HOW TO MAKE THE FOOD YOU FEED BETTER

• Weaknesses of Modern Dog Foods

• Variety/Rotation

• Protein

• Vegetables (which vegetables)

• Fruits

• Omega 3’s (how to choose)

• Probiotics

• Nutritionist

• Food Recalls

• Nutrition Courses

• Research & Studies

• Videos

Summary: Add protein, omega 3’s, and fresh vegetables

“Most modern dog foods come up short in comparison to the canine ancestral diet in three major ways:”

1. Not enough protein.

2. Unbalanced and incomplete fats.

3. Can’t be completely nutritionally balanced without some fresh foods.

Brown, Steve. Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet: Healthier Dog Food the ABC Way Dogwise Publishing

First start by selecting the best food you can afford.

Age, breed, sex and diet influence serum metabolite profiles of 2000 pet dogs

“Dogs eating dry food had significantly higher GlycA levels than dogs consuming other diet types”

“GlycA is a composite inflammatory marker that consists of signals of different acut

Best Dog Foods

Eating an adequate diet is not the same as eating an optimal diet. Eating less processed foods and more fresh foods is better for both us and our dogs. “Dogs, like people, need some fresh whole foods.” “many long-term studies have shown that vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants from whole foods are more nutritious than the synthesized or refined forms found in most dog foods.” [1] “Dry dog foods have two significant nutritional limitations, both of which are easy to correct: they contain unbalanced and, at times, rancid fats, and they require the addition of fresh foods for “complete” nutrition.” [1]

“Dog owners need to be aware that the meat used in most modern dog foods almost always comes from commercial feedlot animals.” “Even most dogs fed homemade diets do not eat the proper balance of fats because modern feedlot animals have different amounts and balance of fats than do wild prey animals. Poorly balanced fats are one of the major weaknesses of almost all commercial and most homemade dog foods. Fortunately, it’s easy to correct.” [1]

Research is showing that when dogs have fresh foods (vegetables) added to their diet it improves their microbiome. “The gut microbiota of dogs is significantly influenced by diet type (i.e., natural diet and commercial feed). Specifically, dogs fed a natural diet have more diverse and abundant microbial composition in the gut microbiota than dogs fed a commercial feed.” [2] (See studies listed below)

Adding fresh vegetables to a dog’s bowl three day a week has been shown to reduce cancer risk between 70-88% in one study.

Our goal is to rotate and feed a variety of differing proteins and brands of food over time to help correct for any excesses, insufficiencies, or imbalances.

Rotate proteins but don’t rotate and expose to everything. Consider rotating between a red meat, poultry, and fish. Reserve rabbit, pheasant, etc so you have a novel protein in the future if needed. https://youtu.be/Y-Xs_VtF44U?t=1345 Susan G. Wynn, DVM, DACVN (board certified veterinary nutritionist)

Select several quality foods with a with a similar protein, fat, and calorie content to compare and make a decision on what to feed. With the Pet Food Math Cheat Sheet you can run the math to analyze and compare any type of pet food.  Dry kibble, canned food, baked kibble, freeze-dried, raw, etc. Learn more about the Pet Food Math Cheat Sheet here.

Start by feeding a recently made and properly stored food. [1]

Some have expression concerns with mixing fresh food with dry kibble due to digestion concerns. Knowledgeable professionals say for healthy dogs it is fine to mix fresh foods with kibble. Dr. Becker DVM answers the question here: https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib/videos/10155026287262028/?t=627

Susan G. Wynn, DVM, DACVN (board certified veterinary nutritionist) says you can feed raw and kibble together. (Video)

5 Steps to Enhancing Your Dog's Store-Bought Dog Food (Whole Dog Journal)

Rotation & Variety

The goal for healthy dogs is to rotate and feed a variety of differing proteins, roughage (vegetables) and brands of food over time to help correct for any excesses, insufficiencies, or imbalances. Select several quality foods with a with a similar protein, fat, and calorie content to compare and make a decision on what to feed.

