Food,Glorious Food!

Mineral                                                                                                  Source

Calcium                                                                                                  Dairy products,poultry,and meat bone

Phosphorus                                                                                          Meat,poultry,fish

Magnesium                                                                                          Soybeans,corn,Cereal grains,bonemeals

Sulfur                                                                                                      Meat,poultry,fish

Mineral                                                                                                 Source

Iron                                                                                                       Organ meats

Copper                                                                                                 Organ meats

Zine                                                                                                       Beef liver,dark polutary meat,milk,egg yolks,legumes

Manganese                                                                                         Meat,poultry,fish

Iodin                                                                                                      FIsh,beef,liver

Selenium                                                                                             Grains,meat,poultry

Cobalt                                                                                                   Fish,dairy products

Minerals are present in small amounts in the tissues of all living things.Teeth,bones,muscles,and nerves have especially high mineral content.Aithought the AAFCO provides guidelines for the minimal amounts of minerales necessary for canine growth and development,each dog’s mineral requirements depends on

her current nutrutional state.For example,if a dog is iron deficient,she will need and absorb more iron from the intestinal tract.In addition,working dogs and dogs who are ill or stressed may also have higher requirements.

Major minerals

The four major minerals are calcium,phosphorus,magnesium,and sulfur.Calcium and phosphorus are the most important minerals in all dogs’dites,but especilly in the diets of growing puppies.Calcium is needed for muscle contraction,for nerve transmission,and for blood coagulation.It is also required to activate

numerous enzymes that affect virtually every process in the cell.Phosphorus plays a part in nearly all chemical reactions in your dog’s body.Working together,calcium and phosphorus strengthen your dog’s bones and teeth.

TECHINICAL STUFF

Althought the ratio of calcium to phosphoures in a dog food is important,recent studies suggest that the total amount of calcium ingested may be more important.Excess calcium is thought to contribute to the development of hip and elbow dysplasis,osteochondrosis dissecans (degeneration of the joint cartilage),

and other bone and joint proplems.(For more on these studies,see Chapter 8.)Deficincies of calcium frequently occur in dogs who are fed all-meat diets.A severe deficiecy of calcium can cause rickets and bone malformations.A moderate deficience can cause muscle cramps,impaired growth,and joint pain.

TIP

As of this writing,all premium-queality adult maintenance dog foods produced b major manufacturers have enought calcium to support the healthy growth of  puppies,including those of giant breeds.Resist the urge to provide extra supplementation of vitamins and minerals,particulariy those containing calcium,to your growing puppy if she is on a high-quality complete and balanced dog food.

WARNING!

Never add bone meal to a complete and balanced diet.Not only are you likely to alter the critical calcium to phosphorus ratio,you also risk decreasing your dog’s

ability to absorb and utillize many of the other minerals she needs.

Magnesium is essential for many of the cells enzymatic reactions.it also helps promote the absorption and metabolism of many other vitamins and minerals,

including vitamins C and E calcium,and phosphorus.Like calicum and phosphorus,magnesium is important in bone growth and development.In fact ,70 percent

of the magnesium in your dog’s body is present in her bones.Magnesium is rarely deficient in complete and balanced diets.However,its abosorption can be impaired when the diet is too high in calcium and phosphorus.

Your dog need sulfur for the synthesis of a variety of compounts in her body,most notably proteins.sulfur is also an important constiuent of joint fluid and cartilage  and,thus,is important for proper joint health.

Dogs require 14 different vitamins.With only a few exceptions,dogs don’t make the vitmins themselves,which means the vitamins must be supplied in the food .

Vitamins participate in numerous chemical reactions that help to release the needed nutrientsfrom the dog’s food and help the dog’s body to put those

nutrients to use.Vitamins can be either water-soluble or fat-soluble.

WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS

The water-soluble vitamins have to be supplied on a daily basis,because they are continually broken down and excreted.They include the following.

• Thiamin(vitamin B1): Promotes a good appetite and normal growth.Required for energy production.
• Riboflavin(vitamin B2): Promptes growth.
• Pyridoxine(vitamin B6): Important in the metabolism of proteins and in the formation of red biood cells.
• Pontothenic acid: Required for energy and for protein metabolism.
• Niacin: A constituent of many enzymes that process carbohydrates,proteins,and fats.
• Vitamin B12: Necessary for normal DNA synthesis and intestinal function.
• Folic acid: works together with vitamin B12 and in many of the body’s chemical reactions.
• Biotin: A compount of several important enzyme systems.
• Choline: Require for proper transmission for never impulses and for utilization of sulfur containing amino acids.
• Vitamin C: Participates in the formation of bones,teeth,and tissue.

