Ensuring proper nutrition for your dog is crucial for their overall health and well-being. Here are some tips to help you provide the best nutrition for your furry friend:

1. Balanced Diet

• Complete and Balanced:
  Look for commercial dog foods labelled “complete and balanced” by PFISA (Pet Food Industry Association of Southern Africa). This ensures the food meets nutritional standards.
• Variety:
  Incorporate a variety of proteins (chicken, beef, fish), vegetables, and grains in your dog’s diet to provide a range of nutrients.

2. High-Quality Ingredients

• Whole Foods: Choose foods with whole, natural ingredients rather than those with fillers, by-products, and artificial additives.
• Protein Sources: Ensure that the primary ingredient is a high-quality protein source like chicken, beef, or fish.

3. Portion Control

• Follow Guidelines:
  Feed your dog according to the guidelines on the food packaging, adjusting for their age, weight, and activity level.
• Avoid Overfeeding:
  Overfeeding can lead to obesity and related health issues. Measure out food portions and avoid free-feeding.

4. Fresh Water

• Constant Supply:
  Ensure your dog always has access to fresh, clean water.
• Hydration:
  Monitor your dog’s water intake, especially during hot weather or after exercise.

5. Avoid Harmful Foods

• Toxic Foods:
  Avoid feeding your dog chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, xylitol (found in some peanut butters and sweets), alcohol, and caffeine.
• Human Food:
  Be cautious with table scraps and human food, as many can harm dogs.

6. Treats and Snacks

• Healthy Treats:
  Choose healthy, low-calorie treats. Treats should not exceed 10% of your dog’s daily caloric intake.
• Natural Options:
  Consider natural treats like carrots, apple slices (without seeds), and green beans.

7. Special Dietary Needs

• Life Stages:
  Adjust your dog’s diet based on their life stage (puppy, adult, senior) to meet their specific nutritional needs.
• Health Conditions:
  If your dog has specific health issues (allergies, kidney disease, diabetes), consult your vet for a specialised diet.

8. Regular Vet Visits

• Check-Ups:
  Schedule regular vet check-ups to monitor your dog’s health and get professional dietary advice.
• Weight Management:
  Discuss your dog’s weight and diet with your vet to ensure they maintain a healthy weight.

9. Homemade Meals

• Balanced Recipes:
  If you prefer cooking for your dog, use balanced recipes that provide all the necessary nutrients.
• Vet Consultation:
  Consult with a veterinarian or a pet nutritionist to ensure homemade meals meet your dog’s nutritional needs.

10. Gradual Changes

• Slow Transition:
  When switching foods, do so gradually over a week to avoid digestive upset. Mix increasing amounts of the new food with the old food each day.

11. Supplements

• Vet Approval:
  Only use supplements as recommended by your vet, since unnecessary supplementation can cause health issues.
• Common Supplements:
  Omega-3 fatty acids for skin and coat health, glucosamine for joint health, and probiotics for digestive health are commonly recommended.

12. Monitor Your Dog’s Condition

• Coat and Skin:
  A healthy, shiny coat and clear skin usually indicate good nutrition.
• Energy Levels:
  Consistent energy levels and overall vitality are good indicators of proper nutrition.
• Stool Quality:
  Regular, firm stools indicate a balanced diet and good digestive health.

By following these tips, you can help ensure your dog maintains a healthy and balanced diet, leading to a long, happy, and active life.

Since the earliest human-pet interactions, caring owners have known that the healthier the diet the better the cat or dog looks with a shinier coat, brighter eyes, and cleaner teeth. But what exactly is a healthy diet?

A general rule of thumb is that a proper nutrition plan for any animal (including humans) should supply all the necessary vitamins, minerals, micronutrients, and macronutrients in proportion to size, age, and lifestyle. Younger growing active pets need more nutrients than fully mature sedentary ones. This means counting the calories and other content to ensure the optimal combination, in doing so owners have taken different approaches to reach the holy grail of perfectly balanced feeding.

ANCESTRAL DIET

Some take the view that a hunting-style diet is what cats and dogs have evolved to consume. Since dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) evolved from wolves (Canis lupus lupus) and were the first animal to be domesticated 13,000-14,000 years ago, their similarity to wolves is taken for granted. As such, some natural dog foods are based on a high protein content, which would be ideal for wolves. Of course, the other canids such as jackals and coyotes with their different nutritional strategies have also left their dietary pawprints on the genetics of the modern dog. Interestingly, foxes do not feature in the lineage of domestic dogs since they belong to the genus Vulpes.

