It’s true that dogs don’t have the same diet as humans. However, they do have some important needs when it comes to nutrition. This is essential for laying the foundation for their long and healthy lives. The quality of ingredients, the micronutrients, and the macronutrients play an important role in your dog’s health and fitness.
When it comes to your dog’s long-term health, a well-balanced and nutritious diet is extremely important. It can even be an essential part in the treatment of a disease. Here are some of the ways to fulfill your dog’s nutrition needs:
1. Give it a well-balanced diet
The nutritional needs of a dog are far more complex than you think. It’s just not enough to cook some chicken or grill up a steak and give it to your dog. Many individuals think that dogs are carnivores, but they’re actually omnivores. Their dietary needs and digestive systems are quite similar to that of humans. Dogs not only eat meat, but can also eat vegetables and fruits.
So, you can understand how important it is to give it a balanced diet. Your dog may enjoy eating meat-based diet such as chicken, but it won’t get proper nutrients from it. You must also remember the fact that too much protein may result in kidney failure. Dogs, therefore, need other macronutrients such as carbohydrates and fats. Additionally, they also need micronutrients such as minerals and vitamins.
2. Feed your dog according to its age
The nutrition and dietary requirements of dogs vary according to their age just like humans. A good way to start serving up your dog’s nutritional needs is to understand its breed, size, and age. As bones and muscles are actively growing in younger dogs, they’ll obviously need protein.
Additionally, they also require the right balance of phosphorus and calcium. A different balance of nutrients is needed in case of a Great Dane puppy than other dog breeds. This is because of the huge bones that its body needs to grow in the first year. As the older dogs are less active, they’ll need fewer calories than the younger ones.
Antioxidant therapy is excellent for older dogs as their health declines with an increase in age. It is, therefore, necessary that you provide them with food that fits their stage of life. An excellent way to give them tailor-made nutrition is a custom kibble.
3. Keep their paws off the table
Some of the ingredients that humans consume regularly can be harmful to a pup’s health. For instance, table scraps often have a high-fat content. They can upset a dog’s stomach and lead to deadly conditions such as pancreatitis. There are some truly messy gastrointestinal cases on the day after Thanksgiving. As a result, almost every vet in the United States works overtime on this day.
Additionally, the food that humans eat contain many seasonings and additives. They might not be safe for a dog. Besides, they can contribute to certain conditions in pets such as obesity and heart diseases. On the other hand, some foods can be damaging particularly to pups. Theobromine in chocolate can be extremely toxic to dogs. So, you must never feed your dog chocolate.