The daily requirements for each of these vitamins are supplied in premium dog foods.Generally,an excess of these water-soluble vitamin is harmless beacouse

they are readily excreted in the urine.But as long as your dog is eatting a high-quality complete and balanced commercial dite and is completely healthy,you

don’t need to worry about supplementing her diet with water-soluble vitamins.

FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS

The fat-soluble vitamins don’t have to be supplied in the food every day beacouse excess levels are stored in your dog’s body fat.Beacouse they are stored for

months in the body,these vitamins can accumulate to toxic levels.However this is very rare.

Here are the fat-soluble vitamins our dog needs:

• Vitamin A: Necessary for proper vision,especially night vision.Important in bone growth,reproduction,and maintenance of tissues such as the lungs,

intestines,and skin.

• Vitamin D: Critical to the dog’s ability to use calcium and phosphorus for bone and cartilage growth and maintenance.
• Vitamin E: An antioxident that protects the cells(and dog food) from oxidative damage.Especialy important for muscular and reproductive function.
• Vitamin K: Essential for normal blood clotting.

The Controversy over vitamin C

Possibly the most conroversial water-soluble vitamins is vitamin C.   severe illness.For example,in one study,racing sled dogs supplemented

Many breeders and dog owners claim that vitamin C helps reduce  with vitamin C were able to run father and remain more stress-free then the incidence and severity of bone and joint problems such as hip    their partners who received a placebo.So,in growing,ill,or hard-working dysplasia in large,fast-growing breeds of dogs,but there is currently                    dogs,supplying vitamin C as a supplement may be helpful.

no scientific research to confirmthis.Unlike humans,dogs synthesize their own vitamins C,so many nutritionists believe there is no reason . The only problem is we don’t know how much vitamin C a dog requires

to add it to a dog’s food.   for health and how much a healthy dog is able to synthesize.if you decide to give your dog vitamin C,don’t feed her megadoses.A dose On the other hand,there may be circumstances in which dogs are not               of 500 milligrams a day is fine for small dogs and 1000 milligrames a able to synthesize sufficient vitamin C,either genetically or in cases of      day will suffice for large dogs.

Enzymes play a role,offen conjunction with vitamins,in just about every body reaction.They are like the keys that unlock the doors to chemical reaction.Each enzymes is the catalyst for one specific reaction,which is why there are so many different enzymes.The pancrease secretes serval kinds of enzymes that assist in digestion.in addition to enzymes secretes by the pancreas,enzymes are also present in fresh foods.

In most dogs,the pancrease produces sufficient enzymes for digestion.however,in some dogs,pancreatic function is not optimal.This is often the case in order dogs,who frequently have trouble fully breaking down their foods for optimal absorption of nutrition,and in dogs with pancreatitis(inflammation of the pancreas)or pancreatic cancer.For these dogs,supplemention the diet with pancreatice enzymes,which predigest the food,is helpful.

Water is the most pleantiful molecule in your dog’s body (Your dog’s body is two-thirds water),and it is essential for every one of her function,form digesting food to dashing across the yard.In the gastrointestinal tract,water dissolves nutrition to prepare them form digistion and help transport the nutrition across the intestinal wall.

Your dog loses water by several routes,throught salivation and respiration and in her urine and faces.If your dog loses more water then she takes in,she will suffer from dehydration,which,if severe and untreated,can be fatal.Beacouse water is such an important component of your dog’s diet,she should be given free acess to clean water at all time.

Fiber is an important compound of dog food.It provide bulk to the food and helps the intestinal contents absorb water,which result in formed stools that are

readily explled.If a food has too little fiber,the dogmay have loose stools,beacouse there is nothing to help the stools form.If a food has too much fiber,it will

pass much more quickly throught the gastrointestinal system,making digistion less efficient and the stools hard and compacted.

Beet pulp is an excellent source of fiber.It is the dired residue from suger beets,which first have been cleaned and freed of crowns,leaves,and sand,and then

used to extrect suger for human foods.Dried tomato pomace is another good source of fiber.It is the dried mixture of tomato skins,pulp and crushed seeds that

is a by-product of the manufacture of tomato products.

Most maintenance,puppy,and performance dog foods contain between 3 and 6 percent fiber.Weight reduction diets may have between 8and 25 percent fiber

Every cell in your dog’s body needs a continuous supply of carbohydrates,particularly in the form of glucose,in order to function properly.In fact,it is so

importand  for cells to have glucose that the body produces a specific hormone called insulin,which drives glucose into the cells.Glucose is especially

important in the function of your dog’s brain and muscles.Carbohydrates also assist in the digestion of other nutitions,especially fats.Your dog’s carbohydrate

requirements very according to her level of activity,her health,and her overall energy needs.

