“I want to work like a dog, doing what I was born to do with joy and purpose. I want to play like a dog, with total, jolly abandon.”
~ Oprah Winfrey
The bond between a pet and the owner may last for a few years, but its essence remains forever. That’s the beauty of owning a four-legged friend. This relationship is playtime, nurturing, and attentive. Maybe that’s why many pet owners are concerned about their pets so much. And why not when they deserve it the most.
When it comes to owning and preserving pets, their diet comes into every pet owners’ mind for sure. This is because pets aren’t able to narrate their body requirements like human kids. And that’s when you should be ultra-conscious about understanding their body language and feed them correctly.
Pet’s diet – A matter of debate
A most common question for a new pet owner to a veterinarian is, “what should I feed my pooch every day?” Feeding dogs an appropriate and well-nutritional diet has become a matter of concern, especially for those who have a hectic schedule. A balanced diet has a lot to do with the pet’s overall well-being and health.
Now to understand your pet’s physical and mental health requirements, you should be good enough to treat them with a well-balanced diet, know the generic nutrient values of dog foods, and so on. This process is not rocket science for sure; instead, it has been developed through biological evolution.
Come out of a myth – Dogs need an only meat-based diet.
Before you know what is ideal for your pooch, it’s important to overcome a few myths you have been carrying in your head for so long. However, dogs are carnivores, but that does not mean you need to feed them meat-based treats all the time.
Here, it may interest you to know that dogs belong to the group of scientific order Carnivora. It is a large group of mammalian animals having similar tooth structures. But the dietary requirements of animals do vary. Some members of this group may require meat in their diet, whereas others’ bodies may need nutrients the most.
What should I feed my dog?
Now the question is what to feed your dog. Begin this journey with the understanding that your dog needs a balanced diet to stay fit as a fiddle. Here are some of the common dietary requirements of a dog – carbohydrates, proteins, water, vitamins and minerals, fats, and much more.
The best practice is to consult your pet’s dietary requirements right from day 1. The best is to consult a veterinarian the day you bring the dog home. Such visits can prove knowledgeable for you.
When buying dog food for your pet, it’s important to check the list of ingredients and if all of them fulfill your pet’s nutritional requirements or not. Preferring a product with a label like “complete and balanced nutrition” can signify that you should prefer such products.
The essential nutrients required for dogs
Proteins – Pet’s body tissues are made up of proteins. And the dog’s body hardly has 13 of 23 amino acids which contribute to the faster development of protein blocks. The rest of the protein requirements has to come from the served food. Therefore, you should judge the food quality and type accordingly.
Fats – Fats are meant to fuel your body with a sufficient amount of energy. Plus, they keep your dog’s hair and skin look healthy. Some of the highly required fatty acids in the pet’s body include – omega 6, linoleic acid, omega-3, etc. A pet’s body is not sufficient enough to make quality fatty acids; therefore, you need to feed it good amounts of fatty acids.
Carbohydrates – Like for human beings, carbohydrates are essential for dogs’ too. Here, you should be concerned about the source of carbohydrates the most. When talking about your pet’s health, carbohydrates should come from plants. This is because when your pet consumes carbohydrates from vegetables or grains, they are likely to consume scratch, sugar, and fiber. Carbohydrates from plants are good for pets’ health. It helps to keep the tissues healthy and works on better intestine development.
Vitamins and minerals – A pet’s body goes through many chemical reactions due to endless reasons. Some of the most common examples are – the process of building bones and keeping them more robust. This makes it essential that you feed your pet with sufficient vitamins and minerals in every meal served. Some much-required list of vitamins and minerals for your four-legged friend includes – Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Calcium, B-Complex vitamins, Phosphorus, and much more.
Make sure you do not feed your dog Vitamin C in any form as their bodies do not require it anyhow. Moreover, suppose you are already serving your pet with a balanced diet (consulted with a veterinarian). In that case, you don’t have to worry about feeding them any particular vitamin or mineral in general.
Water – It’s one of the essential parts of your pet’s health and dietary requirements. Dogs lose half of their body’s fat and protein elements to survive for long. For once, dogs can survive without food but not without water. If they lose hardly 10% of the water from their body, they are prone to fatal incidents. Thus, make sure to feed them water timely.
Ensure the best quality for your pet
Just because your pet is cooperative enough to eat anything, you can’t feed them randomly. Pick quality raw dog food that does not have artificial coloring, additives, preservatives, cereals, grains, etc. All these elements are not suitable for your pet’s health. Therefore, avoid picking such foods. Instead, pick a food type made up of natural ingredients with the least amount of preservatives used. That’s the reason why many veterinarians recommend putting your faith in raw dog foods the most.
The bottom line
Dogs demand ultra-care and concern, especially when it comes to their diet plan. Of course, they can’t communicate their dietary needs directly. That’s the reason pet owners are advised to understand the pet’s body language and health signs the most.
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