Dogs are similar to us human beings when it comes to eating, they require a proper diet in order to not gain more weight than they should. The more weight a dog gets, the higher chance they will most likely suffer from various disease. Unfortunately, most dog owners might not know the be aware that their dogs require a proper diet and just constantly continue to feed them their kibbles and canned meats, instead of changing up their meals when necessary. Nutrition is just as important for your canine companion as it is to you.

Nutrients

Dogs require a combination of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water in a balanced diet that provides sufficient calories to meet their daily needs for growth, activity, and repair. The information on a case of dog food that it is a complete food means utterly nothing unless the nutrients are in a form available for absorption into the dog’s systems. For instance, since cellulose and hemicellulose of plant cells are not properly digested in raw form by dogs, food based solely on grains for a source of protein and carbohydrates has to be processed in a manner that allows the dog’s digestive system to extract these nutrients. Large dog food companies make every effort to not only balance their food but also to provide the ingredients in form dogs can consume.

The doggy food you purchase should contain vitamin and mineral supplements in balanced concentrations. Too much of a single mineral may interfere with absorption of another; a minimal amount of a mineral may interfere with vitamin use or other minerals. Major dog food companies make every effort to provide balanced proportions of vitamins and minerals for maximum benefit to the dog.

Although, small differences in processing temperatures, in the quality of the ingredients utilized, and storage humidity and temperature of ingredients and of the finished product can cause variations in the quality that may affect certain kinds of dog, a certain kind breed, or a certain line of dogs within a breed. Furthermore, some breeds or groups of breeds may require slightly different percentages of particular nutrients. Henceforth, all dog foods are not perfect for all dogs, a factor that leads to the production of a plethora of different foods, claims, and processing methods.

Raw Food Dog Diet

One of the most popular types of dog diet out there is the raw food dog diet. The raw food dog diet has a lot of benefits and yes it’s a real diet for dogs!

Potential benefits of the raw dog food diet that supporters tout include:

Shinier coats

Healthier skin

Cleaner teeth

Higher energy levels

Smaller stools

Potential risks include:

Threats to human and dog health from bacteria in raw meat

An unbalanced diet that may damage the health of dogs if given for an extended period

Potential for whole bones to choke an animal, break teeth or cause an internal puncture

A raw dog food diet typically consists of:

Muscle meat, often still on the bone

Bones, either whole or ground

Organ meats such as livers and kidneys

Raw eggs

Vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and celery

Apples or other fruit

Some dairy, such as yogurt

Obesity Problems

As dogs continue to get fatter over the years, it can lead towards all sorts of life threatening medical conditions that can lead to them becoming disabled. These conditions are:

Diabetes

Arthritis

Heart disease

Lung disorders

High blood pressure

Immune dysfunction

Cancerous tumors

Life Expectancy

Recent studies have shown that a dog who successfully maintains the idea weight can live an extra two years longer and with less possible infliction of disease, than other overweight canines. Overweight has a higher chance to die at a much younger age than expected of them.

In other words, it’s possible to gain an additional two years to your dog’s’ life expectancy by maintaining your pet’s proper weight.

When choosing your preferred food brand for your dog, keep mind that the label recommendations available on the packages are made for weight maintenance, not weight loss.

If you continue to follow these instructions needlessly, you’ll most likely have your dog continue to gain weight. If your dog is unfortunately severely overweight, it best to ask your vet for help when designing a proper weight loss program for your pet.

Whatever you decide to feed your best canine friend, make sure to do some research and aim to feed your dog some quality, nutritional and balanced food. Don’t forget your dog’s health is just as important as your own, especially if you want them to live a long and healthy life.