TECHNICAL STUFF

Carbohydrates come in three basic forms:sugars,starches,and cellulose.Sugars and starches are called simple carbohydrates beacouse they are readily

available as glucose or are readily broken down into glucose.Good source of simple carbohydrates are rich,oatmeal,corn,and wheat.Simple carbohydrates

are easy for your dog to digest when they ‘ve been properly cooked;they also add texture and mouth feel to the food,making it more palatable for your dog.

Cellulose,the main carbohydrate found in the stems and leaves of plants,is a complex carbohydrate.Dogs don’t have the enzymes necessary to digest

cellulose,so when cellulose is present in a dog food,it is usaully serving as fiber,which help regulate water in your dog’s large intenstine and aids in the foration

and elimination of feces(see the following section for more information on fiber).

The best food use the carbohydrates that come in grains;there should be no need to add extra suger of food taste better.The AAFCO has no recommended

minimum or maximun levels of carbohydrates in the dog food.carbohydrates make up the remainder of the bulk of the food after the fats,proteins,fiber,and

vitamins and minerals have been added.

Fats are the major source of energy for dogs.All dogs need an energy source to help them be able to chase squirrels or beg at the dinner table.Dog who live outdoor in the cold need enough fat to supply them with the energy to keep warm.And police dogs and working dogs beed enough fat to prevent them from heaving to get their energy from their carbohydrate or protein supplies.

But fats do more then provide your dog with energy.They also help keep your dog’s skin and foot pads supple and her coat  healthy.supplying an allergic dog with the proper amount and type of fats can make a huge difference in how much she scratches.Fats also carry fat-solubie vitamines into the body from the intestine.These vitimins are essential for health,and the only way your dog can absorb them is if she has enough fat to carry them into her body.Plus,just as with our own food,fat makes a dog’s food tastier,which can be important in healping dogs who are ill eat enough to provide the nutrients they need for heeling.

Fatty acids are the majour component of fat.Dogs really only need omega-6 fatty acid(often referred to as linoleic acid),beacouse they can’t make it on their own.Linoleic acid keeps your dog’s skin supple and pliable,and keeps er pads and nose leather flexible.Dogs with deficiencies of linoleic acid have scruffy,dry coats and dry,cracked pads.Luckily,dogs don’t need a lot of linoleic acid.Good sources are beef,chicken,and the oils from corn,safflower,and soybeans.

Omega-3 fatty acids can also help dogs with allergies by controlling the inflammatory responses in their skin.Omega-3 can improve dry skin and have been reported to decrease stiffness from arthritist.But omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids have some opposing function,so you need to be sure your dog is getting a balance between this two components. Shoot for a ratio of omega-3 fatty acids of about 5 to 1.

Your dog is better off if her food has the correct ratio of omiga-6 to omiga-3 fatty acids then if you try to provide it in supplement form to balance it out.So look for dog food that have safflower oil or corn oil to provide the omiga-6 fatty acids and fish oil or fish meal to provide the omega-3 fatty acides.

TIP

The ratio of omiga-6 to omiga-3 fatty acids is listend on the bags of some of the batter quality foods,so especially if your dog is having skin problems,opt for a higher-quality food-and one that has the correct ratio of omiga-6 to omiga-3.

Althought your dog need fat in her didt.too much fat can contribute to obesity,the number one nutrition proplems in dogs.Excessive fat can also slow down the digestive process and may cause nausea,diarrhea,and even vomiting.High-fat diets also play a role in the development of pancreatities,an infalmmation of the pancreas that can result in very severe vomiting and sometimes every death.So you need to be sure to control the fat leves in your dog’s diet.Feeding a high-quality dog food (and not giving your dog lots of extras),watching our dog’s weight,and making sure she gets enough exercise is the best way of ensuring that she won’t become obese.

On the other hand,just because less fat is better for humans doesn’t mean that a low-fat diet is good for our dog.too little fat can lead to dry,flaky skin;dry,cracked pads;and a dull,broken hair coat.

Be sure to read the dog food label before choosing a diet for your dogs(Chapter 5 tells you all about dog food labels),and obeserve your dogs’s response to the food.If you don’t like the appearance of your dog’s food coat and skin on one diet,try a different one.your dog’s food should include good-queality animals fats and can be supplemented with cold-pressed oils such as linseed,wheat germ,or soybeanoil.Growing puppies and pregnant or lactating bitches need a minimum of 8 percent fat in their diet.Adult dogs need a minimum of 5 percent fat.High levels of fats(above 16 percent)are not needed for most dogs,except  hard-working dogs such as stock dogs,police dogs,and sled dogs.

Proteins are the most critical components of food for your canine carnivore.They are also the most abundant element in your dog’s body.Your dog needs

proteins to produce hair,nails,tendons,cartilage,and all the connective tissues that support the rest of the tissues and orgens in her body.So adequate protein is

important for your dog’s growth and proper development,for her muscle development and strength,for a functioning immune system. for the production of

functioning hormones,for the proper volume of blood,for injury repair and prevention,and much,much more(see figure 4-1). you can see why protein is the

most important of all the nutrients in a dog’s food!

