Best Dog Food Guide: Protein for Dogs

Let us begin by deleting the misconceptions in protein for dogs. As a responsible pet owner, you must know the things you have to give to your dog in order for your dog to thrive and not just survive. This means that you have to know whether protein for dogs is a good thing or not. But I will tell you this, as early as now: Every dog needs it, it is good for them, and it is not harmless. I’ll explain later. Aged research built on experiments in rats concluded that excessive protein intake brings about kidney damage. However, this is to true in healthy dogs.

“Can I feed my dog with too much protein?” The answer is yes. At the time that your dog eats too much protein, some of it will either be excreted in the urine or will be utilized as calories or converted and stored as fat - causing your dog no damage. However, if your dog has kidney damage, you may reduce the amount of protein and give your dog with those proteins that has high biologic value. In this way, the kidney’s effort in excreting excess protein is condensed thus helping the kidney to quickly heal.

Dogs will find it hard to survive if there will be no protein in their diets. In understanding protein for dogs, you must also know this: Nutritive protein contains 10 particular amino acids that dogs cannot create on their own. They are what we all know as essential amino acids, and they deliver the building blocks for numerous significant biologically active compounds and proteins. They also provide the carbon chains required to create glucose for energy. First-class proteins contain an excellent balance of all of the essential amino acids.

Do you know another amazing thing about our dogs? According to studies, dogs can tell when their food is deficient of even a single amino acid and will dodge such a meal. It is not yet known why dogs are known to selectively choose foods that are rich in protein. 

Let us now know the daily recommended allowances for protein for dogs. Puppies weighing 12 lb, 33 lb at maturity, is at 56 grams of crude protein. Adult dogs weighing 33 lb is 25 grams of crude protein. Also, pregnant/nursing dogs weighing 33lb with 6 puppies is at 69 grams/158 grams.

As you can see, puppies need a higher percentage of protein than adults because they need it for their growing bodies. The best diet plan for your puppy is one that incorporates 22 to 28 percent protein. On the other hand, diet plan for adult dogs should comprise of 10 to 18 percent protein. If you have a working dog or sled dogs, you ought to understand that they will need a higher percentage of protein – more than adult home pet dog because of the stress on their muscles. Give a 25 percent for your working herd dogs and up to 35 percent protein for your racing and sled dogs. Lastly, a pregnant and nursing dog will also need a great amount of protein not for themselves but for their growing puppies. Usually, veterinarians will recommend nourishing a mother dog with a puppy food until weaning.

Finally, and for sure you will be asking this: Is meat meal good for my dog? The answer is yes, absolutely. It is a valuable source of concentrated protein thus it is nutritionally superb for your dog. However, it cannot contain blood or hair or any additional in essential constituents. Furthermore, no greater than 11 percent of the crude protein in the meal can be elements that the dog cannot process or break down.