Tag: dog food

The Building Blocks of Your Puppy’s Diet

Posted on by
Taste of the Wild

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is a phrase many of us heard growing up. It was our loved ones’ way of saying we needed the right nutrition as our bodies were growing and developing. The same holds true for puppies. Building the right nutrition into their diets now set them up for long and healthy journeys into adulthood.

On one level, your puppy’s nutritional needs are no different than a growing child’s. Like tiny humans, proper nourishment is vital to a puppy’s development, body composition and immune system. However, some of your puppy’s nutritional needs stack up a bit differently than a human’s nutritional needs.

What kind of nutrition does your puppy require? Your pupper needs a mix of fat, protein, fiber, calcium, carbohydrates, minerals and more to keep them growing strong.

The formula you choose should meet all of their nutritional needs. So, let’s start there!

Puppy Food or All Life Stages Food

What’s the difference between small breed puppy food, large breed puppy food and all life stages (ALS) puppy food? First, pet food companies take into consideration the puppy breed’s jaw size and gastrointestinal systems when deciding how big to make their kibbles. Therefore, you’ll notice a difference in kibble size between small breed puppy food and large breed puppy food.

Next, you’ll notice a higher calorie count in small-breed puppy foods compared to larger breeds. This is partly because smaller breeds tend to have a higher metabolism and need more calories to keep up with their higher energy levels.

With larger-breed puppy kibble you’ll also likely notice lower calorie and calcium content. The lower number of calories per cup allows bigger dogs to grow at appropriate rates and to stay lean, so they’re not putting too much stress on developing joints. Too much calcium in their diet can increase the risk of skeletal problems. Attention to these two factors is important for prevention of developmental orthopedic disease.

ALS food provides the right nutritional requirements for growth and reproduction throughout any stage of your pet’s life. Make note though, these foods tend to be higher in calories, so if your pupper is a couch potato you might want to reduce the amount of their daily food intake. Excessive calorie intake over time can lead to obesity and associated medical conditions like osteoarthritis. Reach out to your veterinarian if you have any questions on reducing the amount of daily food intake.

If there’s any doubt about which size breed dog you have — small, medium, large — ask your veterinarian for guidance.

Nutrients Matter in A Puppy’s Diet

So, now what nutrients are you looking for in a good puppy food? Here is a breakdown of some important elements of your puppy’s diet.

Fat

Fat is an energy source for puppies, who expend a lot of it. It also helps keep their skin and hair healthy.

Protein

Protein supports rapid growth and helps build your puppy’s tissues. It provides amino acids necessary to support a healthy immune system and synthesize hormones, antibodies and enzymes.

Fiber

Fiber helps maintain a puppy’s digestive health. Most puppy foods have an appropriate amount of fiber in them already. If your vet feels that your puppy needs a diet with more fiber, they will recommend a different option.

Calcium

Calcium helps your puppy develop strong teeth and bones. Calcium requirements do vary based on their breed size, however. Going back to the differences between small breed puppy food and large breed puppy food, choosing the right puppy food formula for your dog’s breed will be key in making sure they receive the correct amount.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are important for a puppy’s active lifestyle. Carbs get broken down before protein or fat, so they’re your puppy’s first available energy source. In addition to puppy food, healthy sources of carbohydrates include vegetables, fruit and whole grains.

The Right Elements in the Right Amounts

After going through the nutritional information above, you may be wondering about the right portions of food to feed your puppy. Portion size recommendations vary based on age and weight of your puppy.

Refer to the recommended daily feeding amount on your pet food’s label. This will give you a rough idea of how much you should be feeding baby Fido. Some days your puppy may eat less and some days they may eat more. It’s all part of the growing process. If you have any questions about your puppy’s eating patterns though, be sure to reach out to your veterinarian.

Feeding your puppy correctly today will help set them up for good health for their entire life!

RELATED POST: A Taste of the Wild Guide to Choosing the Right Pet Food

A new puppy text graphic showing a white, tan and black puppy lying in the grass.

Can My Dog Eat Grapes?

Posted on by
Interior graphic with text that reads ‘Can my dog eat grapes? Never!’.

Welcome to “Can My Dog Eat That?,” our new series that answers some obvious (and not-so-obvious) questions about what your dog can and can’t safely eat. Read on!