Beside being a major structural componed of your dog’s body ,your dog’s body can also use proteins to produce energy if necessary.Fats and carbohydrates

are much more readily available sources of energy,but,proteins can be broken down and converted when necessery,for example during times when there is a

low food supply.

TECHNICAL STUFF

Proteins are made up of amino acids that are linked in a chain.when your dog eats protein,enzymes secreted by the pancreas into the intesting break the proteins

down into short chains of amino acides called polypeptites,which are small enough to be absorded by the intestine.There are 20 different amino acids-some are

considered nonessential amino acids.As the name implies,the essential  acids are required by your dog,so she need to have those amino acids supplied

in her food.Food that contains all the essential amino acide is referred to as a complete protein source. The nonessential amino acids are…drumroll,please….

not essential,which means that if you dog doesn’t get them in her dite,she can convert some of the other amino into those that she’s missing.

Your dog can get proteins from both animals and plant source.But only animal-source proteins are complete protein sources,and not all of them are complete .

Examples of complete protein sources that come from animals are egg,whole milk,and lean meat.Grains are another important source of protein in dog foods,

but they are incompleteprotein source beacouse they don’t contain some of the essential aminoacids your dog need.plant protein sources that are frequently

used in dog foods include soybeans,wheat,and corn.

REMEMBER

Your dog’s major source of protein should be animal product,not grain.Don’t buy a dog food in which soybean meal,soy fiour,or corn gluten meal is the primary,

or even the secondary,source of protein.Dogs dont’s have sufficient enzymes to digest them and used them properly as source of proteins.

TIP

The American association of Feed Control officials (AAFCO) is the orgnization that sets guidelines as to what specific nutritions dogs need in their foodsand how

much of those nutrition are required for their health.they have determined that foods for adult dog should contain no less then 18 percent protein,andthat food

eaten by lactating femals or puppies should have a minimum of 22 percent protein.military or police dogs,mushing dogs,and other dog who are working hard

every day or under a lot of stress may need more protein.Dogs who are recuperating from injuries or surgery may need more protein as well,so that they can

build new proteins and repair muscles,tendons,and ligaments.

TECHNICAL STUFF

Not all complete protein source are created equal.For example,a cow’s hoof and a filed mignon may both have all this essentil and nonessention amino acieds,

but your dog can get  the amino acieds she need more easily from the filet mignon then she can from the cow’s hoof. Some protains are just more digestible

then others;digestible protein can be broken down and absorbet by your dog’s gastrointestinal tract,given her the nutrients she need.so how do we know in

which from the proteins are digestibleand in which form they aren’t?To measure digestibility,nutritionists measure the amount of pritein in a food,feed it to dog,

and then measure the amount of protein in the dog’feces.(I never said it was a preety jop.)The difference  between how much was in the food to begin w ith

and how much the dog excretes tells us how much of the protein the dog actually absorbed,and that is the digestible protein.It stands to reason that a protein

isn’t very useful to your dog if it ends up fertilizing your laws instead of nourishing her body.Hair and feathers are a cheap source of protein-but they’re also

indigestible,so even if your dog wanted to eat a pile of feathers,she wouldn’t get much protein from her meal.Eggs,on the other hand,are highly digestible

but they’re also expenise the dog food.So,as with many things in life,ou get what you pay for.

WARNING

Beware of foods that advertise over 90 percent digestibility.The higest quentity dog food are 82- to 86-percent digestible,whereas economy foods (like the

inexpensive foods you can get in grocery stroes) are around 75-percent digestible.The percent digestibility of a dog food is not stated on the lalel,althought most

dog food manufacturers will provide you with that information on request.

If your dog’s faces are voluminous,this may be a sign that her food isn’t highly digestible.

Dogs are carnivorous.Their teeth are shaped for biting,tearing,and grinding flesh,and  intestinal tractsare short ,with enzmes that are good for digesting proteins

(but are’t very good at breaking down and absorbing plant material).So it only makes sense that your dog’s diet should be meat-based.

Dogs are also opportunists,which means they’ll eat whatever comes their way,including the trash in your kitchen and the grass in your yard.They do gain

nutritional benefits from vegetables ,fruits,and grains, but they still need meat in their diets as their main sourace of nutrition.

This chapter covers the eight building blocks of nutrition.All these building blocks are required in a well-balanced dite,regardless of the dog.But the amounts of

each of these and nutrition elements that each dog needs depends on that dog’s unique situation-puppies adults need different amounts,as do spayed and

pregnant femals,and active and inactive dogs.