A balanced diet is just as important for animals as it is for humans. Even when your dog is eating enough, you must ensure that it gets the proper nutrients in the right quantities. Most dog food is processed, and your dog may run into the same issues that humans experience with processed food. Such foods have filler ingredients that may not hold much nutritional value. Humans typically take supplements and multivitamins to get the nutrients that they may miss in food. Here are a few tips to ensure that your dog gets enough nutrients.
Fruits and Vegetables
Certain fruits and vegetables are safe for your dog. Incorporate them into their diet for proper nutrition. Remember to remove pits from your fruits and vegetables before feeding them to pups. Safe vegetables include spinach, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin. They are rich in fiber, vitamin C, iron, and antioxidants. Your dog can also safely have peas, green beans, carrots, Brussels sprouts, and celery. Safe fruits for dogs include blackberries, mangoes, pineapples, apples, strawberries, and pears. Always consult a vet when in doubt.
Take the Label Test
Forget the marketing hype and take the label test before buying your dog food. Don’t trust an advertisement, no matter how convincing it may seem. Advertisers will make even the worst dog food seem healthy. After all, their job is to entice you, not make healthy dog food.
Always read through the labels of your dog’s food and treats. That way, you’ll always be sure of what you’re buying. On the product level, you should see a list of all ingredients listed from the biggest to the smallest. Perform a Google search for all the primary ingredients to determine if they are suitable for your dog. This is essential even when ordering from a dog food delivery service. Ensure that you know what your dog is getting.
Avoid Cooked meats
Cooked meat may be great for humans, but your dogs don’t need it. While it may be pleasant to the palates, cooking kills many beneficial nutrients. After cooking fish, mammals, or birds under high temperatures, carcinogenic chemicals are formed. They increase the risk of prostate, colon, breast, and lung cancer. Even seemingly safe cooking methods like baking can be dangerous. If you have to cook meat for your dog, sear it lightly instead of cooking all the way through.
Wash Non-Organic Produce In Apple Cider Vinegar
Use apple cider vinegar to wash non-organic produce. While you should always strive to offer your organic produce, it isn’t always possible. Apple cider vinegar can make the products you get safer. It gets rid of toxic substances on non-organic fruits and vegetables. Soak them for a while and scrub lightly with a soft brush.
Avoid Gluten
If you have owned dogs for a while, you’ve probably made a few jokes about their poops and farts. Dry pet foods typically have gluten meals. It is dried residue from corn that keeps unstable fats from getting rancid. Even the smallest quantities of corn gluten can harm your dog’s organs, including the kidneys and liver.
Add MCT Oil
Consider adding MCT oil as an additional source of fat. It is different from other vegetable and animal fats. It contains medium-chain fatty acids that the body cannot store. The benefits of MCTs include:
- Lowering blood sugar levels
- Reducing seizures
- Improving cognitive function
- Promoting weight loss
- Reducing inflammation
Choose MCT oil that doesn’t contain lauric acid. Note that it’ll still be necessary to give your dog Omega-3 fatty acids. The best sources of omega-3 oils include hempseed, chia seed, and fresh sardines.
Your dog is a member of the family, and you want to ensure that it is getting just as much nutrition as other family members. Pay attention to what your dog eats and watch its health improvements.
