Posted on: Posted by: Dog Carion Comments: 0
Healthy Foods to Feed to Your Dog

Contents

Healthy Foods to Feed to Your Dog

Dogs are the most domesticated animals and feeding them the correct diet to keep them healthy and strong is quite important. They are omnivores in nature, meaning they can eat plants and meat. They can also be carnivorous based on how they are trained. Because of their nature and sharp teeth, they are able to eat meat and can easily chew on bones. They have the ability to produce amylase which is an enzyme that helps easily breakdown and digest glucose and starch that is acquired from carbohydrates.

custom leather jackets

Living with humans have also helped them in this regard based on them feeding off leftovers. They can and have survived over the years by eating a variety of foods including meats and non-meat meals.

Commercially, dog food is specifically formulated for them. These are made with ingredients that are animal feed grade and can either be dry and packaged in bags or they can be wet and come packaged in cans. Dry food can contain between 6-10% of water while wet ones can contain up to between 60 to 90% water. There are also semi-moist foods that contain 25-30% of water. A lot of these foods are made with maize and by-products from poultry. You can read more about this here.

What Foods are Good for Your Dog?

What Foods are Good for Your Dog?

Organ Meats

Meat, especially organ meats, are an important part of canine diets whether you are feeding your pet homemade meals or you will be buying a commercial product. A lot of products usually follow the 80-10-10 formula which involves 80% muscle meat, 10% organ meats, and 10% bones but when you can, you can tweak the ratio a little.

Animal organs and glands such as livers, pancreas, brain, heart, and kidneys are rich in nutrients and vitamins and they act as strength or blood builders. You should however avoid fats. Your pet will get a variety of vitamins such as A, B, B12, C, and nutrients like zinc, amino acids, iron, etc. from eating these. Ensure you cook whatever form of meat you will be feeding your pet well. Do not serve it raw, uncooked, or undercooked. When serving, it is better to cut the meat into chunks that are easy to chew.

Eggs

Eggs are filled with nutrition and are said to be the most complete protein. Thankfully, it can easily be added to your pet’s meal. Eggs provide vitamins, proteins, amino acids, omega-3, calcium, zinc, and anti-oxidants. They also help and are good for cardiovascular health, the eyes, and the skin.

Although any egg will do, those from free-range birds are the best as they contain about 3 times more nutrients. The eggs may be boiled or fed raw to your pet. You can read more about feeding eggs to dogs here: https://www.thesprucepets.com/can-dogs-eat-eggs-4685648.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is a great source of protein and it’s a favorite for a lot of canines. It contains vitamins B, E, niacin, healthy fats, etc. The best form of peanut butter is unsalted with no sugar or sweeteners added. Ensure you especially check that it contains no xylitol as this can be harmful to your dog.

Bone Broth

Bone broth is made from bones that have been simmered in apple cider vinegar for several days. This results in a breakdown of the nutrients in there, making it easily available for use by the body. This is very beneficial to your pet.

Taking bone broth improves the digestion of your pet and helps in healing some diseases such as allergies, inflammation, and asthma. It reduces joint pains, detoxifies the liver, and strengthens the bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons. It also boosts its immune system, supports its brain, and improves its skin.

There are many other nutrient-filled foods that your dog can be fed with.

Foods You Should Not Feed Your Dog

Some foods that you should not give to your dog include:

  • Grapes and raisins
  • Chocolate
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Onions
  • Avocado
  • Any form of tea or coffee
  • Xylitol
  • Garlic
  • Lemon and lime

While the above lists foods dogs can or can’t eat, there are some others that should only be added to your pet’s diet in very small quantities. Some of these include:

  • Salt
  • Any form of cheese
  • Cinnamon
  • Honey
  • Almonds

Conclusion

Some foods are safe for your dog and some can be harmful. When introducing your dog to a new diet, ensure you do so gradually and see if any reaction or allergy develops. Also, you can give them treats from time to time as a snack. While doing this, remember that not all dogs are the same. While some may tolerate some food, others may not. It is therefore important to know and understand your dog and what works for both of you.