A healthy and balanced diet is fundamental for a good quality of life, and this pertains to not only humans, but also their trusted companions – dogs. Proper nutrition will increase a dog’s life expectancy and decreases the chances of suffering from diseases. Even though nowadays there is a lot of information regarding dog nutrition, many people neglect the diet of their dogs without considering the impact this can have on their health.
It is important to look for a balance of nutrients in our dogs’ food. Just as we need to have a balanced diet for good health, our dogs need it too. They need balanced nutrition of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, water, vitamins, and minerals. And this is the purpose of dog food, to provide the necessary amount of nutrients that your dog will need throughout the day.
Today, we can find specific food for each stage of his life, from puppy to adult. Besides, there are special foods that provide hypoallergenic nutrition. Also, there are others with special formulas to treat diseases, such as heart and kidney problems, among others.
All the elements of dog food have a fundamental role in its nutrition. Without a well-balanced diet, your furry friend could not develop and maintain good muscle mass, and strong teeth and bones. In addition, he would have difficulty performing routine daily activities and would be more prone to illness.
In general, proteins are an important source of energy since they are essential for the proper functioning and development of muscle mass. Fats also provide energy for the brain to function properly and are essential for skin and hair to be shiny and in good condition. Another vital source of energy are the carbohydrates, these are the ones that provide the energy that your dog needs to move and to stay active during the day. On the other hand, vitamins and minerals are fundamental for the muscular contraction, and that your dog has good nervous conduction. Also, they improve his defenses to avoid illnesses.
Because nowadays we can find a large variety of dog food, it is complicated to choose one that is of high quality. Among so many options available, a good choice to keep our dogs well fed is Hungry Bark, which recently became the top recommendation for dogs of all breeds by the popular pet blog, https://petlifeworld.com.
Therefore, keep in mind that a good diet for your dog should contain these elements:
- Protein
To keep your dog healthy the acquisition of protein is very fundamental. Since these are the basic components of the many cells that your dog possesses, from those that generate the skin, the hair, organs, among others. In the same way, they are essential so that the hormones and antibodies are produced, and so that there are growth and general repair, only this way its faithful hairy companion will be a quite strong and healthy dog. There is a great number of foods that have this type of proteins, being the best option those that are constituted by amino acids, although those foods with grass, human and farm degree are also an excellent option.
- Fats
Another essential component for your dog to be very healthy is fat. They are an excellent supply of energy and are indispensable for the production of hormones, the absorption of vitamins, and the cellular structure. As it happens in the case of the human beings, the excess of bad fats or very high diets in fats will be harmful to the animal, since the result will not be to have an athletic and healthy dog, but an obese dog, with which your pet would be more prone to develop diseases like diabetes, some type of cancer or even arthritis. For this reason, the best option is those diets that are high in fats that are unsaturated and of animal origin, the so-called good fats, such as Omega 6 and Omega 3. Those diets rich in Omega 3, will help the dog maintain a healthy coat and prices, besides this is very good to avoid any allergy in the skin and generate an anti-inflammatory effect.
- Carbohydrates
It is generally said that carbohydrates are harmful to animals. Many commercial foods are presumed to have large amounts of carbohydrates. There are various carbohydrates such as vegetables that contain fiber, which for the health of our dogs is fundamental, as well as for us, the fiber is excellent for good digestion, elimination, and for the feeding of the healthy bacteria of the intestine which form the microbiome.
And this is very important because to maintain a good balance, your dog must be fed with fiber properly so that it also feeds its healthy bacteria in the intestine. You must verify that your dog is fed properly with a correct daily dose of fiber.
- Vitamins and minerals
Finally, to complete an excellent and balanced diet for your dog are the vitamins and minerals. By feeding it properly, it will help it have a better and healthier immune, metabolic, and nervous function. It should also be remembered that minerals are necessary and very important for the maintenance and progress of your dog’s teeth and bones. In the same way that it happens with humans, the excess of minerals or incorrect amounts can generate in our animal toxicities, failures, in fact, problems in the growth, so we have to be very careful with this type of thing. For this reason, most diets are governed by the standards of minerals and vitamins set by the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials). In this way, AAFCO regulates that in the market companies keep for sale only products that are highly beneficial and rich in components that are good for the health of our dogs, having all within their reach the power to feed their dogs with the best of canine nutrition.
Although many dog foods contain these components, it is the quality of the food that makes the difference. So, with high-quality food that contains the vitamins and minerals your furry friend needs, there will be no need to give him extra food or supplements.