A grape or two might seem like a harmless snack for your dog. After all, it’s just fruit, and mostly water at that. But what happens if your dog eats grapes? Unlike other fruits like cranberries or blueberries, grapes can be toxic to dogs, potentially leading to acute kidney failure and even death. Grape and raisin poisoning are real dangers for dogs.

This applies to all types of grapes, whether they’re red, green, seeded or seedless, organic or grown conventionally. But fresh grapes aren’t the only problem. Grapes that have been dried — otherwise known as raisins, sultanas (light brown, seedless raisins) and Zante currents — can be problematic as well.

The same goes for foods in your pantry that contain raisins, including cookies, bars and breads, granola mix, trail mix and raisin bran cereal. It’s not clear if grape jelly, grape juice or wine could be hazardous, but why take the risk?

What makes even a few grapes toxic?

Until recently, no one knew why, exactly, dogs and grapes shouldn’t mix. But veterinarians at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center discovered that tartaric acid (the ingredient cream of tartar is made from) might be the culprit. The amount of tartaric acid in grapes can vary depending on the type of grape, the degree of ripeness and the growing conditions.

In addition to varying levels within the grapes, dogs can have individual responses to the fruit, making it frustratingly difficult to determine how many will be a problem. Dogs have had a toxic reaction after eating as little as 0.32 ounces of grapes and 0.05 ounces of raisins per pound of body weight. It’s not a food you want your dog eating!

If your dog has eaten grapes or raisins, call your veterinarian or the closest veterinary emergency clinic immediately.

Symptoms when dogs eat grapes

It doesn’t take long for signs of toxicity to appear. Within hours of eating grapes or raisins, dogs may vomit and refuse to eat. If your dog surfed your countertop without your knowledge, you may find the telltale signs of grapes in the vomit. The dog may also have diarrhea, show signs of abdominal pain, drooling, dehydration and lethargy. They may drink and urinate more than normal, or in more advanced cases, they may produce little or no urine.

Seek veterinary help immediately

Since kidney damage can happen quickly, it’s best to call your veterinarian as soon as possible. While there’s no specific test to determine if your dog is experiencing grape toxicity, it’s generally diagnosed based on the history of grape consumption or grapes found in the vomit.

When your dog eats grapes or raisins within the last hour or two and hasn’t vomited yet, the doctor will probably recommend that vomiting be induced to get the toxins out of the stomach. Once that’s accomplished, your dog may be given activated charcoal by mouth, which may help prevent further absorption of toxins into your dog’s system.

In cases of grape or raisin toxicity, some dogs may need aggressive therapy, including hospitalization and intravenous fluids. The veterinarian may recommend blood work and urinalyses to monitor kidney function. Dogs may also benefit from stomach protectants, medications to control vomiting and nutritional support.

While ingestion of grapes should always be avoided in dogs, other fruits can be healthy and safe snacks for your pooch. Consider offering apple slices (remove the seeds), cantaloupe, blueberries, strawberries or bananas instead.

Can One Grape Kill a Dog?

Can one grape kill a dog? Yes, one grape can be extremely harmful. Grape toxicity is a real threat no matter how many grapes a dog eats. When dogs eat grapes, grape poisoning is always a possibility. Grapes or raisins, quite simply, are toxic to dogs, whether it’s one grape, green grapes, seedless grapes, red grapes, etc. If you suspect that grape poisoning has occurred and you cannot seek immediate treatment, you can call  Pet Poison Helpline for immediate advice. Your dog’s health, and kidney failure specifically, is always a concern when your dog ate a grape.

To learn more about why grapes are bad for dogs, check out this article.

An interior graphic with text that reads ‘Can my dog eat grapes? Never!’.

Tips to Stop Your Dog’s Begging

Posted on by
Dog Begging for Food

Big holiday dinners have enough stress without your dog staging theatrics under the table. You know the schtick: the forlorn, puppy-dog eyes. The whimper. The fidgety tap-dance with the front paws. A pool of drool on the floor for good measure. The barking. And when all else fails, the futile attempt to paw a bowl of stuffing off the table.

