Grain Free Dog Diets
Grain free diets were created to be closer to the diets
that dogs ate in the wild. Dogs did not
eat large amounts of carbohydrates. Their diets consisted
mostly of meat and plant matter that was partially digested
by their prey. The digestive tracts of dogs are short
and highly acidic to easily break down meats. Grain free
diets can provide many benefits to pets: reduced allergies,
reduction of weight related diseases, better muscle mass,
higher immunities, and better palatability.
Limited Ingredient Diets for Dogs
Successfully managing a dog’s food allergies requires
the identification of the ingredient(s) that cause an allergic
reaction and the removal of the ingredient(s) from the diet.
Many veterinarians suggest using the process of elimination
to determine the allergen. Limited ingredient diets help
achieve this by offering one meat protein source and limited
carbohydrates. By reducing the number is ingredients, you
reduce the likelihood of an allergic response. Limited
ingredient diets also help dogs with sensitive stomachs and
can help pets from rescues in making the switch to better
quality diets because they are less taxing on the digestive
tract.
Senior Dog Care
As your dog ages, there can be some health changes that
may require a little extra care to make sure your pet remains
healthy. Some of the most common concerns includes joint
problems and arthritis. Lower activity levels reduce both
the caloric and fat needs. Senior care diets are formulated
specifically for older dogs to help them live a longer and
more comfortable life.
Skin & Coat Concerns
Skin and coat problems come in a variety of forms
and may cause your pet to experience itchy, red,
irritated skin that can result in hair loss, “hot spots,” dull,
flaky or greasy coats. These problems are often caused
by environmental irritations, nutritional deficiencies,
parasites, allergies, or poor grooming. You can help
your dog’s coat by feeding a meat-based high quality
ingredient diet.
Wheat, corn, soy, and grains are ingredients that can
trigger allergic responses and should be removed if
your dog has a poor coat.
Underweight Dogs
If a dog is underweight for too long, he may have
less energy, and other health issues can develop. Since
an underweight condition can have a myriad of causes,
you need to monitor your dog and work closely with
your veterinarian. Often, feeding a more palatable
food, higher in protein and fat, can help increase your
pet’s weight.
Overweight Dogs
Excess weight can lead to many health problems,
including diabetes, increased risk of cancer, damage
to joints, bones or ligaments, decreases stamina, heat
intolerance, and a reduced quality and length of life.
Healthy solutions include more exercise and food higher in
protein and lower in carbohydrates and fats. Feeding
twice a day verses once allows your dog’s metabolism
to be at its peak burning rate all day. We strongly
discourage “free-feeding” any pet that is overweight.
Puppies
Puppies grow quickly, which means they have a
higher demand for quality proteins, fats, vitamins,
minerals and calories than adult dogs. Puppy foods
are formulated to meet these higher demands. Large
breed puppy foods are formulated with less calcium
and phosphorus to help promote slower, healthier and
stronger bone and joint growth. Small and medium
breed dogs are considered puppies for 1 year, larger
breeds are generally considered to be puppies for up
to 2 years.