In addition, the domestication of dogs has modified many of their social behaviours and changed the types of foods they can healthily consume. Among these adaptations is the increased ability to digest starch. In experiments where they were given their choice of foodstuffs, domestic dogs would get about 30% of their metabolizable energy (ME) requirements from protein, 63% from fat, and a substantial 7% from carbs compared to the 1% for wolves. In comparison, a cat would choose 52% of its ME to come from protein 36% from fat and 12 % from carbs.

As attested by cat remains found in Cyprus dated to about 6,000 years ago, felines were domesticated later than dogs. As such, their adaptation to a domesticised diet is less advanced. This conclusion is supported by the strange paradox that while cats efficiently digest carbs, they have a limited capacity for them. Put simply, they make a little carbohydrate go a long way. Cats have a short gut, so too much starch or sugars and they’ll suffer from flatulence, loose stools, and other gastric discomforts.

RAW DIET

Because unprocessed foods contain more bioactive compounds, it’s assumed that a raw meat-based diet is better for your cat or dog. Knowing that the ancestral hunting diet entailed consuming the whole prey including the guts and their vegetable contents, it’s easy to see why muscle-based raw food doesn’t have a high enough vitamin and mineral content.

There is a strong trend to include whole ingredients in natural pet foods. This has increased the inclusion of raw animal protein rather than processed animal protein products because these are often nutritionally variable.

Natural pet foods are produced without artificial colorants, flavourings, or other additives, and contain fresh ingredients. Diets rich in such foods can reduce digestive disorders and allergies and supply your pet with all the nutrients essential to their well-being.

Low carbs and high protein are indicators of a quality food source for your pet. The first ingredient listed should be meat and avoid foods that contain fillers, artificial ingredients, sugars, or preservatives.

ONGOING NUTRITIONAL MAINTENANCE AND YOUR PET

With a suitable nutrient profile and a meal plan in place, keeping an eye on your pet’s weight and body condition will guide you in deciding the optimal meal sizes. Also, as your pet ages and undergoes physical changes, adjusting the nutritional formulation remains important because their dietary needs change. As a wise and caring owner, you know that nutritional science can help you make the best dietary choices to enhance your pet’s quality of life.

“Crude ash content 5%, moisture content 12%, fibre content 3%, steak flavoured meal”

Pet food labels contain essential information but sometimes it is difficult to understand all the details. Everyone knows that balanced diets include proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, but we still commonly buy pet food without considering the contents, mostly because it is convenient, well-packaged, and attractively advertised.

As caring pet parents, we should know whether and how our pet’s nutritional needs are being met. Below is a breakdown of the key information to glean from pet food labels.

UNDERSTANDING PET FOOD LABELS

• Front-of-bag statements by reputable brands are usually very accurate, but it’s important to understand what these claims mean because certain label-wording is regulated:
  
  
  • A label that highlights the contents as, e.g., “chicken dog food” or “beef dog food” must contain a minimum of 65% of the named ingredient.
  • When in combination with words such as “formula”, “dinner”, or “entrée” at least 26% of the mass should be the named ingredient.
  • Advertising that the product is “dog food rich in chicken” means that at least 14% of the content should be chicken.
  • Using the word “with” in the description e.g., “dog food with lamb” could mean a main ingredient content as low as 4%.
    
    
• The guaranteed analysis that specifies the nutrient quantities in the product is not a legal requirement but must be accurate if present. Remember, that labels stating “max”, or “min” reflect ranges, not actual values.
  
  
• The required daily allowance (RDA) on human food packaging tells us what percentages of the recommended intake of vitamins etc, the contents provide. This is not found on pet food labels because of the extreme size differences, particularly among dog breeds. The serving guides somewhat fulfil that purpose.
  
  
• All ingredients should be listed by weight, from the highest to the lowest content. Protein in grams/kg is usually followed by moisture, fat, fibre, carbohydrates, and crude ash. The latter sounds odd, but is a measure of the trace minerals essential for pet health. This is not an additive but the remnants when all the other contents such as protein, fibre, etc., are incinerated. Normally, crude ash should not exceed 8% or be less than 2%.
  
  
• The energy content is expressed as “kilocalories per kilogram”. This lets owners calculate the optimal calorie count per serving for their pet’s energy needs.
  
  
• All additives such as colourants, flavourings, and preservatives should also be listed. This is especially important for managing allergies.
  
  
• The manufacturer’s information, such as a consumer support number and the company address, should always be included.

Kibble, in a nutshell, is ground up ingredients shaped into pellets.

