Natural Dog Food Diet

Due to allergies, health concerns, or caloric needs, you may wish to feed your dog an all-natural diet. Many commercial dog foods are not nutritionally sound and supplementing or replacing commercial kibble with a natural diet comes with many benefits. According to Jim Dixon, a canine nutritionalist, most commercial foods are derived from corn, soy, and wheat. These are common allergens that cause a myriad of health problems, including dry skin, rashes, diarrhea, and a lackluster coat. Switching to an all-natural diet can potentially eliminate all of those concerns.

  1. Nutrition

    • Your dog is a carnivore. The majority of its intake needs to be animal protein and natural fats with a small variety of carbohydrates and vitamin/mineral rich substances such as yogurt, vegetables and fruits. For the average, non-working dog, 30 to 50 percent protein and 15 to 20 percent fat makes up the bulk of the diet. The remaining calories come from pasta, grains, vegetables, and supplements. Working dogs have much higher caloric needs and need a greater percentage of their calories from protein and fat.

    Types

    • Most natural food is homemade using foods that can be bought at the grocery store; however, there are foods that have been made into kibble form. Typically organic, the all-natural kibble diet does not include preservatives, fillers, or dyes. All protein comes from quality animal sources which usually makes up at least 30 percent of the calories in the food. The natural, dry kibble can be the primary food fed to your dog or it can be supplemented with raw or homemade food.

    Preparation

    • Prepare a homemade diet for your dog much like you would for the rest of your family. The protein source should come from a meat, such as turkey, chicken, or beef. Fat can be added in the form of an oil, such as flaxseed, olive, or coconut. The remainder of the calories your dog needs should come from starches and carbohydrates. Veggies provide a safe source of nutrients and carbohydrates, although they are difficult for your dog to digest. Slightly overcook them to make them softer. Cook the meat, starch and veggies to make them easy to digest and bacteria-free. Bill Matney, a world renowned dog trainer, recommends the remainder of the calories come from oatmeal, pasta, or rice. Use the size of your dog as a guide as to how much to feed it. A typical rule is to feed your dog 1 to 3 percent of its body weight worth of food a day. For a 50 pound dog, that's .5 lbs to 1.5 lbs of food a day. Working dogs require more food.

    Benefits

    • A dog who gets all the nutrients it needs via natural, organic foods tends to be far healthier. Benefits touted by Mary Straus, a canine nutritionalist and health expert include an increased lifespan, decreased shedding, and a soft, supple, shiny and vibrant coat. Stool will be close to odorless and well-formed and the volume will decrease since the majority of nutrients are being absorbed.

    Warnings

    • If you are hand preparing your dog's diet, you must be exceptionally careful to include all needed vitamins and minerals. Buy a supplement powder you can sprinkle over your dog's food to ensure it's getting all the nutrients it needs. Drs. Foster and Smith note that dogs require a varied source of magnesium, calcium, iron, omega fatty acids and a variety of vitamins, such as vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K.