget to give it water. Unfortunately, this leads to many dogs being dehydrated and lacking the energy to move about. Just as humans, a dog’s body is comprised of 70% water and hence keeping your dog well hydrated is vital. For this reason, avail clean, fresh water to your dog so it can get a drink whenever it needs to.
Conclusion
As seen above, the first few weeks of a dog’s diet require a trial and error aspect to get to know how your dog reacts to different food types. As a dog’s nutritional needs change from time to time, keep a lookout for any physical manifestation that the current diet needs to change. Steer clear of feeding your dog onions and garlic, citrus fruits, chocolate, and raw yeast dough as they are toxic to a dog. Overall, if you are still unsure visit your vet for medical advice to ensure what you give your dog is the best diet for it.