There’s no doubt been one time in your life that you’ve gone on a health kick and thrown out all your junk food. But, why do you do it? To stay healthy! Just like you, your dog needs to stay healthy too, but they can’t choose what they eat—that’s up to us. As a dog owner, you have the responsibility to ensure your furry friend is getting the most out of their diet, and there are some things you can do to improve it.
You can do a few things that aren’t too drastic but will change your dog’s health and lifestyle considerably. After all, we want our beloved pets to be around as long as possible, living comfortably and providing us with lots of wagging tails and cuddles. So we’ve put together a mini-guide that you can follow to ensure a happy future for your furry friend.
Add vegetables to their diet
There’s so much contradictory information out there about what you should feed your dog. Some people say stick to dry dog food, while others encourage you to feed your furry friend the same thing you eat. However, the best thing to do is ensure balance while knowing what your dog can and cannot eat. Many veterinarians encourage adding some vegetables into their everyday diet, some of which include:
- Green beans
- Baby carrots
- Bell peppers
- Gren leafy vegetables
However, there are some fruits and veg that your dog must stay away from. These include:
- Onions, scallions, shallots (may cause anemia)
- Grapes and raisins (can cause kidney failure)
- Avocados (the large round pit can cause intestinal obstructions)
Avoid cooking meats
Although you may be used to cooking the meat in your meals as thoroughly as possible to avoid salmonella, we’re the only species that does this. Cooking food actually removes many beneficial nutrients, and this is the same for when we cook the meat we feed our dogs. Similarly, it’s been found that when the muscles of mammals, fish, or birds are cooked at high temperatures, carcinogenic chemicals are created, increasing the risk of cancer. Therefore, it’s best to avoid cooking meat for our furry friends as much as possible.
Stay away from gluten
If you have a dog that lets off particularly smelly farts or poops, then it may actually be due to what you’re feeding them. Many dry dog foods include gluten and are made from corn. It prevents many unstable fats from becoming rancid, but it can strain the liver and kidneys. Even in small quantities, corn gluten can also harm your dog’s organs, and this is often used in pet foods. Therefore, a more natural diet may be the way to go in the future. It doesn’t only allow your furry friend to live more comfortably, but it gets rid of those smells that can sometimes be too much to handle.
Consider supplements
On top of a well-balanced diet, some health-targeted foods and supplements are specialized to certain breeds and dogs with health problems. For example, there are obesity management diets for older and overweight dogs. In addition, you can get over-the-counter supplements that help assist these diets and help towards a happy pup. Some things you may want to consider using are probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, and pre-biotics. As a result, your dog gets more nutritional benefits, and you save on vet bills in the long term.
Upgrade their treats
Just like how you won’t destroy your health kick by ending the day with a bar of chocolate, your dog doesn’t need this too. Therefore, if you’re going to increase the nutrition of your furry friend’s diet, don’t ruin it by providing them with treats full of calories and fats. The best way to ensure you don’t do this is by reading the labels on the treats before you purchase them. A rule of thumb to follow is that if you can pronounce everything on the label, then it’s good enough to feed your dog.
You now have our top tips on getting your dog to drink more. Not all work for every dog, so you’re going to want to test each out and see which one your furry friend loves most. You need to keep in mind how important it is for your dog to stay hydrated, especially in the summer months. It’s a great way to cool them down but also promote better health. Once you find the one that works for you, stick to it and don’t try and switch things up again.
Our pets are our family, so we want to ensure they’re getting the most out of life, just like us. By following these tips on improving their diets, then you’re taking steps to give them days full of happiness. Of course, if your furry friend has a specific health concern and you’re unsure what the best thing to feed them, it’s always best to consult your veterinarian for extra advice. For now, get those fresh veggies and raw meats ready, and there’s no doubt they’ll love you for it.