We have a lot to think about! Work, school, daily responsibilities … why think about dog food?
The simple, easy answer is: What you put into your dog’s body affects him or her, for better or worse. This is both a short term and long term issue.
Short term, food can affect skin, digestion, allergies, mood and more.
Long term, food can affect systemic health. Liver disease, kidney disease, cancer. OR, few or no health issues. Health issues affect your dog, and they affect you emotionally and financially.
Why think about dog food? Because what you feed your dog is important. And contrary to some urban legends that just don’t seem to die, making homemade dog food is not difficult or time consuming. I can help you make it happen!
When it comes to your feeding decisions, keep the following in mind.
- Diet is a fundamental aspect of how our dogs’ bodies perform
- Offering our dogs a high quality diet is a central way to care for them
- Get started on a better diet for your dog!
Feeding whole foods is ancient and natural — kibble is modern and often artificial.
- For centuries, dogs have co-evolved with humans as friends, protectors, co-workers and companions
- The proverbial “man’s best friend” has an ancient history of working, lounging, and dining, alongside humans
- They only began eating commercial pet foods around the beginning of the 20th century
- Before the pet food industry developed, canines ate meats, organs, bones, plant matter and more
- These long-time human companions ate items local humans consumed, including different varieties of meats, vegetables and more
- Get started on a better diet for your dog!
Kibble can carry risks and questionable ingredients.
- Nutrients are often stripped off, and sprayed back on in artificial versions
- Artificial colors and flavors are added to increase palatability
- Ingredients not permitted in the human food supply can be added to pet foods
- Pet foods can contain chemicals, by-products and drugs
- Get started on a better diet for your dog!
Feeding better quality food can help reduce emotional and financial turmoil, and can help your dog thrive, not just survive.
- As with humans, dogs may either thrive or languish as a result of the food they eat
- There is a difference between subsisting on a baseline diet and thriving on foods that maximize health
- Even arriving at a goal somewhere in between – eating relatively healthy foods most of the time – is a good start
- Get started on a better diet for your dog!
Thank you!
Sarah Whitman, MS
Founder
www.DogFoodCoach.com
www.GoldenRetrieverDiet.com
PS you can listen to my audio, “Why Does Your Dog’s Food Matter?” here: