Nutritional Needs Of Dogs Young And Old, And Why An Avocado Is Such A Perfect Treat

Chances are if you only fed your dog meals consisting of lean cuts of meat and pork chop leftovers, he would wind up having some nutritional problems later down the road. You wouldn't feed a loved one just some lean cuts of meat unless they were trying out the Atkins diet. Whether or not the Atkins diet is nutritionally healthy for people is irrelevant, because it's definitely not for your Pup. You'll need to mix up your little guys diet so he can get the fullest experience of growing into a strong, handsome dog.

Dogs are carnivores. However meat eaters can't live on just protein alone! Just like any other member of the family, dogs need protein along with regular carbohydrates, doggie vitamins, minerals and fats, but no chocolate pudding!

Even if you could afford a diet of steak for breakfast and dinner for your pooch, your dog would actually be healthier if you bought cheaper cuts of meat, because they have a higher fat content.

Unlike with people, fats give dogs more energy and healthier skin. Without a good supply of fat in a dogs diet, dry skin and dull coats lay in a doggies future.

There are 3 specific types of acids in fat that dogs need in particular. Linolenic, Arachidonic, and Linoleic. Some of these acids are found in things like corn oil, butter, and something else surprisingly good for your dog: Avocado's.

Avocados are fruits, not vegetables. Which is strange because most dogs i know don't care much for fruit, but they absolutely love Avocados. Add some mashed Avocado to any dry meal for some texture, and a good dose of nutritious fats.

The average Avocado has around 35 grams of monounsaturated fat. This little pear shaped fruit has more potassium then a banana, and has a heaping load of vitamin E, Vitamin B, and vitamin K to spare.

The nutritional benefits of Avocados for dogs can be compared to spinach and Popeye. One half of an Avocado is all a dog needs to meet his daily potassium, magnesium, and niacin requirements. Not to mention a healthy dose of thiamin, vitamin A, and manganese.

Adding a dietary supplement like Avocado will improve the shine of your dogs coat, and increase skin health.

A regular chicken egg has half the fat grams an Avocado does, and almost no Linoleic acid. A table spoon of corn oil has the enough fat, but no vitamins or minerals to supplement your dogs diet. So remember, half an Avocado a day keeps the veterinarian away!