With the Pet Food Math Cheat Sheet you can run the math to analyze and compare any type of pet food.  Dry kibble, canned food, baked kibble, freeze-dried, raw, etc. Learn more about the Pet Food Math Cheat Sheet here.

Watch the video below to see how to improve both dry kibble and raw/fresh food diets.

Protein

Steve Brown - Recommendations to add to food.

Fresh & Raw Frozen

Video - Steve Brown’s recommendation

• Mussels

• Canned Salmon

• Kelp (just a pinch)

Dry Food (kibble)

I would select a high protein, low carb food with quality ingredients and then supplement it with these recommendations. Evaluate foods with the Pet Food Math Cheat Sheet.

Video - Steve Brown’s recommendation

• Sardines (water or olive oil)

• Dog’s Weight 3.75-oz can sardines
  5 lbs 1/4 can per week
  15 lbs 1/2 can per week
  25 lbs 5/8 can per week
  50 lbs 1 can per week
  100 lbs 1 3/4 cans per week

  A 3.75-ounce can of sardines has about 200 calories, so reduce the amount of dry food given on “sardine days” accordingly. Rule of thumb: One can of sardines in water has about the same number of calories as ½ cup of most dog foods

“Cod liver oil and other fish liver oils, while rich in omega-3 fatty acids, are also very high in vitamins A and D. Since dogs and cats eating commercial pet foods are already getting adequate amounts of these fat soluble vitamins, too much can result in toxicosis or abnormal calcium and phosphorus levels that can cause mineralization and calcification of vital tissue and organs, as well as urinary stones. That's why fish body oils without vitamin D are preferred for pets.”

Dr. Karen Shaw Becker -

You can feed your pet sardines packed in water or wild-caught salmon for valuable omega-3s, or try a krill oil supplement. If your pet is currently in good health, I recommend supplementing with krill oil as follows:

• 250 milligrams (mg) daily for toy breeds and cats (1 to 14 pounds)

• 500 mg daily for small dogs (15 to 29 pounds)

• 1,000 mg daily for medium dogs (30 to 49 pounds)

• 1,500 mg daily for large dogs (5 to 79 pounds)

• 2,000 mg daily for dogs 80 pounds and above

Inexpensive recommendations to add to dry food. (Video)

Dry Food (kibble)

Calorie breakdown?

• My ideal food would be the following percentages.

• 45-50% of calories from quality protein (animal based)

• 35-44% of calories from fat

• 6-20% of calories from carbohydrates

What if the carbs are high?

• If it is a high quality food I personally would consider feeding between 20-25% less and adding additional protein, omega 3’s, and fresh vegetables to create a better balance. If the food started with 25% carbs and I feed about 20% less and add in 20% of calories from protein and maybe fat, I would have reduced the carb calories to about 20%. How To Make The Food You Feed Better

What kind of protein can I add?

Fresh protein foods contain a high amount of water so you need to check to see the total amount of protein that is provided. You can use the USDA Food Composition Databases and look up any food.

Using the RAWZ Meal Free Chicken & Turkey as an example. Feeding 20% less and adding in either 90/10 ground beef or egg will lower the total carb content of the food to the target range while still providing a high protein diet. (100+ grams of protein per 1,000 calories)

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs:  4oz / 112g  

• Provides 140 calories, 22 g protein, and 4.5 g fat    

Boneless, skinless chicken breast:  4oz / 112g  

• Provides 110 calories, 23 g protein, and 1.5 g fat   

Ground chicken: 3.5oz / 100 g

• Provides 143 calories, 17.44 g protein, and 8.1 g fat   

Ground turkey: 4oz / 113 g

• Provides 167 calories, 22.22 g protein, and 8.6 g fat  

Ground beef:  90/10 4oz / 113 g

• Provides 199 calories, 22.6 g protein, and 11.3 g fat  

Egg - Large  50g

• Provides 72 calories, 6.28 g protein, and 4.75 g fat, 0.36 carbs 

Fresh Vegetables

Research is showing that when dogs have fresh foods (vegetables) added to their diet it improves their microbiome. “The gut microbiota of dogs is significantly influenced by diet type (i.e., natural diet and commercial feed). Specifically, dogs fed a natural diet have more diverse and abundant microbial composition in the gut microbiota than dogs fed a commercial feed.” [2] (See studies listed below)

Adding fresh vegetables to a dog’s bowl three day a week has been shown to reduce cancer risk between 70-88% in one study.

