Whether your dog is called Zak, Lenny or Rover, he is sure to be your most faithful friend, you want your dog to be in peak condition, so you care about what he eats. Because a balanced diet forms the basis for a healthier dog. But what is a balanced diet? To understand that, we need to take a step back in time. About 27,000 years back, to be precise. That’s the era in which the modern dog evolved from the wolf. Although the dog’s outward appearance now differs from that of the wolf, genetically they are almost identical. Their DNA is a 99.8% match. But is that important? It most certainly is. Dogs and wolves still have the same type of digestive system.
You can tell by their jaws. Just like wolves, dogs have a ‘scissor’ bite—they can only move their jaws up and down rather than sideways as we humans do. We chew and grind our food. Dogs and wolves tear theirs and bite off chunks which they then swallow as whole. The wolf eats the meat, the organs, the intestines and the stomach contents of its prey. The stomach is filled with grains, vegetables and fruit. Naturally, the meat is raw. And that’s a very important detail, because your dog’s digestive system is still based on that of the wolf. Whatever man’s best friend eats, it influences his digestive and immune systems. And consequently, on his health.
On average, a dog has a life expectancy almost six times lower than that of a human being, but interestingly a dog can survive much longer than a human being without food. An imbalanced diet, or a diet short of essential nutrients, can cause serious harm to the dog’s overall health. At the same time, good nutrition alone is not enough for a dog to have a long life—but it is the foundation, and at least a good start to make your dog happy!
Dog owners get attracted by beautiful shapes and colour of the food; they often do not spend much time reading the food ingredients—and unfortunately, manufacturers use this to their advantage. We may not take the needed time to think, but we are not naive, and we all know that our dogs are meat eaters by nature. Good nutrition is not a fashion trend or washing powder that can be improved every year. In dog nutrition there are fundamentals to follow, and then you can only create new flavours and change the packaging. The only problem is that we are guided by the beautiful packaging and slogans. A dog’s happiness and health has nothing to do with the colour of the packaging or the shape of the food!
Whether your dog is called Zak, Lenny or Rover, he is sure to be your most faithful friend—you want your dog to be in peak condition, so you care about what he eats. Because a balanced diet forms the basis for a healthier dog. But what is a balanced diet? To understand that, we need to take a step back in time. About 27,000 years back, to be precise. That’s the era in which the modern dog evolved from the wolf. Although the dog’s outward appearance now differs from that of the wolf, genetically they are almost identical. Their DNA is a 99.8% match. But is that important? It most certainly is. Dogs and wolves still have the same type of digestive system.
How is Gut Flora Created
- Puppies in the womb don’t have any flora in their gut.
- The first good bacteria attach themselves to the intestinal wall during birth.
- Bifidobacterial dominate while puppies drink milk, producing acids that kill harmful bacteria.
- The transition to solid food happens gradually to give acid-resistant bacteria the chance to become established.
- Eating raw meat ensures the growth and maintenance of healthy and balanced gut flora. Dry food is always sterile, which reduces the number of good bacteria and makes it harder for your dog to fight infections. Take care of your dog’s gut flora factory by giving him the right foods!