Of course, other dinner guests may not appreciate how dang cute your dog’s antics are. But there are other reasons why you’d want to discourage dog begging. Feeding dogs table scraps can lead to upset tummies. Many human foods can be toxic to dogs. Those extra calories can pack on extra pounds. And it simply encourages an annoying behavior.

But there is a way to curb dog begging, so everyone enjoys Thanksgiving dinner, including your dog. Just follow these suggestions if you’ve ever asked how to stop a dog from begging.

Consistency Will Stop Your Dog From Begging

If your dog is sometimes rewarded with a bite of dinner roll, and other times isn’t, this is not only confusing for your dog but it can create an “addictive” expectation, not unlike people playing slot machines. Your dog will keep trying, knowing that at some point, they’ll hit the jackpot with a bite of turkey.

Once you decide to stop rewarding begging, everyone in the family should stop, too. Being consistent with your dog helps them understand that much sooner that begging won’t get them anywhere.

To Stop Dog Begging, Start Training Early

If your dog has been begging for years, he or she won’t transform into the perfect well-behaved pup overnight. If you have time, it helps to start training sessions a few weeks before the big night.

Train Your Dog to a Mat to Stop Dog Begging

If there’s time, you can train your dog to “down, stay” on a mat in the dining room so they can be with the family without being a bother. Start with a non-skid mat, a clicker and some treats. Any time your dog shows interest in the mat, even if he or she just looks at it, press the clicker and give a treat. Each move closer to the mat is rewarded the same way. When your dog steps on the mat, click and treat.

Toss a treat away from the mat, and when your dog returns and steps on the mat, click and treat. Next, start saying “mat” right before your dog steps on it, so he or she starts associating the word with the mat. In this way, gradually reward your dog for lying down on the mat. Extend the amount of time between the time your dog lies down and when you click and treat. With patience, you can eventually get your dog to stay on the mat during dinner, and you can reward good behavior by tossing treats to the mat.

Providing a Distraction to Dog Begging

During dinner, give your dog something even better than table scraps, like a frozen, stuffed Kong. Or consider a food puzzle, which provides entertainment and keeps your pet busy as they work for every kibble.

Ignore Your Dog’s Begging

It’s an attention-seeking behavior. That’s why it’s not enough to simply stop feeding your dog at the table. You also need to stop rewarding your dog with attention. Even negative attention, such as a stern look or gently admonishing your dog by saying, “Stop begging,” actually encourages the behavior. Instead, avoid looking at your dog and act like he or she isn’t in the room.

Initially, the begging may actually get worse, because your dog may think it just needs to try harder to get your attention. But if you stick to your guns and keep ignoring your dog, the behavior will eventually go away.

Help Your Dog Avoid Temptation

If possible, take your dog for a long walk so they can work off all that extra energy and spend some quality time with you. Then put them in a separate room with their favorite toy or a stuffed Kong so they’re not even tempted to beg during dinner. Then they can join everyone again after the food is safely put away.

Dog Food Ingredients: Learning How to Read Dog Food Labels

Posted on by
A brown and white border collie with bright blue eyes looking up while holding an empty metal food bowl in its mouth.

Walking down the pet food aisle or shopping for dog food online can be an overwhelming experience. With thousands of options available, how do you know which food is right for your dog? A good place to start is the dog food label. Learning how to decode it will help you know what to look for when searching for a healthy diet for your dog.

What Information Is on Dog Food Labels?

The information found on dog food packaging is either required or optional, and some sections are more helpful than others when choosing a food. All pet foods must meet the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) standards for sale. Under current federal and state regulations, all dog food labels are required to include specific information stated in particular ways:

  • Brand and product name
  • Pet species the product is intended for (e.g., dog)
  • Net weight of the food in the package
  • Guaranteed analysis of specific nutrients
  • Nutritional adequacy statement, which tells the type and the dog’s life stage the product is suited for
  • List of all ingredients in descending order by weight, including water
  • Feeding instructions
  • Calorie content
  • Best by or expiration date
  • Manufacturer’s or distributor’s name and address

While pet food labels are factual, they’re also used to capture your attention in order to provide additional information about product features and benefits.

Pet Food Label Modernization Project

Many pet food regulations are based on guidelines established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). The Pet Food Label Modernization project was started by AAFCO to align pet food labels more closely with human food labeling and improve consumer understanding. The timing for completion of the project varies by state, but you may notice pet food brands transitioning their labels over the next few years. These changes apply to all pet and specialty pet foods, including complete foods, treats, supplements and mixers.

Changes to the label include: 

  • A “Pet Nutrition Facts” box that looks similar to a human food label
  • Calories stated using common household measurements (e.g., calories per cup)
  • The nutritional adequacy statement relocated to the bottom of Pet Nutrition Facts for easy location
  • The intended use statement required on the lower third of the main display panel to easily identify the intended life stage and purpose of the food
  • Updated ingredient statements to clarify the use of parentheticals and common or usual names
  • Standardized handling and storage directions, and creation of optional icons

How Are Dog Food Ingredients Listed on the Label?

When choosing a dog food, many pet parents begin by checking the ingredient list. Ingredients are listed by weight, which means items with higher water content — such as animal proteins (chicken, lamb, beef or fish), as well as vegetables — often appear before dry ingredients like lamb meal or duck meal, even when the dry ingredients may provide more concentrated nutrition.

Protein sources are especially important because they help support muscle growth, tissue repair and energy needs. Pet food manufacturers can supply the protein and amino acids found in dog foods from three categories: animal-based ingredients, plant-based ingredients and amino acid supplements.

Several protein sources are often combined in pet foods to optimize the amino acid profile and overall nutrient composition of the finished diet. This practice is known as protein complementation, and it’s used because different protein ingredients contain different amounts of essential and nonessential amino acids. That’s why it’s common to see dog foods with one or more animal proteins, plant proteins and amino acid supplements.

Carbohydrates like rice, oats or sweet potatoes provide energy, while fats supply essential fatty acids that support a healthy coat and skin. Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are also added to promote immune function and overall well-being. Some formulas include ingredients such as glucosamine, probiotics or omega-3 fatty acids (such as fish oil) for joint, heart and gut health.

It’s important to remember that dogs require nutrients — not specific ingredients. Ingredients are simply the sources of those nutrients. In addition to delivering nutrition, ingredients contribute to flavor, texture and freshness, helping create a food dogs enjoy eating while supporting their overall health.

What Is a Complete and Balanced Dog Food?

Although AAFCO does not directly regulate the pet food industry, it sets recognized standards for complete and balanced pet nutrition. “Complete and balanced” means the food provides all essential nutrients for the intended life stage when fed as directed. Dog food can only be labeled as providing complete and balanced nutrition if it meets or exceeds AAFCO’s minimum nutritional requirements or has successfully completed recognized feeding trials.

When selecting a dog food, look for statements indicating that the product is formulated to meet AAFCO nutritional standards or that its claims have been validated through AAFCO feeding trials. The nutritional adequacy statement provides several important details: 

  • Whether the food is complete and balanced, or intended only for supplemental or intermittent feeding 
  • The life stage the food is designed for 
  • How the manufacturer determined the food is complete and balanced

It is also important to choose a pet food produced by a reputable and knowledgeable company that follows rigorous quality control and food safety practices. Taste of the Wild recipes are determined to be complete and balanced by formulation, which is supported with testing of the finished food to verify the presence of key nutrients. Taste of the Wild dog food is made in manufacturing facilities in the United States.

Ingredients to Look for in Dog Food

Some ingredients in pet food provide additional features beyond basic nutrition when used as part of a complete and balanced diet. These “functional” ingredients include whole grains, fruits and vegetables, flaxseed and fish oils for key omega fatty acids, prebiotics and probiotics. 

Every Taste of the Wild dry canine recipe is enhanced with K9 Strain® Probiotics: good bacteria that are added to our recipes to help support healthy digestion. Other functional ingredients included in our recipes include:

  • Blueberries: Rich in fiber and antioxidants, blueberries are considered to be a superfood.
  • Carrots: Rich in vitamin A and like sweet potatoes and pumpkin, carrots get their color from beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant.
  • Green or yellow peas: Ground to a flour consistency, this carbohydrate source is also a source of protein, fiber and plant-based nutrients such as antioxidants and vitamins.
  • Dried tomato pomace: A fiber source that helps support digestive health and firm stools. Sourced from tomatoes, it contributes vitamin C, lycopene and other important antioxidants.
  • Raspberries: These berries contain antioxidants that help support overall good health.

