Nutrition for Dogs

The best food for your dog is a proper diet that suits the nutritional requirements of dog.  Dogs are naturally omnivores, and while they may survive on a strict vegetarian diet, they will not thrive on it. When determining the nutrition for your dog, keep in mind that dogs need animal protein to remain strong and healthy.The best dog food includes meat, whole grains, and vegetables. Meat such as chicken, turkey, and beef lamb are good for your dog. You should also give your dog digestible carbohydrates, which can be found in potatoes and rice. Generally, commercially available dog food contains animal parts that cannot be used for human consumption like bones, fatty tissues, etc. Moreover, many food companies use artificial preservatives that are very harmful for the health of dog. Thus, it is always better to provide your dog with a natural dog diet.

If you give your dog canned food to the dog,you should mix it with dry dog food. Change the brands of canned food periodically as this will help overcome the deficiency of different food brands. Look for region specific certification. For example,in USA, AAFCO(Association of American Feed Control Officials) certify pet foods. Also, check the nutritional adequacy statement on the label. These labels serve as an important source of information on how to feed your dog and about the nutritional value and the quality of the product. There are also special varieties of canned foods available for dogs allergic to certain ingredients such as chicken and corn. These foods contain substitutes of these ingredients. There are also tailored foods available for dogs with infections or diseases or dogs that have special dietary needs.
For dogs, choose foods that contain meat as their top ingredient. But keep in mind that meat is high in phosphorus and low in calcium, so too much of meat for a long period is also not good for your dog’s health. While choosing foods for your dog, see if they are meat based or grain based? Meat based foods are a better choice.Also, rice and barley are better than corn and wheat. Each dog has individual nutritional requirements, depending on their metabolism and physical activity. While grain can be a long term source of energy for dogs and it helps boast the protein percentage of the food,the lesser the grain, the better it is.
Similar to dog foods, nutritional cat food is also available in the market. It is always better to know more about the nutritional requirements of your pet, be it dogs or cats, and then buy the appropriate food. However, natural foods are always better.