What is the Best Diet for a Dog?

To know how to properly feed a dog, the first thing you need to determine is the dog’s age since the nutritional needs vary significantly between puppies and adult dogs. With this information, let’s begin.

Feeding Puppies:

During the first few weeks of life, a puppy’s diet primarily consists of mother’s milk (or milk substitutes if necessary) until eight months of age.

From eight months onward, there’s a gradual transition to a nutrient-rich diet, with around four daily meals divided into small portions. To make this transition, you can create a mash by mixing solid food with a bit of milk.

At six months, you can start feeding the puppy like an adult dog, reducing meals to one or two per day. This transition should occur between six and eighteen months.

Feeding Adult Dogs:

The diet for adult dogs should be more balanced and include the following:

• The primary energy source for dogs is protein, generally constituting at least 70% meat protein.
• Fish can provide fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids.
• Carbohydrates from cereals, legumes, and tubers can be included but are less essential.
• Vegetables contain essential vitamins and minerals. Therefore, it’s crucial for dogs to consume fruits and vegetables such as zucchini, carrots, apples, or pears. These can be combined with meat or the main protein source.

Types of Dog Food:

BARF Diet or Natural Diet:

The BARF diet, also known as a natural dog food diet, involves feeding dogs raw foods such as meats, fish, organs, fruits, and vegetables. While it may seem healthy, it sparks debates due to potential risks. Ingesting raw food increases exposure to bacteria like salmonella, campylobacter, or clostridium perfringens, as warned by studies like one published in Vet Record.

Dry Food or Kibble:

The best option for dog food is dry kibble. It’s crucial to choose kibble made with natural and high-quality ingredients, providing high palatability, completeness, balance, and a flavor dogs enjoy.

Wet Food:

Wet food can be alternated with kibble, especially during postoperative or gastrointestinal processes. However, veterinarians advise against relying solely on wet food as it may lead to dental issues and other health problems.

Homemade Food:

Historically, dogs have been fed leftovers from homes. However, each pet has unique needs, and what might be good for a person may not be suitable for an animal. For instance, common ingredients like garlic and onions in our dishes are harmful to dogs.

Supplements for Dogs:

Supplements are additional to a dog’s regular diet to enhance health and physical well-being. While various supplements are available, recommended ones for improving dogs’ nutritional health include Flea & Tick, Actibiotic, and Multi-Vit.