Best Diet for a Dog in 2021

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This blog post is part of our Complete Guide for New Dog Owners in 2021. Check it out for all of your essential dog items!

Just like humans, dogs can have very specialized diets. Depending on their lifestyle they can have on or many different diets combined into one. Today we’re diving into the six most popular kinds of diets you may prefer your dog to be on.

Grain-Free and Low Carb

Many people believe that grains and carbohydrates as an ingredient in dog food adds minimal nutritional value for your pup. The reason dog food manufactures may add this to their product is because it’s a cheap filler ingredient, meaning it doesn’t cost them much to bulk up the bag. This may be true but some studies and vets believe this to not be true, adding that a key difference between dogs and wolves is that dogs can easily digest carbs and grains.

Many veterinarians doubt the benefits of a grain free diet, though. A study done in 2019 found that 75% of dog food produced in the United States containing feed grade grains also contained various levels of mycotoxins. None of the grain free foods in the study contained any measurable levels of mycotoxins at all. Lower quality grains that are allowed to spoil and become moldy are likely the source of the mycotoxins. This was the first study that may conclude that a grain-free diet is the way to go for your pup.

Low Protein

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) recommends a minimum protein requirement of 18% on a dry matter basis for adult dogs. Many dog foods exceed this minimum such as dog food for the growth stage of a dog’s life. To simply maintain current muscular levels in your dog, though, you may want to consider this diet.

The main disadvantage of this diet is the worry that your pup may not be getting enough protein if their food doesn’t contain it. Muscle turnover should still be sufficient, though, as long as the amino acid intake remains balanced, There is a greater opportunity for amino acids to be balanced on a higher protein diet, though.

One advantage of a low protein diet is that fermentation and digestion can potentially be improved depending on the source and concentration of the protein in the diet. This will help promote beneficial outcomes in assisting the health of a dogs gastrointestinal tract. Higher protein diets can lead to higher levels of toxins in your pup including carcinogens and increase the chance of many bowel diseases.

As your dog ages, the protein requirement decreases due to the lower level of pepsin in their stomach. There has also been discussions that higher protein diets can lead to a shorter lifespan while a lower protein diet can have the inverse affect.

Vegetarian and Vegan

Similar to the human practice of veganism, vegan dog food does not contain any parts of an animal or animal byproducts. They contain fruits like bananas, vegetables, cereals, legumes, nuts, vegetable oils, and/or other non-animal byproduct foods. Dogs have historically been very omnivorous but since being domesticated they have essentially evolved to require less protein and better metabolize carbohydrates more efficiently. Therefore, a vegan dog food diet may be best for your pup if it is properly formulated.

The popularity of a vegan dog food diet has grown in popularity as more humans have also maintained the practice. Now more than ever before, vegan and vegetarian dog foods are commercially available in most brick and mortar dog food shops and on most pet related websites. This is due to both the dog’s owner’s ethical concerns but also because of a dog’s extreme allergy to non-vegan dog food.

Despite the large differences in recipes, plant-based diets can be just as affective as animal based diets. The lack of protein in a plant-based diet just needs to be met with plant-based proteins. Potential risks in feeding a plant-based diet include alkaline urine and nutrient inadequacy. It is highly recommended that you follow reliable source’s input when following this diet for your pup.

Raw Diet

Raw diets for pets consist of feeding your pets primarily uncooked meats, edible bones, and edible organs. The ingredients used can vary and many times, pet owners choose to homemake the raw food for their animals. However, you can buy premade commercial raw dog foods as well.

These meals can come frozen, or fresh, and are often raw. However, you can also find these meals cooked. This tends to be a popular option for pet owners who wants more high quality, natural ingredients used in their pets’ food, but that is customized and target towards their animal. The main draw of this type of diet is that pet owners can avoid the overly processed ingredients and food many popular commercial brands include. This tends to be an overall healthier option for many pets. However, one concern about this type of diet is that it can cause foodborne illnesses, much like people can get from food.

A raw diet is an overall popular choice for many pet owners due to the health benefits and control of knowing exactly what is in their pets’ food, and the ability to customize this to their pets’ needs nutritionally.

Senior Dog Diet

As your dog ages, there are specific changes they go through which may require a change in their diet. Specifically, the energy content of dog food is a consideration to make when looking at food for your senior dog. Since older dogs tend to be less active, they require a smaller energy content in their food. Finding a food specially formulated for senior dogs will often times already have taken this into consideration and be in line with the needs for an older dog. Senior dogs will also likely require foods with higher protein and protein digestibility because as they get older, they may have more difficulty processing protein and need a food adjusted for this.

You may also want to consider foods with added vitamins or nutrients to help with joint and bone health. Ingredients like glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate tend to be good for dogs to increase their joint and bone health. Also, foods with increased fiber sources can be good for older dogs as they can help with digestive health and avoiding frequent upset stomachs in older dogs.

Additional ingredients to look for in senior dog foods are Vitamin E and L-carnitne for brain and cognitive functioning as well immune system health and linoleic acid and Vitamin A for skin health.

Taking all these considerations into account before picking food for your senior dog are incredibly important and can help keep them healthy and strong.

Hypoallergenic Diet

Many pet owners may put their dog on a hypoallergenic diet due to a pet’s food allergies. Much like people, dogs can have food allergies that can lead to symptoms such as rash, swelling, itchy skin, and stomach issues. Specifically, many dogs may have reaction to the sources of protein in food like beef, chicken, soy, and turkey.

A hypoallergenic diet usually has limited ingredients, alternate proteins, or hydrolyzed proteins, which is an alternate protein source. With limited ingredients in hypoallergenic foods, it tends to be easier for pet owners to identify suspected allergens or to avoid certain allergens if their dog is allergic to multiple ingredients. In novel protein foods, companies use ingredients less likely to cause allergic reactions such as lamb, fish, and rice.

A hypoallergenic diet is a good option for pet owners who have dogs with food allergies and want to provide their pets with foods that will not cause increased difficulties for their pets.

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There are many more dog food diets but these are the most popular going into 2021. No matter which diet you choose for your pup, you should definitely consult with your veterinarian before doing so. Which diet have you chosen for your pup? Which is the best one for most dogs? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!