Our knowledge of dog nutrition has changed so much over the years. When I was a kid, we fed the big brand dog food that all of our friends fed their dogs. Now that companies have to put ingredient labels on the bag, we find out that the first ingredient in that dog food is corn. I'll repeat that. CORN.
Now, for years, people in the dog food industry have pushed the idea that dogs are omnivores. There are others who feel differently. Here's an article I found that suggests dogs may be carnivores, after all.
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I believe that dogs are carnivores much more than they are omnivores. My dogs have always seemed to love all food, but they loved meat much more. Meat should always be the first ingredient in a dog food. I also disagree with the last statement in that article. Dog food manufacturers seem to be making more and more dog foods with more meat products.
My favorite dog food for Chip, and the one he's responded to the best, is OC Raw Dog. It's a frozen food, and I get the Meaty Rox because he's a small dog. The foods for larger dogs come in patties. Either is fine. You do have to store this food in the freezer, so make sure you have enough room. I like this food, because it's one of the closest things in the market to homemade food. It's also more balanced in nutrition than most people can get with making dog food at home. And it's easy. The older I get, the more I like things to be easy.
There are lots of other raw foods on the market. Find one you like and stay with it for a while. See how your dog does. Why do I feed raw food and not cooked? Because when you cook your dog's food, the high heat destroys the enzymes. Enzymes are facilitators for the chemical reactions that occur in living bodies. Our pups are healthier if they have the nutrients necessary to easily process their food and carry out the functions of the body.
There are a few things I add to Chip's food that you may or may not want to add yourself. I give him raw goat's milk with chia seeds, flax meal, about a tablespoon of filtered water, and a little coconut oil on occasion. Sometimes I add a teaspoon or two of finely chopped cuke for a treat and added magnesium. The goat's milk adds minerals. The flax meal gives the dog more fiber and Omega3s. Kefir is good for digestion, and I alternate the kefir with the goat's milk. One in the morning and one at night.
Think about giving your dog's body a break and feeding raw food. I'll bet he'll love you for it.
Here's a link to a website where you can get more info.
