We think so much about our own diet but what about our four-legged friends? Our dogs need a lot of the same ingredients and nutrients in their diet as we do; protein, fruit and veg, vitamins and minerals.
A healthy and nutritious diet can aid your dog’s immune system, keep their fur and skin healthy, help reduce behavioural issues and ultimately help your dog live a healthy, happy and long life.
Bella & Duke’s Chief Consulting Nutritionist, Rowan Sanderson, shares his top five nutritious ingredients to spice up your dog’s meals and get their tails wagging;
Eggs
How does your pet like their eggs in the morning?
Eggs make for a delicious, healthy and low-cost addition to your dog’s diet. These little nutrient bombs are packed with everything your dog needs to keep them in tip top condition including protein, vitamins, minerals, key amino acids and healthy fats. You can feed your dog the whole egg, including the shell, but if they aren’t keen on it, you can just feed them the inside raw or lightly cooked. Eggs can be eaten daily, added to their meals, or just on its own as a treat.
Fruit & vegetables
Just like us, our furry friends need fruit and vegetables throughout their diets. Adding them in is easy way of providing a tasty and healthy addition to their meals.
Fruit typically high in water content, like apples, melons and peaches, are great as a refreshing snack, as well as being full of vitamins, fibre and antioxidants.
Vegetables on the other hand are key for providing vitamins and minerals to their diet. Broccoli, beetroot and green beans all make for nutrient-packed additions to a healthy dog’s diet.
Avoid feeding onions, grapes, raisins, cherries, grapefruit and lemons as they are toxic for dogs, instead try apples, oranges, broccoli, carrots, watermelon, mango, beetroot, or pears which are full of good vitamins.
Fish
Fish is the dish when it comes to our four-legged friends, and they love it as much as cats do!
Adding mackerel, salmon or our supreme sprats to meals can help with brain development, joint health as well as promote a smooth coat and healthy skin. Certain types of fish can be incredibly beneficial and offer a great source of nutrients to help your canine friend thrive. Anchovies also have many nutritional benefits and are rich in protein, iron and calcium.
Raw meat
There are many benefits to feeding your dog raw food using only natural and healthy ingredients which can be easily ingested. Raw food helps maintain a healthy weight, supports their digestion, promotes healthy toilet habits, supports their immune system and can help to keep their teeth, bones, joints, skin and coat healthy.
Natural dog treats
The treats you feed your dog are just as important as their meals are, they can support healthy teeth and gums and work alongside their normal diet to keep them healthy, happy and full of energy.
Chews can be especially beneficial to help calm your dog down as the act of chewing and licking can have a calming affect. We suggest y, something like the Bella & Duke’s Pure Venison Snacks which not only support oral and dental health but are tasty and contain no artificial additives or preservatives.
Here are ingredients that are best avoided when feeding your dog;
- Carbohydrates
- Rice, peas and chickpeas
and here are ingredients that are toxic to dogs and must be avoided:
- Onions
- Grapes and raisins
- Fish high in mercury content (this will be toxic to your dog if fed in high amounts over time)
Bella & Duke’s Chief Consulting Nutritionist, Rowan Sanderson said: “We want the best health for our pets and that all starts with what you’re feeding them, they need just as much variety and nutrition to their meals as we do for promoting both good physical and mental health.
“Some ingredients are easy and inexpensive to add into your dog’s everyday diet and are probably already on your shopping list. It’s a simple way of increasing the protein, vitamins, minerals, key amino acids, healthy fats and antioxidants that your dog is getting.”
For more information on how to give your dog the best possible diet visit; https://www.bellaandduke.com/learn/dog-nutrition/
