Should I add fresh food to my dog's diet?

If you select a dog food which is of a high quality and respected brand, and if that food claims to provide a “complete and balanced diet”, then there is really no need to add anything to it. Feed your dog the recommended amounts of this food, and he will receive the nutrition that he requires to be happy and healthy.

In spite of this, many dog owners insist on adding in fresh foods to the commercial food, both to give the dog variety in what he eats, and to add to the nutrition he receives. If you really want to do this, you need to be aware that dogs simply can't eat the same sort of diet as a human, because – well, because they're dogs! It really is best to make the specially formulated commercial “complete” food the main bulk of your dog's diet. You should, however, reduce the portions slightly if you intend to add fresh foods to the mix. This makes sense, when you think about it – if the food is “complete”, and the dog would be receiving enough nutrition just through being fed that food, then anything you add to the mix will be “extra”, or surplus to requirements. That's going to lead to some excess weight if you don't do something about it! So you should reduce the portions of commercial food to account for the fresh food that you're adding.

 

However, make sure that you're feeding your dog at least half kibble – ideally, the majority of the dog's meal should be the commercial food and not the fresh food, but at least half. Now, you should consider what your dog really needs from food. Bear in mind that commercial foods are high in carbohydrates, so you really shouldn't need to add to that since the dog doesn't have a nutritional need for a high number of carbs. Lots of protein, however, is great – you could try adding some fresh foods that are rich in proteins, such as fresh meat and eggs.

In terms of meat, you can use either cooked or raw, although there are obviously a lot of strong feelings on that issue, on both sides! Just be careful, and watch for your dog's reaction to his diet. For example, if your dog develops digestive problems such as diarrhea, you should reconsider what you're giving him to eat, or how you're serving it (ie. Cooked or raw). Raw eggs are fine, as long as you make sure they're fresh – they contain lots of protein, and are one of the easiest and healthiest foods to add to a dog's diet. Canned fish can be very good, too, since it's full of healthy omega 3 fatty acids – choose sardines and mackeral over tuna. Vegetables are also fine, but you should never feed onions to a dog – they are harmful to dogs. And if you feed a lot of dairy, make sure it's low fat, and cut down on it if your dog is gaining weight.

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