Why Is a Dog's Diet Important?

Your dog depends on specific dietary requirements just like you do. He needs basic nutrients -- protein, fat and carbohydrates -- to survive. The most important part of his diet is water; 60 to 70 percent of your dog̵7;s body weight should be water. It̵7;s important he have constant access to clean water, as even a 10 percent decrease in intake can cause serious problems, and he can die at a 15 percent reduction.

  1. Proteins

    • Your dog depends on proteins for critical amino acids. Your dog cannot make essential amino acids on his own. Look for arginine, methionine, histidine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, threonine, leucine, tryptophan, lysine and valine on dog food labels. Chicken, fish, beef and egg are good sources. If you want your dog to have a vegetarian diet, he can get sufficient protein but you should supplement his diet with vitamin D. Cooked eggs are one good source; raw eggs can interfere with his ability to metabolize some nutrients.

    Fats

    • Your dog needs fat for energy and to transport vitamins efficiently throughout his system. Two essential fatty acid categories are omega-3 and omega-6. Look for linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid in the omega-6 category, on dog food labels. If your dog has allergies, arthritis or inflammation, try replacing some of his omega-6 fats with omega-3 sources. Fish oil is a good source of omega-3. Your dog̵7;s diet should contain at least 5.5 percent fat to prevent vision and learning problems, and to keep his hair and skin healthy.

    Carbohydrates

    • Carbohydrates -- sugars, starches and fiber -- are another energy source for your dog. You̵7;ll see cereal and plant foods on the label; these are his carbohydrate sources. Make sure fiber makes up at least 2.5 to 4.5 percent of his carbohydrate intake. He gets fiber from corn, rice and wheat bran, and beet pulp. If you're feeding an overweight dog a ̶0;light̶1; formula dog food, you may notice a higher fiber content to sate his appetite while consuming fewer calories.

    Other Considerations and Needs

    • Puppies require about twice as many calories as an adult dog. You don̵7;t need to feed him twice as much, as commercially prepared puppy food is formulated with a higher caloric content. Follow the instructions on the package, but small, frequent meals are best. If you have a nursing mom, she̵7;ll need additional calories for at least four weeks; longer if the puppies are still nursing. You can start adding puppy food to the babies̵7; diets when they̵7;re 4 weeks old as their nursing needs decrease.

      At the other end of the spectrum, older dogs need about 20 percent fewer calories than middle-aged dogs. If your elderly dog gets overweight, he can develop diabetes. It̵7;s also hard on his organs and joints.

    Warning

    • If you opt to feed your dog table scraps or non-commercial dog food, you need to do your research so you can gauge whether he's getting the proper nutritional balance. Remember that raw meat can cause parasitic infestations, and some dogs don̵7;t tolerate milk. You can feed table scraps with a commercial food as long as the scraps don̵7;t exceed 10 percent of his daily diet.