Ingredients to Avoid in Dog Food

The FDA requires that all ingredients in commercial pet food are safe and have been approved for use. If pet owners are not buying commercially manufactured dog food, they should check that it does not contain ingredients that are toxic to dogs such as garlic, onion, macadamia nuts or chocolate. You should also avoid purchasing dog food with ingredients that you know your dog has sensitivities or allergies to.

Feeding Guidelines for Dog Life Stages

A complete and balanced dog food should provide the essential nutrients dogs need, including protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. The ideal balance of these nutrients depends on factors such as age, breed size, activity level and overall health. For example, highly active dogs and large-breed dogs often have different nutritional requirements than smaller or less active dogs.

Understanding nutrient requirements is especially important for growing puppies. Puppies require a complete and balanced diet specifically formulated to support healthy growth, strong bones and developing immune systems. 

Adult dogs, on the other hand, benefit from formulas designed to maintain long-term health and energy needs. Senior dogs may require special feeding care because their nutritional needs change with age. As dogs grow older, they often become less active and may gain weight more easily, so they usually need fewer calories than younger adult dogs. Their diet should contain high-quality protein to help maintain muscle mass, along with moderate fat levels and added fiber to support healthy digestion. Many senior dog foods also include nutrients such as glucosamine and omega-3 fatty acids to help support joint health and mobility.

Dogs with certain medical conditions may benefit from therapeutic or veterinarian-recommended diets that help manage symptoms and support overall well-being. Every dog is unique, and feeding habits should reflect individual preferences, lifestyle and health status. The amount, type and frequency of food can vary depending on a dog’s activity level, metabolism and individual needs. 

 

Dog food labels provide an important tool for pet food manufacturers to communicate nutritional information to dog owners. If you are still unsure of what to feed, your veterinarian can help you select the right food for your dog.

What does the guaranteed analysis tell me?

Posted on by
Taste of the Wild

The beauty of the guaranteed analysis is that it gives you a lot of information about what is inside a bag of pet food. Once you understand how to read it, you will be better equipped to compare different varieties of pet food.

By AAFCO regulations, the guaranteed analysis is only required to list four nutrients: crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber and moisture. However, many pet food companies list additional guarantees not only to provide you with more information about the food but also as a mark of quality. The more things that are guaranteed, the more things that regulatory agencies can test for and fault a company for if they do not meet the level on the label. Because of variances between different types of laboratory equipment, sometimes foods can be faulted even if they truly are not deficient in one of their guarantees. Additional guarantees mean that the company is working hard to manufacture a carefully determined formulation each and every time, and you can be assured that bag to bag, that product is likely to be more consistent than a product that only guarantees the four required nutrients.

The first nutrient listed is crude protein. This is a measurement of the guaranteed minimum level of protein in the food. If the food guarantees a minimum of 21 percent protein, it is not going to contain 32 percent protein. By AAFCO regulations, a diet that states a guarantee of 21 percent protein may have no less than 20.4 percent protein. There is not a specified maximum, but the protein is typically within 2 percent of the target. So a 21 percent protein formula would range from 21 percent to 23 percent, but would most often be right at 21 percent or slightly higher. Your dog will benefit from a food that has protein from animal protein sources. After you check the level of protein, look at the ingredient listing to see where that protein is coming from.

The next listing is crude fat. This is also a minimum guarantee, with a 10 percent allowed variance. So, if the guaranteed minimum fat content is 15 percent, the minimum allowed by AAFCO would be 13.5 percent. Most foods very closely target the fat level, so expect very little variance in this nutrient.

Next comes crude fiber. This is typically pretty low, 2–3 percent, and is a maximum level. In hairball formulas for cats and weight loss formulas, you will usually see a higher level of fiber, usually 6–8 percent. Higher fiber formulas will result in larger stools than low fiber formulas, but this is to be expected.

Finally, you will see the moisture guarantee. In dry formulas, this is typically 8–12 percent maximum, and in canned formulas it is typically 75–85 percent.

Protein and fat will show the widest variance among different types of pet foods. Cat foods have higher protein content than most dog foods. Formulas specifically designed for athletes, puppies, and low carbohydrate formulas for dogs will have high protein content and often high fat content as well.