Essential Information About Dog Food
Dog food is food designed and specifically intended for eating by canines and other domesticated animals. Dogs are generally considered to be carnivores with an omnivorous lean propensity. They have short, sharp teeth and longer stomachs, well suited to the consumption of flesh than of plant material, yet have ten genes which are primarily responsible for carbohydrate utilization and digestibility. So basically, the more carbohydrates you can get your dog to eat, the more easily he’ll be able to digest his food and absorb all the nutrients therein. It’s sort of like an Atkins diet for your human. It helps keep your human healthy while keeping your dog lean and fit.
In addition, dogs are actually omnivorous, but they have a specialization for eating certain kinds of food, notably grains. Unlike us, dogs can survive on a raw, plant-based diet; though in nature, domestic dogs feed primarily on flesh and vegetables. The reason behind this is that dogs have the ability to absorb carbohydrates and fiber more easily from plant material than from other kinds of food, especially meat. This is the primary reason why most commercial dog food brands are composed mostly of grain. With the exception of human food, we have no dietary requirement for grains except for occasionally pasta.
Most dog food, however, still contains grains. This serves two purposes. First of all, grains provide protein, and second of all, grains are digested more easily by dogs, providing them with an extra source of energy and enabling them to digest all the vitamins and minerals that they may get from the food they eat.
Some dog food companies, such as Purina for example, do include grains in their dog food. Other manufacturers, such as Canidae, Hoki, and Alpo, don’t include grains in their dog food at all. The reason for this is to ensure the dog food’s safety and effectiveness. (Purina and Alpo have stated that they don’t use any grains in their dog food.)
Dogs need meat for protein, which is why they’re so fond of cooking their own meat – even though it takes a lot of time. Dogs also love fruits and vegetables, and this is another reason why manufacturers include these in their dog food. The addition of fruit and vegetables is important, because dogs may not be able to digest these properly or absorb enough nutrients from them to benefit their bodies. Common fruits in dog food include watermelon, bananas, apples, and vegetables like carrots and peas.
Fats are also a good thing to see in dog food. Although it’s usually considered bad for dogs, some brands of dog food do include fatty acids. The fatty acids in dog food may help your dog’s digestion and help reduce the effects of arthritis, diabetes, and obesity. Other fatty acids are essential for cell membrane functions.
There are two types of fat in dog food. Safflower oil is the least oily, and contains low amounts of calories. Corn oil is a little bit more oily, but it contains a high amount of calories. Many owners of large breed dogs may be concerned about their dog’s cholesterol intake, but they should realize that there isn’t any real danger of their dog dying from too much cholesterol. Excessive amounts of cholesterol in a dog food diet won’t cause death, but it can lead to discomfort for your dog.
Other fats in dog food are compatible with human cholesterol, so they can be beneficial if your dog has high cholesterol. For dogs that don’t process these fats well, they can be deadly. The fats in dog food may make your dog feel uncomfortable or sick, but there’s no need to worry. If you feed your dog the same brand of dog food that you would give someone else, he/she will be fine.