Diet and Exercise

A Healthy Diet

The guidelines and recommendations for a healthy diet presented here are based on a survey of leading sources for dog nutrition by two of our WayDOG members and are presented here as a summary of good nutritional practices.

What should you look for in dog food?

There are many types of dog food available including dry foods, canned food and raw foods. Feeding a healthy diet will improve your dog’s energy, skin and coat and will optimize its overall health. When buying dog food, the following are some guidelines. These guidelines are intended for healthy dogs.

Food should be high in quality meat based protein: meat should be listed as the first ingredient and protein should be a minimum of 30%.
Food should be high in natural fats and oils with fat content of 18% or more. Look for omega fatty acids.
Food should be low in carbohydrates. Look for foods that are grain free. However, certain good quality foods contain small amounts of grains, fruits and/or vegetables. For example: quinoa, rice, oatmeal, barley, and sweet potato).
Food should be free of animal by-products (non –meat items including blood, rennet or flesh).
Food should be free of artificial flavoring, coloring or preservatives.
Food should be complete in all essential vitamins and minerals. Vitamin A, E, B12, Calcium, Phosphorus, Vitamin D, Iron, Potassium and Vitamin C.
Research the brand and manufacturer of the dog food and choose suppliers that have not had recalls of their product (example: Fromm).

The Pros and Cons of the Raw Diet
Feeding your dog the raw diet has been a controversial topic. Proponents state that a raw diet makes for a more active dog with cleaner teeth and healthier skin and coat. Also, very few dogs will reject it. This diet is based on the premise that dogs would eat raw foods if they were still in the wild. A raw diet includes foods such as Organ meats, bones either ground or whole, but never cooked, raw eggs, muscle meat, still on the bone and fresh fruits and vegetables. However, those against this diet say it can, for example, cause internal injury from the bones, and that there is threat of bacteria to both dogs and humans from the raw foods. Furthermore, they state that some advocates of the raw diet are not educated enough about how to create a nutritionally balanced diet using raw foods. If you are thinking of feeding your dog a raw diet it is important to do in depth research and to understand the pros and cons.

Foods dogs should never eat:

Avocado
Raisins
Grapes
Macadamia nuts
Alcohol
Onions
Any caffeine
Chocolate
Any artificial sweeteners (aspartame, xyletol,equal…)
Yeast dough

How much should I feed my dog?

Look for dog food calculator Apps that determine the proper amount to feed your dog by entering the ideal weight, selecting your dogs life stage and activity level and, then, generating the recommended food calories per serving. Keep in mind that dogs have different metabolisms and you may need to adjust the amount of food your dog needs.
It is optimal to feed your dog twice daily. Simply divide the amount suggested on the label of your pet’s food into two meals, spaced eight to twelve hours apart. You may need to adjust portions as you learn your dog’s ideal daily “maintenance” amount.

In conclusion, feeding a healthy diet will make a difference in a dog’s over-all health. It is less likely to have allergies and to become over weight if you avoid foods with cheap fillers such as corn, soy or wheat. It is also helpful to vary the proteins, so a dog can not only have some variety in its diet, but also it will be less likely to develop intolerance to a particular protein. Many high quality foods come in an assortment of flavors which you can switch among without your dog becoming sick. I personally like to add different proteins to my dog’s food along with some friuits and veggies.

References:
PetMD
ASPCA
And you can check your dog's ideal weight here!