There are a range of different things you should know about your dog when it comes to nutritional health. This guide will go over the basics of chemicals to look out for, and what food you should avoid and also what food you should invest in.

Essential Nutrients

Of course, dogs will need a range of nutrients and minerals in order to keep them healthy. There are a range of important food groups to look out for.

Protein is important, a dog’s body will only have 13 of the 23 required amino acids that help create protein within, so they will need to get this externally.

Fats are what help give your pet energy, as well as keeping the hair of your dog healthy. There are a few fatty acids to look out for, they are; omega-3, omega-6 and linoleic acid. A dog’s body isn’t capable of creating these acids alone, the rest will have to come from food.

Carbohydrates come mainly from plants, and dogs can get this from leafy greens, vegetables or even grain-based food. In return, a dog will get sugars, fiber and starches. These all help to strengthen the tissues within a dog, as well as managing the intestines.

Vitamins and minerals are crucial to the development of a dog at any age. These all help create chemical reactions within a body, leading to bones being built and maintaining them. Plenty of food contains these vitamins, you should look out for the following types; A, D, E, K, B-complex vitamins, calcium and phosphorus.

Of course, water is important to a dog, as it is to any animal. Water for a dog is especially important, as even if they lose only 10% of their inner water, they risk dying.

Scheduled Feeding Times

Much like humans, you should ensure your dog is on a fixed eating schedule, in order to get their digestive systems prepared for meals, and know how much they should be eating. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to feed them twice a day, but it will depend on their size, breed and age.

When giving your dog specialized manufactured treats, consider giving an amount equal to 10% of your dog’s daily calorie limit, in order to keep them from gaining weight. A dog that is overweight can have a number of health problems, such as heart issues or diabetes.

It’s best to meet with your vet once a year to check up on your furry friend, and ensure they are keeping in good health.

Foods To Avoid

Before talking about what foods you should feed your dog from time to time, it’s important you know what food dogs should outright avoid. Some of the worst food you can feed a dog, include onions, garlic and chives. This group of rooted vegetables, no matter if cooked or not, are incredibly toxic to dogs.

This issue with them, aside from the digestive issues, is that there may not be any signs of illness for a few days. This means you won’t know straight away what has caused the issue, and if you didn’t know about these toxic foods, you may put it down to something else they had a few days later.

Chocolate is another toxic treat that dogs need to avoid. The issue with chocolate, is that it contains something called theobromine inside, which can lead to kidney failure for dogs. Whilst some nuts are okay to dogs, macadamia nuts are actually terrible for a dog’s systems. Mainly, it has a toxin that could be detrimental to your dogs’ muscles and general nervous system, leading to weakness in limbs.

As you will know, dogs love bones, but did you know that you shouldn’t give your dog a cooked bone? That’s because cooked bones are prone to splinting, and if dogs ingest a few of these, it can lead to constipation or even cause a perforation of the gut, which could actually kill your dog.

Most fruits are okay, but weirdly grapes and raisins can lead to severe liver damage, for reasons scientists aren’t too sure about. When it comes to wondering can dogs eat bananas, you should know that they contain high amounts of sugar and carbohydrate levels, which are okay for dogs in small quantities.

Too much of banana can lead to gastrointestinal problems or weight gain. Bananas do still contain many nutritional benefits, consider giving your dog a few bite sized portions of bananas to start off with. Banana peels cannot be digested well at all either, so keep them away. There are certain foods that are better for dogs, known as superfoods.

What A Superfood Is

A superfood is the type of food that is high in nutritional value for a dog. There are natural versions of it, or supplements to give the added chemicals. Fresh food diets in general are usually quite rich in quantities of superfood.

Some natural ingredients that contribute to a food being super, includes compounds such as antioxidants, fiber or even fatty acids. Dogs can benefit from all sort of different foods that are packed with these compounds.

To have a healthy diet, a dog will need a balanced amount of protein, fats, vitamins, water, minerals and carbohydrates, much like humans do. When buying packaged food, you’ll usually be able to see a list of ingredients, including the specific details of compounds.

Blueberries

Whilst small, blueberries do actually carry quite a high amount of nutritional value. For example, they contain a vast level of antioxidants, that help to slow down damage to cells within your dog’s body.

They can also help with urination needs for a dog, keeping the tract healthy. The pigments known as anthocyanins which help give the berry its color have shown in some studies to reduce the risk of cancer, and protect brain cells. This chemical also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

They are also high in fiber, giving beneficial vitamins, as well as lowered amounts of calories and sugars, compared to other fruits. As with any food, you should only use blueberries in moderation, in order to help keep your dog to a balanced diet, and avoid any stomach issues.

Bone Broth

This is a conduction that is made from animal bones and tissue that simmers for almost 24 hours when brewed. By the end of it, you’ll be left with a dish that is dense with nutrients, as well as high in protein.

These bone broths contain compounds such as anti-inflammatory amino acids, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. These are all vitamins that will benefit the health of your furry friend, and is one of the go to health treats.

Not only that, but the actual bones themselves help release gelatin which helps with strengthening the joins of a dog, and prevent joint related diseases such as arthritis.

Carrots

Everyone loves a carrot, especially dogs. These vegetables contain something that is known as beta-carotene, which is a nutrient that can help boost the immune system of your pet, and help with eye health. Carrots are also rich in fiber, which helps with the digestive system.

When feeding carrots to your dog, make sure you cut them into bite-sized chunks so they can easily enjoy them. They can be eaten raw, or boiled if your dog is feeling fancy.