Being responsible for someone’s diet is a huge responsibility. Besides mental health and exercise, diet also plays a vital role in overall well-being. So, while taking care of your dog, you have to feed it with the best.
If you are a new dog parent, you might face difficulties in managing your dog’s diet. What should I give? What should I avoid? Are there supplements to benefit dogs? These are some common questions of every dog owner. So, this article will deal with all these questions.
Tips to Manage Your Dog’s Diet
Here are some tips that help you decide which food would work well for your dog and give them a healthy life.
Believe in Your Judgement
Please do not use a particular product only because its advertisement shows that the product contains many nutritious ingredients for dogs.
Why? Well, the people who formulate the food are not the ones who make advertisements. The job of the latter one is only to create an advertisement that could make the worst product look healthy.
So what should you do? Look for the labels of your dog food. First, type each ingredient and add ‘bad for dogs’ and ‘good for dogs.’ Then pick the first five ingredients and begin searching on Google with the name of each ingredient. You will get a list of search results that will explain everything. You might get surprised by reading them.
Even when your vet suggests something, you should follow the same steps. It ensures that you provide only safe food to your dog. Besides, you can also contact the company or person who recommends that food. If they fail to explain the benefits of every ingredient and why it is in your dog food, its source, it is better to rely on your judgment and research.
Stable Food are not Staple Diet
Have you ever tried to understand why processed food has a shelf life of only 12-24 months? Well, thanks to marketing techniques! Most consumers overlook this thing. The advertisements make us think that these shelf-stable foods have enough nutrition for a healthy life.
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In reality, the opposite is true. While there are exceptions, processed food is not enough to give every nutrition your dog needs most of the time. Shelf-stable diets do not have any active enzymes because of industrial processing. They are only dead food dependent on synthetic compounds to fulfill the ‘balanced’ nutritional limit set by AAFCO.
So, these packaged foods are for times when you are out for a trip or vacation. They should not become a staple diet for your dog.
Kratom Might Help
Have you heard of Kratom capsules or powder? Well, the product is quite famous in the United States. More and more people are shifting towards kratom as a solution to various medical conditions. However, not everyone knows that kratom might also benefit dogs.
Dog owners who have tried kratom for their canine friends report several benefits of the product. Some of them are:
Increase in Appetite
If your dog behaves lethargic and avoids taking meals, you might try Kratom capsules for them. It might increase their appetite, which will directly support their well-being.
It Reduces Anxiety
Like humans, animals also suffer from anxiety from surrounding physical and psychological issues. If you ignore their poor mental state, they might get into severe medical conditions. So, if your dog is recovering from any mental condition or suffers from anxiety, kratom might help you.
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Arthritis Relief
A recent study claims that kratom is helpful for dogs going through Arthritis. Besides, people who have tried kratom for their dogs also claim healing effects from it.
The side effects of kratom are also negligible. You might face it if you consume a high dose. Also, before giving kratom to your furry friends, contact a vet to understand dosages and other aspects of kratom consumption.
Add Fresh Whole Food
Fresh foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are a rich source of active enzymes. They will drastically improve your dog’s health. Besides, fruits are full of fiber that supports digestion, improves stool, and encourages pooping.
Unlike shelf staple foods, raw food contains natural nutrition. They provide nutrition and support the body in absorbing, assimilating, and using that nutrition. However, stay careful about the whole food you give to your dog. Some fruits and vegetables are not for dogs. Also, research well on which fruit is more nutritious. You can also give fruit or vegetables according to the problem your dog faces.
Try to Feed More Organic Food
It is difficult to determine whether you or your dog is consuming good quality food or not. Most food materials, mainly fruits, and vegetables are genetically modified. These GM foods are approved for humans, but most studies claim that they are not safe.
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Author of Seeds of Deception, Jeffrey Smith, said, “The process of genetic engineering can disrupt the functioning of the DNA in dramatic ways – it can turn genes off, permanently turn them on, change their levels of expression, and create all sorts of unpredicted allergies, toxins, carcinogens, nutrient problems etc.”
The effects of GM food might not be visible instantly, but there are unwanted effects. Research shows that the effect of GM food consumption is visible in the 5th or 6th generation of lab mice whose ancestors consumed GM food.
Give Organic Green Lentils Instead of Rice
Dogs do not get grains in the wild. They can stay healthy without them. Most dogs are allergic to wheat. So, instead of rice, you can give them Green lentils. Like rice, lentils are also boiled, so the preparation time is almost equal. You do not have to put in any extra effort.
- Lentils are one of the most nutritious plants. They are:
- rich in protein
- rich sources of various minerals and fiber, particularly Magnesium and Iron.
- Rich in essential amino acid, lysine, good for the immunity system.
Athletes also consume lentils to improve performance. So, these are some tips to manage a healthy diet for your dog.
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Conclusion
If you are satisfied with the current eating habits of your dog, you can incorporate some of these tips. You might not include every point. You can add those tips that you feel are positively affecting your dog. You can also experiment with each tip and see what works best for your dog.
