Dog Nutrition – Is Your Dog Getting Everything He Needs

Just like any living creature, your dog needs certain nutrients in order to keep him active and healthy, but how many pet owners know exactly what the perfect diet is for dogs? Many of us rely on our pets dog food to supply him with the appropriate nutrition, but the truth is that many dog foods fall short of the mark when it comes to an optimal diet for dogs.

When it comes to feeding your dog, there are 6 components you must keep in mind. These are proteins, fat, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and of course, water. If you provide your pet with these in the appropriate amounts, then your dog will have the best chance of living a long and healthy life.

When buying commercial dog food, or preparing your dogs meals at home, you want to remember that protein should make up about half of your dogs diet. You want to use good quality protein - not meat byproducts that can be found as main ingredients in many cheaper commercial dog foods. Real beef, chicken, lamb and even fish can be fed to your pet with great results.

Dogs also need s little fat in their diet. While they will get some from the meat, they also should have a supplement of fish oil, flaxseed oil, safflower oil or even olive oil to help keep their coats and skin in good condition.

While we often think of dogs as meat eaters, they actually need all types of foods and carbohydrates are an important part of dog nutrition. While the main ingredient in their dog food should be meat, you also want to make sure they get some grains – oats, rice and barley are the best but you will probably find corn or soy in most dog foods and these are OK too. If you are preparing your dogs meals yourself, you might even include some pasta if you are having it for dinner yourself.

Believe it or not, dogs should eat some fruits and vegetables too. Feeding them some of these will help them to get vitamins and if you feed them raw fruits and veggies then they will also get important enzymes that will help them digest the food.

Finally, water is critical for the survival of any animal and, of course, your dog is no exception. Always make sure your dog has an adequate supply of water that he can drink from any time he wants.

Proper nutrition for your dog is important, but it doesn't have to be complicated. There are many commercial foods out on the market that will provide your dog with most, if not all of his nutritional needs – you just need to do a little research to find the right ones.