Dog Health & Nutrition: Tips on Healthy Eating for your Dog

Nothing Ruff About Being Healthy 

Proper dog nutrition is the key to a healthy and happy life for your furry friend. Aside from daily exercise, diet is the biggest contributor to a dog’s wellbeing.

Below are five tips to providing a long and healthy life for your four-legged friend:

• Take the Label Test:

  Labels can be deceiving and hard to read. If the first ingredient listed isn’t real meat or is artificial, then stay away! Love yourself and love your dog. All of the foods from “I and love and you” pass the label test with flying colors; they contain real meat, don’t use fillers and are grain-free. Chew on that! Just like human food labels can contain confusing marketing language, the same can be said for pet food labels, which can make establishing the right dog nutrition difficult. For example, if a label says “with salmon” or “with” any ingredient, the food only has to contain 3% of that ingredient (woof!). Nervous about xanthan gum? We break down what it is so you don't have to figure out if it's safe for your pup.

• Introduce Fresh Foods:

  By “fresh foods,” we mean whole foods full of enzymes and protein to encourage a healthy digestive track and aids your dog’s health. Sticking to a diet rich in protein and free of artificial ingredients helps ensure a long life. “I and love and you” Naked Essentials™ Dog Food is exploding with freshness, whole-food dog nutrition and premium ingredients. Your dog may even turn down table-scraps!

• Avoid Grains:

  Ever wonder why your dog’s farts and poops are so smelly? According to PetMD, grains are often the source of super stinky gas in dogs. Many dry pet foods contain gluten and grains, which can hurt your dog more than they help. Corn, wheat, rice, soy or fillers (like white potatoes) can contribute to an uncomfortable digestive track for your fur baby. If possible, steer clear from added grains. (Unless they're ancient grains...they're the exceptions!)

• Replace Gluten with Lentils:

  Gluten appears in a lot of dog food. However, substituting gluten with lentils can offer additional protein benefits. According to the Dog Doctor, lentils are a great substitute for gluten and contain high protein, are rich in fiber and minerals - particularly iron and magnesium - and are rich in lysine, which boosts the immune system.

• Too Much of Good Dog Nutrition is a Bad Thing:

  It’s easy to over treat your furry friend…they deserve it! However, over feeding your dog can lead to obesity and a shortened life span. To avoid overfeeding your dog, make sure you use a measuring cup when feeding them and give them healthy chews and treats from “I and love and you!” We know that he’s a good boy, so treat him like one in a healthy way. With an abundant supply of treats and chews for dogs young and old, why hesitate?

Keep these healthy tips in mind to ensure your dog has the healthiest life possible! “I and love and you” is a great choice when making that tough decision on what to feed your fur baby. We make our food with real meat, no grains and nothing scary added.