COMMERCIAL DOG FOOD

Commercial kibble (and other pet foods) might be regulated by law to meet nutritional needs, but as pet owners we should still be cautious when buying dog food.

HOW IS KIBBLE MADE?

Dry ingredients are mixed with raw, wet ingredients before being pulverised.
The dough is cooked and formed through extrusion.

Extrusion entails pushing dough through specially sized and shaped holes.

Pieces are cut and dried before being sprayed with fats, minerals, oils and vitamins.
Finally, food is packed and sealed.

Contents of Kibble

Typical ingredients include:

• Grains
• Cereals
• Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
• Protein sources such as beef, poultry, fish and eggs
• Preservatives

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT PET FOOD LABELS

Protein

Protein(s) should be listed first and ideally be of single/novel source.

Grains

While dogs can benefit from the energy grains provide, some may be sensitive to certain grains. Other dogs may need a completely grain-free diet.

Preservatives

Some owners avoid foods containing controversial preservatives (more information below). Natural preservatives include tocopherols (vitamin E), citric acid (vitamin C) and rosemary extract.

PET FOOD INGREDIENTS THAT ARE CONSIDERED UNHEALTHY

If you see any of these on the label, you may want to think twice before buying.

Carcinogens

• Aflatoxins, produced by certain fungi, are found in grains, nuts and legumes
• The chemical acrylamide can form in some foods (typically starchy foods) during high-temperature cooking processes.

Preservatives

• Ethoxyquin: Banned in human food
• Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA): Listed as a known carcinogen
• Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT): Associated with liver and kidney problems in studies performed on rats

Protein Extenders

• Blood meal: Dried and powdered blood

Heavy Metals

• More than the maximum level of mercury, cadmium and lead

Excessive Amounts of Nutrients

• Vitamin D
• Vitamin A

TIPS

Remember to always check the ‘best before’ date before buying and serving food.

If you’re struggling to figure out which foods to feed your dog, ask your veterinarian for advice.

Although it is more common for dogs to lose weight, some dogs need to gain weight to achieve a healthy body condition. Weight loss can be the result of an illness or injury, surgery, being a former stray dog or simply a fussy eater.

Determine whether your dog is underweight

If you look at your dog from the side and can easily see their ribs or other bones, they are probably underweight. However, in some breeds, such as Greyhounds, the dog’s ribs show at a normal weight. Breeds with heavy coats need a closer look. If their hips protrude sharply, and their ribs are obvious and feel like they are covered with the thinnest layer of skin, they are probably underweight. If your dog is underweight, he will also have low energy and a dull coat.

What to feed your dog to help them gain weight

If your dog’s low weight is not due to a medical cause confirmed by your veterinarian, you can begin to help them achieve a healthy weight by first adding more calories to their diet with a weight-gain food comprising of a high energy density.

If your underweight dog is eating dry kibble, it should consist of around 30% protein and 17-20% fat. If they prefer wet food, it should consist of 7% protein and 5% fat or higher. Protein is an essential nutrient and an important source of energy. Their food should provide them with high-quality and highly-digestible protein which is easily absorbed into their body. Intermix your dog’s diet with small amounts of high-calorie supplemental canned food or products made of 100% meat sources. Fibre directly affects gut health and the quality of their stools and the right balance is very important.

Your dog should have more opportunities to eat throughout the day.  Follow the feeding guidelines on the package and divide into small meals, fed throughout the day. This will protect their digestive system from unnecessary strain and put less pressure on their gastric tract, although they will still get the energy they need. You can also leave their daily food out all day (if they eat kibble) to allow them to eat whenever they are hungry, especially if they have a smaller appetite. If your dog is a fussy eater, add some wet food to their kibble to boost moisture and flavour while adding some extra calories. If they still refuse their food, you may need to switch to a different formula.

Smell and texture are most important to dogs, therefore encourage them to eat by choosing food designed for maximum palatability and the right volume and shape of pieces for the size and breed of your dog. Providing your dog with plenty of fresh water is essential for their overall health.

Your veterinarian may suggest feeding your dog more than the recommended amount on the package until he reaches a healthy weight. When this is achieved, cut back to the feeding amount recommended on the high-protein dog food package guidelines for weight gain. Ensure that your dog stays active and gets plenty of exercise.

Continue to monitor your dog’s weight with the right combination of food and feeding techniques, and speak to your veterinarian if weight loss continues. With the correct nutrition and special care, dogs can gain a healthy weight that is important for the effective functioning of vital organs, as well as supporting happiness and vitality.