For most dog owners, one of the very first things that they are concerned about will be the dog’s health as well as the dog’s nutrition. This is because it is natural for dog owners to be concerned about the lifestyle that the dog is having, as it will lead to a happier and fulfilling life. As the saying goes, a healthy dog is a happy dog!
One of the best ways to keep your dog healthy is actually to provide them with a balanced and nutritional diet. Hence, it is imperative that you understand more about this so that your dog can be as healthy and happy as possible.
How to read food labels
When you purchase food for your dog, do you know that the food labels contain a treasure trove of information? Just so that you are unaware, the ingredients are listed according to its weight. So if you see chicken as the first ingredient, then it is the heaviest component in the kibbles itself. But do note that the meat is about 75% of water in content.
Also, there is a difference between having chicken and chicken meal as the first ingredient. Chicken contains more water content than chicken meal, as the chicken meal is dehydrated. As such, chicken meals have more protein than chicken meal. This goes the same for the rest of the meat types that can be found on packaging.
Last but not least, be on the lookout for potential fillings when you read the dog food labels. While fillings are sometimes necessary, do ensure that the ingredients for the fillings are listed away below the listing itself. Do note that some fillings can be separated into various forms and hence they might appear at the bottom of the list.
- Check the guaranteed analysis
If you notice, there is an item in the packaging that says “guaranteed analysis”. This is mandatory, as they are needed to put the percentage components of the crude protein, fat, fiber as well as moisture in the food itself. However, you have to be mindful that dry and wet dog food has a different standard of analysis, since the percentage of protein, as well as the other essential minerals, isn’t the same when comparing wet and dry food.
Essential nutrition for dogs
When you purchase dog food or even supplements, there are some nutrients that will be important for your dog. Here are some of the essential nutrients as well as minerals that you should be looking out for.
- Vitamin A: Helps to Improve the immune system as well as to promote a healthy and shiny coat
- Vitamin B: Essential to promote healthy development in the dog
- Vitamin C: Booster in strengthening the dog’s immune system
- Vitamin D: Important for dog’s dental health
- Vitamin E: Extremely important antioxidant
- Vitamin K: Important in helping to clot the blood
- Calcium: Helps in strengthening the bones. But take note that too much of this can lead to brittle bones!
- Potassium: Potassium is important in allowing maximum efficiency in the muscles as well as the enzymes itself
- Magnesium: Helps the dog’s body to absorb calcium
- Iron: Improve the production of red blood cells in the dog’s body.
- Zinc: Help to digest protein. Improves immune system.
- Copper: Increase the body’s rate of absorption of iron. Important for healthy bone growth.
The above are just some examples of vitamins and minerals that are good for your dog. Do note that while the vitamins and minerals are good, too much of either of them can be detrimental. For example, if you provide too much calcium mineral to your dogs, it can actually cause their bones to be brittle.
The age of the dog does matter too. As mentioned earlier, giving too much protein to your puppy is bad as it can mean a growth spurt that is too tough for the body to handle. And if this happens, your puppy will have a frame that is too heavy for the bones when they are older, which will result in other bone related issues.
Protein
Protein is one of the most important nutrients for dogs, as it helps in the growth, maintenance, and repair of their body tissues. Protein is made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of muscles, skin, and hair. Dogs require a higher amount of protein in their diet compared to humans, as their bodies use it differently.
The best sources of protein for dogs are meat, fish, and eggs. If you are feeding your dog commercial dog food, make sure that the label indicates that the food contains high-quality animal protein sources, such as chicken, beef, or fish.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for dogs, and they provide the necessary fuel for exercise and other physical activities. Dogs can obtain carbohydrates from grains, vegetables, and fruits. However, not all carbohydrates are created equal, and some may be harder for dogs to digest.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that is important for dogs, as it helps in maintaining good digestive health. Sources of fiber for dogs include sweet potatoes, green beans, and peas.
Fats
Fats are another important source of energy for dogs, and they play a crucial role in the absorption of certain vitamins. Fats also help in maintaining healthy skin and coat, as well as in the production of certain hormones. However, it’s important to note that not all fats are good for dogs, and some can be harmful if consumed in excess.
The best sources of fats for dogs are animal-based fats, such as chicken fat and fish oil. Avoid giving your dog foods that contain excessive amounts of saturated or trans fats.
How to ensure the dog’s diet is nutritional enough.
Of course, the above information will have no purpose if the dog parent does not take any action, or they do not know how to infuse the vitamins and nutrients into the dog’s diet to ensure that the meal is nutritional enough.
Here are some of the methods at which you can take upon to ensure your dog gets the best!
- Taking wholesome food
Most of the vitamins and minerals can be found in food that comes about naturally. For example, you can find Vitamin A in eggs as well as fish oil. Fish oil is also good as it is an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids as well as Vitamin D. Note that wholesome food isn’t processed food. Wholesome food includes your fruits vegetables as well as real chicken meat. In fact, when it comes to processed food, most of the nutrients are being destroyed in the process of developing the food itself, and hence we strongly urge you not to give processed food for your dog.
- Reading up on labels
It will be important for you to read the label on your dog’s bag of kibbles, as it is the only source of information that you have regarding the ingredients present in the kibbles itself. Of course, you will need to know the importance of each ingredient in the food, so we suggest that you do some research before you decide which packet of kibbles you should purchase for your dog. Be mindful of your dog’s allergies too, as this can have an effect on the type of food that you choose for your dog.
