dogs confused with question marks over their heads

We all want our dogs to be happy, healthy and to live if possible. The best way to make this happen (other than bucketloads of cuddles and letting them on the sofa!) is to feed them a healthy and nutritious diet.

But what does healthy even mean? And what dog food is healthy?

It can be so difficult to cut through the noise and determine what is ‘healthy’ for any of us, two legs or four. For us humans, one minute we’re told we need to cut out fat, then we need to remove sugar. One week gluten is the enemy, the next we’re at war with red meat.

What is clear however, is that the more natural the diet, the better. Processed foods, artificial ingredients, added sugar and nutritionally void foods, coupled with reduced physical activity, has been proven to cause a wide range of health problems, including obesity, which is a worldwide epidemic today.

Obesity just doesn’t exist in the same way in the animal kingdom (other than our pets, because we control their diet). When was the last time you saw an obese wild tiger in the jungle? Or an overweight wild deer in the forest? This is because they eat foods that are natural (or biologically appropriate) for them to consume, and they eat what they need, when they need it.

So, what does this mean for our dogs in particular?

For our dogs to live healthy lives, maintain an appropriate weight, and reduce their risk of any weight-related diseases or health problems associated with poor diet, their diet should be as natural as possible. A dog’s digestive system was not designed to consume bundles of carbohydrates, artificial ingredients or bulking products, which are all common in many commercial dog foods on the market today.

They were designed however, to eat raw meat.

From the length of their intestinal tracts to the acidity of their stomachs, a dog’s digestive system is perfectly designed by Mother Nature to harvest goodness from the raw meat, fruits and vegetables it would find and consume in the wild.

Dogs rely heavily on high-quality protein in their diet to support a huge variety of bodily functions including muscle and tissue creation and repair, enzyme and hormone formulation, reproductive function and much more. They also get the majority of their energy from fat sources. There is biologically very little need – if any at all – for dogs to eat carbohydrates in the form of wheat and grains.

To support optimal canine health, healthy dog food should be rich in high-quality protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Healthy dog food should also be free from grains, fillers, artificial colours and flavours, preservatives, additives, added sugar and other nasties.

Tips on how to choose healthy dog food

  • Read the label! Ingredients should be familiar and natural. The meat content should be high (80% or more) and formulations should contain nothing artificial.
  • Check for processing. Any cooking process reduces the nutritional content of a food. Raw food is proven to maintain maximum nutrition and therefore delivers the highest nutritional support to your pet.
  • Make it personal. What does your dog need? Are they a puppy, or a senior? Are they a working dog? Do they have allergies? Do they have kidney problems? Healthy dog food shouldn’t have a one-size-fits-all approach. Find food that contains ingredients that will support your dog’s health as an individual.
  • Don’t be fooled. Expensive marketing, happy dog pictures and natural looking labels do not mean that a product is natural.
  • Variety is the spice of life. Eating the same kibble or tinned meat, day and night, is extremely dull for dogs. Experimenting with different proteins and recipes gives your dog an enjoyable eating experience and ensures they don’t develop any allergies due to overexposure.

Healthy dog food from Nutriment

Nutriment has spent nearly a decade revolutionising the world of healthy dog food. Committed to BARF (biologically appropriate raw feeding) principles and passionate about animal health and happiness, we know that dogs thrive when their diet is natural, raw and healthy. Our protein comes from the highest quality sources, our superfoods are carefully selected to provide premium nutrition, and our recipes are formulated by in-house canine nutritionists who only care about one thing: your dog.

Want to find out more about our approach to raw feeding? Follow this link.

Want more information on how to switch to raw food? Click here.

 

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