Dogs’ basic nutritional needs
- Protein
- Fats
- Vitamins and minerals
- Carbohydrates
- Water
Dogs are omnivores. They can consume both plants and meat, converting them to meet their nutritional needs. Dogs use proteins and fats as primary energy sources; they are also evolved to use carbohydrates as energy.
What to look for on the food labels?
- Labelled with “Complete and Balanced”; certifies that its nutrient level meets the standard of AAFCO’s requirements.
- Marked with real, recognizable, whole-food ingredients.
- Select a low-calorie diet. Most adult, indoor, spayed or neutered dogs are less active than puppies, and usually have low energy requirements.
- For more information about food lebal of pet food under AAFCO regulation, you may refer to https://talkspetfood.aafco.org/readinglabels#adequacy
What to avoid?
- Food description such as “meat by-products”, “beef tallow”, “food fragments” and “animal digest”.
- Artificial coloring; it is added to make the food more appealing to humans, not beneficial to the dogs.
- Hydrochloric acid; it is added to help dogs to digest, however, dogs can produce hydrochloric acid naturally. Any extra hydrochloric acid is a sign that the food is hard for dogs to digest.