Dogs were grouped by how often they consumed the following vegetables: green beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, carrots, corn, peas, celery, various squashes, cucumbers, zucchini, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, turnip or mustard greens, iceberg or head lettuce, romaine or leaf lettuce, green peppers, garlic (fresh or powdered), and tomatoes.

“study detected no distinctions between consumption of raw or cooked vegetables”

“Evaluation of the effect of dietary vegetable consumption on reducing risk of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in Scottish Terriers”

Anti-aging food that improves markers of health in senior dogs by modulating gut microbiota and metabolite profiles

“Fermentable fibers from fruits and vegetables enhance health in senior dogs by modulating the gut bacteria and metabolites involved in aging, kidney, brain and gut health.”

Omega 3’s

What is an Omega-3 Index?

August 8, 2023

“Emerging evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may provide some health benefits to dogs and cats, especially during growth and development (Bauer 2006). Specifically, benefits may be derived from docosahexaenoic (DHA, 22:5 n-3) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20:5 n-3) acids. While alpha-linolenic acid (18:3 n-3) is often supplied in products by ingredients such as flaxseed or canola oil, dogs and cats cannot efficiently convert alpha-linolenic acid to EPA and DHA, so fish, krill, or algal oil sources are required (NRC 2006).” [4]

Most dogs do not eat balanced fat diets, and consume little, if any, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), probably the most important fat for the brain and eyes. Even most dogs fed homemade diets do not eat the proper balance of fats because modern feedlot animals have different amounts and balance of fats than do wild prey animals. Poorly balanced fats are one of the major weaknesses of almost all commercial and most homemade dog foods. Fortunately, it’s easy to correct. [3]

150 mg epa/dha day per 10 lbs

• Phospholipid     90-95% absorption

• Triglyceride       80-90% absorption   

• Ethyl Esters       60-70% absorption

Eggs have only a small amount of EPA/DHA; a 50lb dog eating 1500 kcal day would need to eat to meet min requirement:

• 5 grocery store eggs

• 2.5 free range eggs

• 2-5 tsp phytoplankton

• ¼ - 1 tsp algae oil

Packaging

• Glass (Amber) (not plastic)

• Oxygen degrades oil

• Exposed to air will go bad in 7-days

Choose a product that uses 3rd party testing – especially for pet grade. Consider using a human grade product recommended by ConsumerLabs.com

“some dry foods, most often premium puppy foods, do include fish oils, a primary source of omega-3 DHA. The problem is that DHA is very fragile—think fish kept at room temperature. Although the original DHA content of the food is listed on the bag, it is not necessarily the amount of DHA that is in the food when you feed it to your dog.” [3]

Don’t over dose; more is not better.

“Side effects to consider,” says Dr. Linder “include diarrhea and, in extremely high doses, bleeding problems” because omega-3s “thin” the blood. Admittedly, the occurrence of such problems is on the rare side, but to insure your dog stays safe, give omega-3 supplements to your dog with your vet’s knowledge so she can monitor her for any untoward effects. Tufts Cummings School’s HeartSmart website advises that for every 10 pounds of body weight, a dog should get one gram of fish oil that contains 180 milligrams of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and 120 milligrams of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). The site also advises choosing a brand from ConsumerLabs.com, which does testing for quality. Don’t give your dog fish oil in the form of cod liver oil. It can be tox

http://www.tuftsyourdog.com/issues/21_5/features/Canine-Diet-for-Heart-Disease-339-1.html

Improving Puppy Trainability Through Nutrition

Maternal omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on offspring hip joint conformation

Krill – The Other Fish Oil

Coconut oil, krill and omega 3’s

How much Omega 3 fatty acids should I give my dog?

