Every person who has a dog as his pet wants the best for his pet, especially when it comes to the type of food that we feed them. For you to keep your favorite canine friend healthy and energetic, you should give him the most nutritious and safest diet available. In the present day, the popularity of grain free dog food continues to surge among many dog owners.
Dog owners have come to know that a healthy diet lays the foundation for long-lasting health benefits for your dog. Compared with regular dog food, grain free dog food contains more protein and animal fats, while having lower levels of carbohydrates. If you have been feeding your dog regular dog food, here are some of the reasons why you should switch to regular dog food. Kindly note that grain free diets are not ideal for all dogs. It is therefore important that consult your vet before making any changes to your dog’s diet. Today’s post outlines the health benefits of grain free dog food.
What Are the Benefits of Feeding Your Dog Grain Free Dog Food?
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Easier to Digest
Compared with regular dog foods, one significant advantage found in grain free dog food is the dog’s ability to digest and utilize all-important nutrients fully. As carnivores, the digestive system of dogs contains little support for breaking down grain foods. With the mass production of pet food, it is relatively affordable to use grain-based fillers such as corn and wheat, rather than dog meat which is quite expensive. In most cases, dogs have a problem digesting these grains which can result in gastrointestinal disease, stomach inflammation, skin rashes and other serious health issues.
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Better Skin and Healthier Coat
The other benefit of grain free dog food is supporting skin and coat health. If you notice that your dog’s coat is getting dull and rough, odds are that there is a problem with his diet. Switching to grain free food will immediately restore your dog’s coat to one that is shiny and healthy. This is partly because of the reduction of grains and partly because of other healthy nutrients found in grain free food.
Your dog’s coat will look better if you feed him with food rich in omega and fatty acids as well. Other than a dull coat, dog food rich in grains can end up causing itchy, irritated, dry and inflamed skin. If left untreated, your dog will end up losing fur. However, changing his diet to grain free food rich in omega fatty acids will help restore the skin to an excellent and healthy condition.
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Great Food for Pregnant Dogs
Other notable benefits of grain free dog food are the nutritional enrichment the food furnishes pregnant pups. Just like in human beings, pregnancy places a lot of stress on the expectant dog. To maintain their health while sustaining the health of their unborn babies, you need to provide your dog with a balanced diet.
Providing your expectant dog with more food isn’t going to work as well as giving her less but quality food such as grain free dry dog food. Grain free dog food will supply her with energy and nutrients to keep her healthy throughout the pregnancy period and after the pregnancy as well.
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Less and Smaller Stool
Picking up dog stool is one of the worst jobs ever, but we have to do it to keep our dogs clean. When you feed your dog grain free food, the stool he produces is smaller in size and more compact. Moreover, your dog will relieve himself less frequently, therefore reducing the number of times you have to clean up his waste.
How does this happen? It’s all down to the fact that most of all grain free food is absorbed into the digestive system of your dog. The corn and wheat in regular dog food contain a lot of fiber which your dog fails to digest fully. The undigested food will later be passed out of the dog’s body as stool. However, with grain free food, there is minimal requirement to remove anything since most of the food is absorbed.
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Less Risk of Food Allergies and Intolerance
The health benefits of grain free dog food are lower risk of allergies and food intolerance in pups. Food sensitivities or allergies in dogs can be frustrating as they cause health problems and great discomfort as well. While it is difficult to tell that your dog is allergic to a certain type of food, some dogs are allergic to certain food.
Food intolerance in dogs is well described as a difficulty in swallowing or digesting a certain ingredient. The case is different when it comes to food allergies. Food allergies in dogs occur when the immune system has an extreme exposure. Food allergy symptoms in dogs vary and can range from mild cases to severe cases that are even life-threatening.
If your dog has excessive gas, skin irritation or rash, vomiting, frequent infections, diarrhea or itchy skin consider switching his food to grain free food varieties.
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Improved Health
The other benefit of grain free dog food is promoting the general wellbeing of your pooch. Grain free diets will provide your dog with better health from the inside out. Your dog’s digestive system will go beyond just processing the food to absorbing the most important nutrients needed to keep the dog healthy and strong.
By having a diverse blend of prebiotics that provide nourishment for the gut bacteria, most of the grain free foods are made to fully nourish your dog’s entire body.
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Higher Energy Levels
Provision of more energy is another benefit of grain free dog food. Grain free diets are an important source of energy for dogs. In dogs, protein is the main source of energy. Regular dog foods don’t provide your dog with much protein or energy.
On the other hand, grain free dog foods are high in protein which is what most dogs need for their energy levels to go up. Grain free food is also recommended for lactating mums as it provides all the necessary nutrients.
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Weight Control
The other important benefits of grain free dog food are controlling a dog’s weight and reducing obesity and diseases like diabetes Many dogs that consume a lot of carbohydrates without getting enough exercise will end up gaining weight. Most regular dog foods contain a lot of carbs and feeding them to your dog often will lead to weight gain.
Alternatively, dog foods that are grain free contain high vegetable and meat content. Some of these foods will also include a small proportion of carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes. The good thing about sweet potatoes is that they contain a lower carbohydrate level compared with regular potatoes and grains such as wheat and maize.
What’s more is that since grain free dog foods have a higher nutritional level, your dog will stay less hungry for many hours, which results in him consuming less amount of food.
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Good Breath
Pet parents know how a pup’s good breath is important. Imagine your buddy waking you up in the morning with bad breath, you will not want that. Right! What you feed your dog plays a huge role in his overall dental health.
In most cases, poor nutrition causes bad breath in dogs. If you feed your dog on a highly nutritious diet such as grain free food, it will help improve his bad breath.
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Benefits of Grain Free Dog Food FAQs:
Q: Do Dogs Need Grain for Their Diet?
A: Grains such as wheat, corn, barley and rice are a great source of carbohydrates and nutrients. Nonetheless, there are other sources of carbohydrates that can be served to dogs. They include starchy vegetables and sweet potatoes among others. The important thing that every dog owner needs to know is that no one ingredient will break or make dog food. What makes the difference is how every ingredient is formulated.
Q: Are Grain Free Food Safe for Dogs?
A: When properly formulated, grain free dog foods are safe for dogs. However, when the food isn’t properly balanced and lacks the essential nutrients, it won’t be in any way beneficial to your dog. Go for a perfectly balanced food formula that will provide your dog with all the nutrients he needs to stay healthy and strong.
Q: What Advantage Do Grain Free Dog Food Have?
A: Compared to regular dog food with grains such as corn or wheat, grain free dog foods use premium, complex carbohydrates with less fiber which translates to less waste. Furthermore, the complex carbohydrates are absorbed into the blood system slowly which helps prevent spikes in your dog’s energy and blood sugar levels. Besides, complex carbohydrates tend to keep your dog feeling less hungry for many hours, so they can concentrate on other things such as taking a walk with their owner or catching a Frisbee.
Q: Is it Healthier for Dogs to Eat Grain Free Food?
A: In most cases, feeding your dog grain free food will help live a much healthier life free from any health complications. However, many dogs that eat regular dog food still live perfectly healthy, so no guarantee switching to grain free dog food will automatically alleviate your dog’s health condition.
Conclusion
Diet is a huge component of any dog’s well-being and knowing the ingredients in your dog’s daily food is one of the first steps towards healthy and happy living. With different types of dog foods available on the market today, grain free dog foods are the best option for dog owners looking to feed their dogs nutritious and healthy diets. Dog grain foods are known to contain different nutrients that are well balanced to provide your dog with a healthy lifestyle.