Nutrition plays the most important role in a healthy life – whether it’s a human or an animal. While humans can take care of their own, animals can’t.
So, if you’re a pet parent of a dog, as caregivers, you need to pay constant attention to their nutrition so that they remain happy and bubbly always. Nutrition also plays a big part in the proper digestion and excretion of your furball. Fresh, healthy, minimally refined, or unprocessed nourishment is vital for your dog’s wellbeing.
So, without any further ado, let’s talk about the five most essential foods that you must include in your dog’s diet.
Bone Broth
Bone broth has a list of advantages for your dog. It is the best and one of the most important parts of a dog’s diet. Bone broth is precisely just the bones from meat that have been cooked for several days in apple cider vinegar.
This slow cooking gradually breaks down the nutrients and makes them more acceptable to the body. Other than this, the following are a few of the many benefits of bone broth:
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- Improves digestion and heals a “leaky gut”: Even in humans, all the infections are derived from the gut and the same goes for the dog. Bone broth, being rich in nutrients, helps to repair the mucosal layer of the gut, which when damaged, can leak toxins into the bloodstream.
- Detoxifies the liver: The liver is the largest organ in an animal’s body, including the dog. It is responsible for the detoxification of the entire body. The bone broth assists the liver to flush out toxins and chemicals from the body and boosts the production of minerals and electrolytes
- Provides minerals to the body and enhances the dog’s immune system.
- Bone broth also helps to produce collagen, which keeps their skins tight.
Meats
Whether you are feeding your dog processed or homemade food, meat constitutes a major part of a dog’s diet.
Most animal shelters and caregivers employ the 80-10-10 rule for their dogs, that is, 80 percent will be muscle meat, 10 percent is the bone and the remaining 10 percent contains the organ meats.
Besides the meat, organs like liver, kidneys, brain, tripe, and so on, chicken or lamb can also be a highly nutritious addition to your dog’s diet.
Dogs are carnivorous beings; they prefer the organs more than the meat itself. If you want to know more, you can visit Glow Pet Food to explore more options in meat for your dog.
Raw goat milk
Raw goat milk is among the most nutritionally dense foods as unpasteurized milk has numerous health advantages. It boosts immunity and reduces allergic reactions. It’s helpful for a healthy gut due to the presence of probiotics and gastric amylases.
According to many veterinarians, goat milk is a much better option than cow milk. Goat milk contains lesser amounts of lactose and hence, is easily digestible, unlike cow milk.
Omega – 3 Oils
Serving small and fatty fish to your four-legged child can turn out to be a very wise decision. Oily fishes like Mackerels and anchovies are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. They should be an important part of a dog’s daily diet and healthy.
Since these types of fish have high fat content in them, you can start by serving small portions and gradually increase the quantity. For example, small dogs like Pomeranians and Chihuahuas can be easily fed 12 sardines, and then slowly the quantity can be increased for larger dogs.
Fermented Food
Fermented Food items are an excellent source of beneficial microorganisms or probiotics. They typically have a greater range of microbes than the probiotic supplements and include higher concentrations of good bacteria. They also enhance the body’s defense mechanism and aid in bowel detoxification in dogs. Concerned about your furry friend’s diet? Find out, ‘Can Dogs Eat Xanthan Gum‘ here.
The micronutrients in fermented foods are among the many factors that prove them to be so beneficial to puppies. Probiotics are present in abundant quantities in fermented food products like yoghurt, fermented vegetables, fish sauces, and fermented fish. They strengthen a dog’s immunity and boost the various biological processes.
Over to you…
Adopting a dog is a very big step in a person’s life and it comes with a huge responsibility. It is our duty as their caregivers to closely supervise their diets and food habits. To keep them healthy, happy, and joyful, make sure to include the above-mentioned food items in your dog’s diet and you’ll be good to go!