Does It Matter What I Feed My Dog?

Does It Matter What I Feed My Dog?

When it comes to improving your dog’s overall health and well-being, most customers end up asking us about food choices. Perhaps that’s not too surprising. We are a pet supplement brand, so our whole universe revolves around what your dog eats. 

You may have found yourself asking questions like these: 

• What should I be feeding my dog along with supplements?
• Is dry food bad for my dog?
• Is raw good really all that good?
• Does it even matter?
• I thought I’d see more improvement by now, what’s going on?

We’ve heard them all, and we know that it 100% matters what you are feeding your dog.

Does Dog Food Quality Really Matter?

The quality of your dog’s food plays an important role in their overall health and well-being. It’s just like us humans. If you eat a poor diet, then your body, energy levels, and overall happiness suffer.

When a dog doesn’t get all the nutrients needed from a food source, or if that food source causes an allergic reaction, then of course, your dog won’t be at the most optimal health state.

It takes more than just dog food alone to right that ship. Many dog food choices don’t contain the variety of raw, fresh ingredients that elevate your dog’s health to an optimal level. What’s worse? Instead of simply providing your dog a well-balanced diet, some dog foods contain not-so-pretty ingredients that cause allergic reactions. When this happens, adding a supplement on top of this harmful food, isn’t the full solution your dog needs. You have to replace that food.

If your dog has an allergic reaction to a certain food ingredient, adding a supplement won’t take that allergy away. The supplement can help reduce its overall side effects, but the underlying problem still exists. Continuing with that food option means you continue to provide your pup with the root allergens. For example, This causes harm inside your dog’s body (that usually has outward-facing effects).

How Do I Evaluate Dog Food Quality?

The first step is to look at the label of ingredients. What do you see? The first 2-3 ingredients should be protein-based. (Common proteins include chicken, beef, salmon, buffalo, lamb, and pea protein.) If you don’t see protein listed within the first 3 ingredients, that food is likely not the best choice for your dog, regardless of how attractive the price may be.

After these ingredients, it’s all (technically) fillers. Fillers aren’t necessarily a bad thing; they provide added calories and nutrients your dog needs, too. But again, it matters what they are. Rice is a filler, but brown rice is a more nutrient-dense choice than white rice. Tomatoes, blueberries, and cherries are fillers, but they are excellent sources of antioxidants.

You should also look for probiotics, vitamins and minerals. These are the ones that have names that remind you of ancient Roman gods, like Bifidobacterium animalis and manganese proteinate. These promote healthy gastrointestinal tracts and other critical bodily functions in your pup.

Should I Swap Out My Dog's Food?

If you do decide that changing your dog’s food is the correct route to go, take it slow. No matter what, this is a big transition for your pup. The last thing you want is tummy trouble for them, or an “accident” for you to clean up.

Here are some steps to take:

• Be patient. With most things in life, lasting change takes time. This is especially true when it comes to positive health results.
• Let your dog adjust. Introducing anything new into your dogs diet (for better or for worse) will cause their system to react. New foods may cause runny stools. Start incorporating the new food by mixing it with old food, perhaps starting with just 25% new. Overtime, transition it to 100% new food.
• See how things go. How does your dog seem to be doing on the new food? Better worse? Take a “before” picture, and then take notes along the way. You may find this particularly helpful in an elimination diet, trying to determine an allergy or sensitivity to a specific ingredient.
• Introduce a K9 Power supplement. If things are going well with your dog’s food, it may be the perfect time to start a K9 Power supplement. Again, it’s important to incorporate slowly. Start adding a quarter of the full amount to the dish and slowly increase for a period of two weeks, or longer.
• Take it one step at a time. It’s important to only introduce one thing at a time to your dog. For example, start a new food, or a new supplement, but not both at once. This ensures you can keep watch on what’s most impactful. If your dog has an adverse reaction to something, you’re not questioning which new addition is the culprit.
• Compare. Once you hit the 2-3 month mark, review your notes, and compare your dog’s overall health journey. Take their “after” photo (or progress photo), and review against their initial one. Small changes add up over time, and can make a drastic difference. This way, you can see the total transformation.

Have questions about what you should be feeding your dog and if a supplement will help improve your dog’s overall health and wellness? Our first recommendation is to check with your vet.

If you’d like additional help, reach out to our team at bark@k9power.com and we’ll happily answer your questions.