Content
- Dog feeding
- The ingredients of dog food
- What ingredients to avoid in dog food
- Benefits of Healthy Dog Food
- Other articles on healthy dog food
Finding a balanced diet that meets the needs of dogs at all stages of their life and adjusts to the demands of their handlers can be a challenge. There are more and more options available, but so much variety ends up creating confusion if you are not sure what a food must contain to be considered healthy.
In this PeritoAnimal article, we'll review the key points for better dog nutrition and present the healthy food for dogs. Good reading.
Dog feeding
Although dogs are capable of eating anything, the reality is that they are mammalian and carnivorous animals. This means that during the first weeks of life they will feed exclusively from breast milk. They should stay with her and the rest of the litter for at least eight weeks, but from about the first month of life, they will begin to show interest in solid foods within their reach.
This is the time to start weaning, offering them a quality food, specially formulated for puppies and that takes into account their needs as carnivores and as animals in a fast growing phase.
So the basic ingredient of your menu should be the animal protein. Although throughout the dog's life we change its diet to adapt it to the demands of the adult phase, which happens around one year of life; from the elderly phase, approximately from the age of seven; or after castration, the animal protein must remain the basis of your puppy's healthy diet. Just remember that when we talk about healthy dog food, we're not just talking about the ethereal concept of "health" but also about the dogs' external appearance, teeth, and coat.
The ingredients of dog food
Protein of animal origin from meat or fish is the fundamental component of the dog's diet. If you choose to buy your pet food, you should check the ingredients list on the package. They must be natural products and the first on the list, that is, the one that is present in the highest percentage, should be fresh meat or, in the case of feed, dehydrated.
Subsequently, the recipe can be supplemented with carbohydrates of cereals or pulses and vitamins and minerals provided by fruits and vegetables. Healthy dog food cannot contain sugar or salt. It is also necessary to avoid artificial preservatives, colorings or flavors, which will be replaced by natural ones, such as vitamin E.
In the case of feed, its form of production is a differential, as it helps to preserve all the nutrients. In other words, a healthy eating for our dogs is the one made with ingredients that are easily recognizable by us, such as chicken, salmon oil, lamb, rice, peas or pumpkin.
What ingredients to avoid in dog food
In general, we should avoid food whose list of ingredients is based on animal or vegetable by-products, artificial substances, sugars, as well as those whose main ingredient is not animal protein. On the other hand, food intolerances and allergies are a relatively common problem in dogs.
While each individual may react poorly to a different ingredient, some are known to trigger these types of disorders more likely. Some examples are wheat, dairy or soy. Therefore, for more sensitive dogs it is advisable to avoid these types of ingredients or even resort to diets known as hypoallergenic. Remember that whenever your dog has an allergic reaction, you should go to a veterinarian, and we recommend having a first-aid kit for allergic reactions. Remember that there are fruits and vegetables that you should not give your pet under any circumstances, as they can seriously affect their health.
Benefits of Healthy Dog Food
Healthy dog food will ensure that your pet receives all the nutrients needed to supply the your body's functioning needs. In addition, a good diet also helps to preserve your health and, consequently, improve your life expectancy. The result will be a specimen full of vitality, with a shiny coat and good digestive transit.
Also, the best use of food generates less waste, which means the stools will be less bulky and odorous. Therefore, regardless of your choice, you should always opt for quality, in accordance with the premises we have pointed out. This point is especially important in the case of animal food, since it is a very popular food, but not all brands are the same.
So, to take advantage of the benefits that pet food can offer dogs, it is important to choose a brand you already know and, if you have just adopted a dog, be sure to read this other article where we talk about choosing the best dog food .
Other articles on healthy dog food
Here at PeritoAnimal we have a series of content in which we talk about good dog food options:
- Puppy Feeding
- Dog food with calcium
- Dog Feeding: Types and Benefits
- Prohibited food for dogs
If you want to read more articles similar to healthy food for dogs, we recommend that you enter our Balanced Diets section.