Canine Nutrition 101: An Introductory Guide

We would never intentionally ingest poison – and our dogs shouldn’t have to either.  

Nutrition and diet are potentially the most important thing to prioritize for your canine companion. It’s essential to make sure our canines are getting the highest quality ingredients possible that will promote a beneficial lifestyle. 

A well-balanced diet is the basis for a happy and healthy dog. With so many companies to choose from in the nutrition world, there is a lot of clutter and misinformation spreading around as toxic dog food is continually promoted as holistic. 

Keep reading to see how I break down the value of a holistic approach to dog care in the realm of nutrition and ways to promote a happy, healthy lifestyle. 

It’s time to take ownership of what we feed our dogs

What we feed our dogs is the basis for nearly everything in their life. An unbalanced diet can lead to a plethora of physical, psychological, and behavioral issues which all can have detrimental impacts on your dog’s lifestyle. 

As humans, we occupy the caretaker role. It’s our decision what to feed our animals, and even more importantly, our responsibility to make sure we are meeting their nutritional needs. It’s essential for us to invest time and energy into understanding just what exactly we are putting in our canine’s bodies. 

The goal here is to find food that aligns with our dogs’ natural intuition and nutritional needs. Being well informed on what ingredients appear in the food you’re buying creates a necessary foundation to explore and evaluate alternative food options. 

As your dog’s leader, the more understanding we can foster about the things we buy and what they contain is the first step in prioritizing your canine’s health through nutritional choices.

Nourish the body….. elevate the mind and spirit

A holistic approach to canine care is a framework that is central to my Inner Alpha Method™. Considering your dog from a holistic perspective allows us to understand how the mind, body, and spirit work together to either promote or deter the overall health of your dog.

Key to this framework is a simultaneous focus on the mind, body, and spirit of your dog. Nutrition plays a key role in holistic wellness for dogs, it is a central part of building a cohesive spirit and mind within your canine. 

Nutrition is the basis for so many lifestyle-related elements of a dog’s life. The amount of toxins being fed to dogs across the board currently is resulting in increased rates of sickness and distress. It’s all about how to address these imbalances, both nutritionally and beyond, to create the best landscape for your canine to thrive – and that’s the central idea of holistic dog care.

Holistic nutrition for dogs: 101

So, what are you actually feeding your dog? And (more importantly), what should you be feeding them? 

The vast majority of clients I work with are primarily feeding their animals some form of dry food and kibble. On the surface, many dry kibble companies are seemingly rich in nutrients and specifically catered toward your dog’s overall health. It’s almost too good to be true – because it is. 

In reality, the nuances of crafty advertising and marketing tactics often promote products as having high-quality ingredients and nutritional value, despite this not really being the case. Many dog food brands use the label “natural” liberally, and oftentimes this is not representative of the actual ingredients. Many brands boast their “essential fatty acid” contents, but what many consumers do not realize is the high temperatures used to cook dry food for dogs inherently break down amino acids, invalidating much of this claim. 

Even the way we manage our food is important to this – once you open a bag of dry kibble, it immediately begins to degrade even if stored properly, which many dog owners fail to do. 

Admittedly, it can be hard to commit to higher-quality food which often comes with a higher price tag especially when we are inundated with so many seemingly ideal advertising claims. Ultimately, I don’t think any dog lover would disagree that prioritizing the health and general well-being of our pets is worth the extra costs (additionally, think about the costs you will save in vet bills from issues related to poor dietary choices). Letting your dog continue with a subpar diet creates ideal conditions for disease and behavioral problems to flourish. 

At the end of the day, it is most important to feed your dog real ingredients that harness a variety of key nutrients (look out for healthy proteins, fiber, fats, and probiotics). Being in-tune with what the food you’re picking is key to this holistic approach and promotes a healthy mindset. 

Read more: An Introductory Guide to Holistic Dog Care

What’s next? 

Diet truly does impact nearly everything related to our dogs, and should be a top priority. Determining the best diet for your individual dog can be a process and an adjustment for all parties involved, but finding the right balance for your dog is a surefire way to help them (and you) thrive. 

Ultimately, your dog deserves the same access to food and nutrition that we have as humans, and it is our responsibility to provide this for them. Add longevity and promote health in all the right ways for your canine with a balanced, nutritional diet that embodies my holistic approach. 

To promote access to high-quality ingredients and nutritious food, I am currently developing my own line of dog foods designed to help your dog flourish and promote a long, healthy life. Make sure to follow me on Instagram to ensure you don’t miss any updates!