Many of us will have come across the food pyramid in school. However, we don’t often think about what the dog food pyramid looks like. A common phrase that you may hear is ‘complete and balanced’ dog food. But what does this mean?
Complete and Balanced Dog Food
This means the dog food provides the pet with the correct amounts of every single nutrient that they need with every meal. This type of food is designed to be fed as a dog’s sole diet.
Each dog has a different balanced diet unique to them, this can be due to changing life stages or a difference in the type of breed. For example, a senior dog has different needs to puppies and a Great Dane will have differing nutritional requirements to a Pug.
To ensure a dog has a healthy diet, there are six important nutrients that a dog should consume:
Vitamins
Vitamins are responsible for a vast range of functions within the dog’s body such as bone development, eye function, maintenance of cell structure and releasing energy from nutrients.
Palatants
These play an essential role in a dog’s diet. This is slightly different from everything else in the pyramid as it predominantly helps to make the food taste great for the dog. The recipes we sell are made with the finest freshly prepared ingredients to ensure that a dog is provided with fantastic nutritional benefits but also make sure they love the taste of their food.
Minerals
These are also key for a dog’s health as they contributes to maintaining healthy bones, as well as muscle, cell and nerve function. The recipes we sell contain a range of minerals to help support a dog’s general health and wellbeing.
Fat
Fat is a fantastic source of energy and enhances the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 and Omega 6. These essential nutrients help dog’s to maintain healthy skin and coat, promote the immune system, whilst also aiding in the development of healthy joints, brain and vision. Grain Free recipes are formulated with Omega 3 Supplement to help support healthy skin and coat.
Protein
Protein and amino acids are the building blocks to a dog’s body that are responsible for forming new skin cells, growing hair, building muscle tissue and much more. Protein also functions as enzymes, hormones and antibodies. Many of our recipes contain freshly prepared meats that are gently cooked at a circa 82 degrees celsius. This gentle cooking process protects the nutrients and therefore allows the pet to have optimal nutrient bio-availability.
Carbohydrate
This is an efficient source of glucose for energy, a source of heat for the body and can be stored as glycogen. This is also essential for a dog as it helps to control the weight of a dog. Grain Free Range recipes have been formulated to contain sweet potato as the main carbohydrate source. Sweet potato is an excellent alternative carbohydrate that provides dietary fibre to help support a healthy digestive system and good stool formation.
Article by by Matthew Aiken
