Why You Should Consider Switching To Grain Free Dog Food

You may have been considering trying one of the new grain free dog foods on the market. Many people have done so, and reported improvements in the health of their pets. Problems with digestive issues and allergies have been alleviated. Older and obese dogs do better on a grain free dog food diet.

Canines are carnivores, their digestive systems are designed to process meat and protein. Grains are very hard for their systems to digest, and can cause irritation and inflammation of the intestines. This inflammation gives rise to many different allergic reactions. It can get confusing because your dog may get sick if you give him a hamburger as a treat. His body does not produce sufficient enzymes to process that much concentrated protein because it's been forced to adapt to an unnatural diet.

In the past, dogs ate the same foods as the rest of the family. They ate vegetables, potatoes and meat. Any rice or bread was at a minimum, and not fed regularly. Kibble was invented about sixty years ago as there was perceived to be a market for convenient, ready to serve dog food. Designing products that had a high percentage of fillers allowed the manufacturers to offer an inexpensive product, while making a good profit.

The higher the percentage of grains in the kibble, the more profit these companies derive from it. The protein content in many of these foods is quite low, sometimes less than twenty percent. Some dogs may seem to have no problems with it, but their health ultimately suffers because of this departure from their dietary needs.

There are any number of allergic responses to this inadequate diet. Recurring ear infections is most likely to be nutrition based. Digestive problems are also a result: these include, loose stools, gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Some dogs suffer dreadfully from skin ailments that are allergic responses to the presence of grains in their kibble.

Products free of grains are normally higher in protein, to get a bit closer to the natural canine diet. They will usually include sweet potatoes and potatoes as the next largest ingredient after the protein source. Many include vegetables such as carrots, spinach, pumpkin, peas, and turnip greens. Apples, pears, blueberries, and blackberries are some of the fruits used.

Grain-free kibble producers offer a variety of protein sources. Red meat sources include beef, lamb, venison, and bison. Poultry sources are chicken and turkey. Fish formulas contain trout, salmon, herring, whitefish, and pike. There are mixtures and also single source formulas.

Changing the dog's diet should be done gradually. Slowly add the new product to his old food over a few days. This will allow his system to adapt to the digestive demands of the new diet. An abrupt changeover can be very hard on a dog's digestive system.

Your dog will be healthier as a result of his new food. These products are closer to the foods a wild carnivore would eat. The removal of grains relieves the canine digestive system of the stresses of coping with a non-natural food source. Adding some raw meat into his dish will help even more.