- Prepare your dog meals
If you have the time and effort, then you can consider preparing your dog’s meals too. This will allow you to have full control over the types of wholesome food that you would want to include into your dog’s diet to ensure that they get the very best. But as a note of precaution, you should only attempt this when you have professional advice on the components that you wish to add to your dog’s regular meals. If the meal is not balanced, it can be detrimental to your dog’s health. For example, if you are preparing a DIY food for your puppy, you should not feed them with a protein-rich diet as it can result in your puppy having an imbalanced muscle growth that the dog’s body structure cannot support.
- Offer A Variety Of Foods
Offering your dog a variety of foods can help ensure that they are getting all the essential nutrients. You can add fresh fruits and vegetables, cooked meats, and eggs to your dog’s diet to provide them with a variety of nutrients.
- Provide Fresh And Clean Water
Make sure that your dog has access to clean and fresh water at all times. Change your dog’s water bowl regularly and make sure that it is cleaned thoroughly to prevent the growth of bacteria.
- Taking Supplements
In this age, it is very common for humans to take supplements to boost up their health. These supplements are meant to be a source of nutrients and minerals that might be absent from our diet. This goes the same for dogs too.
But having said that, the camp is divided when it comes to the effectiveness of the supplements on our dogs. Also, there are some who claim that the supplements are not natural, and hence it can be classified as processed food.
So now the question is, are the supplements good or bad for dogs?
Are supplements good for dogs?
Many dog owners are starting to provide supplements for their dogs. This is partly because some of the essential dog nutrients, as well as vitamins, are not found in some commercial dog food. Some of these multivitamins supplements serve various purposes. There are those that help to relieve the paints from those arthritic joint, or there are others that help to promote healthier skin on your dog by giving them more omega 3 fatty acids.
What to note before giving your dog supplements
Before you decide to give your dog any supplement, there are still some considerations that you have to note.
- Consult the vet: Before you give your dog any supplement, it will be important for you to consult your vet. This is because your dog might have some medical conditions that you are unaware of, and some of the supplements might have a harmful effect when taken together with the dog’s medication.
- Supplements are not a miracle drug: Don’t be fooled by advertisements that claim that their supplement is a miracle drug that can cure all sorts of ailments. Supplements cannot be mistaken as a drug. Rather, supplements are here just to provide additional minerals or vitamins to the dog.
- Only supplements for dogs allowed: Don’t give your regular human supplements as they are not meant for dog consumption and hence can be deadly for them.
- Trusted brands: Always go for trusted brands or brands that have gone through clinical testing to ensure that your dog has a good supplement. One good brand is Zesty Paws, as they are well known to provide good multivitamins that serves various benefits to dogs.
Which supplement to give to my dog
In the market itself, there are plenty of supplements that you can give to your dog. Typically, there are some formulas that contain more than 1 vitamin or mineral, and this is good as it helps to provide more value to the dog with just one supplement. Such a supplement is termed as the multivitamin.
- Multivitamin for dogs
Multivitamins are good since they serve many positive purposes at one go. The effective combination of vitamins and minerals means that the dogs can so much nutrition with just one chew.
An example of a good multivitamin supplement for dogs is actually the Zesty Paws Multivitamin for Dogs. One of the reasons why it is good is because it has so many good vitamins and minerals that are awesome for the dog. In this example, there are close to 35 different minerals that are present in the multivitamin itself.
Just imagine, with just one chew, your dog will have:
- Healthier skin and coat
- Better hip and joint mobility
- Improved digestive traits
- Improved overall immunity
- Enhanced cardiovascular health
- Reduced itch in dogs
And this is because of the presence of minerals such as cod liver oil, Glucosamine, Chondroitin, probiotics and a whole lot more of various vitamins and minerals. Imagine having to source for natural foods to provide your dog with so many nutritional benefits.
As such, a good multivitamin for dogs can really provide your dog with so many benefits that regular kibbles cannot provide.
- Multivitamin for older dogs
Of course, if you have an aging dog, there are still some multivitamins that can be consumed by them. Some companies understood that the aged dog does have requirements that aren’t the same with regular dogs, and hence they provide vitamins just for older dogs.
One such example is the Zesty Paws Senior Advanced Multivitamin for Dogs. This formula is specially designed for older dogs as the company understands the needs that the aged dog might have.
For example, it is common knowledge that most aged dogs will suffer from arthritis as well as other bone related problems. Hence, the purpose of the multivitamin for dogs is to pack in as many benefits as they can so as to cater to the needs of the aged dog.
Here are some of the benefits that it brings to old dogs.
- Healthier skin and coat
- Better hip and joint mobility
- Improved digestive traits
- Improved overall immunity
- Enhanced cardiovascular health
- Increased kidney and bladder support
- Ensure healthy eyes
- Increase in cognitive function in your dog
This is eight benefits packed into one small chew! And all of these are important for the dog, given that aging dogs do have multiple problems, and when these go unchecked, can result in hefty medical bills.
Conclusion
A healthy dog will always be a happier dog, and a happier dog will mean more love and fun in the house with your pet. As such, it is really on the owner’s onus to ensure that the dog has a balanced and nutritious diet so that the dog can be as healthy as possible.
