What Is a Natural Dog Diet?

Dogs are classified as omnivores, which mean that they can eat any type of food and hence are easier to feed.

Typically the natural foods suited for dogs are: raw bones, meat, grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables.

What Is a Natural Dog Diet

So what is a natural dog diet?

A natural diet for dog can be defined as something that a dog would eat in the wild. Your dog’s teeth are meant for tearing and cutting. They do not chew and grind their food like humans. In other words they are more of carnivores.

Hence meat and bones should form a part of their natural diet. Another important aspect of a natural dog diet is that domesticated dogs of today are mostly fed packaged dog food available in the stores. These are pre-mixed and processed foods in the form of pellets and contain the dog’s requirement in one form.

But naturally, dogs are not meant to eat foods like that. What is more these foods use a lot of fillers that are unsuitable for dogs. Hence many dog owners are switching back to freshly available food to fulfill their dog’s nutrition requirements.

Essentials of a natural dog diet

A basic meal plan of your dog must consist of the following groups of nutrients:

  • Proteins- must form 40% of the food intake
  • Carbohydrates – 40% of the food intake
  • Vegetables and supplements – 15% and 5 % of the total food intake

Proteins are a must for your dog. This can be best fulfilled by giving it meat in the form of lamb, chicken, beef and pork. It is best in the raw form or at the most can be boiled to avoid infection from parasites. Do not exclude this from your dog’s diet.

The best sources of carbohydrates are grains, oats and barley. Vegetables and fruits can be given as is in the unprocessed form so that the dog works on it naturally.

Supplements of vitamins and minerals can be given in the natural form by giving cod liver oil, flax seed oil, nuts and herbs. You could also give liquid supplements added to drinking water after consultation with your veterinarian.

Don’ts in natural dog diet

Here are a few natural foods that are toxic to dogs and should not be included in their daily diet:

  1. Onions and garlic
  2. Chocolate or other forms
  3. Walnuts
  4. Avocados
  5. Potato peels
  6. Grapes and raisins
  7. Raw eggs and raw fish

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

1 + 19 =