Probiotics

Purchasing Probiotics for Dogs and Cats

Probiotics for Dogs and Cats: What Are They and How Do They Help?

Written by Dr. Karen Shaw Becker

“Probiotics are beneficial strains of live microorganisms that help maintain healthy levels of gut-friendly bacteria in your pet’s digestive tract”

“Humans and dogs host very similar microbes, they are not exactly the same microbes, but very closely related strains of the same species.”  

Look for CFU (Colony Forming Units) which is a measure of viable microorganisms. The standard I use is a minimum of 1 billion for the primary microorganisms and a capsule or coated powder so the microorganisms are active in digestion. “Choose a probiotic with the highest CFU to make sure that you give your dog a diverse array of beneficial organisms in just one dose.”

Each microorganism has its own job to do so for specific purposes be sure to look for the correct strain.

Behavior & Mood

Bifidobacterium longum BL999 has been reported to help with behavior and mood. You may need to inquire of the manufacturer to determine strain.

Genus - Bifidobacterium

Species - longum

Strain - BL999

Stress-Related Gastrointestinal Upsets and Diarrhea in Dogs.

(Bifidobacterium animalis AHC7) may help to prevent stress-related gastrointestinal upsets and diarrhea in dogs.

Probiotics during and after antibiotics

• Bifidobacterium bifidum  

• Bifidobacterium longum

• Lactobacillus rhamnosus

• Streptococcus thermophilus

• Bifidobacterium breve

Probiotics for Behavior / Mood

• Bifidobacterium longum BL999

• Lactobacillus acidophilus

• Bifidobacterium bifidum  

• Lactobacillus casei

• Bifidobacterium lactis

• Bifidobacterium animalis

• cats for stress

 For Stress & Diarrhea in Cats & Dogs

•  Enterococcus faecium SF68

ABC Plan One Day A Week

Steve Brown offers a simple ABC plan to feed your dog one day a week a fresh foods and skip the kibble in his book “See Spot Live Longer the ABC Way.”

Health Considerations

Canine Nutrition Consulting

Diana Laverdure-Dunetz, MS

recommended resources

Pet Food Recalls and Alerts

Dog Food Recall Alerts

The Magnitude of Pet Food Recalls

Canine Nutrition Courses

Linda Case is a world-renowned canine nutritionist, dog trainer and author. Her academic training is as a canine/feline nutritionist and trainer. is a canine nutritionist, dog trainer and science writer. She earned her B.S. in Animal Science at Cornell University and her M.S. in Canine/Feline Nutrition at the University of Illinois. Following graduate school, Linda was a lecturer in companion animal science in the Animal Sciences Department at the University of Illinois for 15 years and also taught companion animal behavior and training at the College of Veterinary Medicine. Check https://thesciencedog.com/science-dog-courses/ website for information on these and additional courses Linda is offering.

Nutrition Courses (3) from Linda Case

Short Webinars by Linda Case

My Healthy Dog, the hub for the canine nutrition courses created by global dog nutrition experts Dr. Jean Dodds and Diana Laverdure-Dunetz, MS. The self-paced online canine nutrition courses will enable you to take control of your dog's diet once and for all. From the basics of your dog's nutrient requirements to creating cooked or raw diets with confidence to selecting the absolute best commercial foods, you'll learn everything you need to know to ditch the doggy diet stress and ROCK your dog's diet! Proper nutrition is essential to a long, healthy life, so let's get started optimizing your dog's diet and health today.

Research & Studies

Protein

Pet food safety: dietary protein

Effect of dietary protein intake on the body composition and metabolic parameters of neutered dogs

Understanding Animal-Based Proteins in Dog Foods

Omega 3’s

Quality analysis of commercial fish oil preparations

“This study found that over half of the supplements did not meet their label claims for EPA and DHA, and a quarter exceeded recommended limits for peroxide value.”

Effect of neuroactive nutritional supplementation on body weight and composition in growing puppies

Evaluation of cognitive learning, memory, psychomotor, immunologic, and retinal functions in healthy puppies fed foods fortified with docosahexaenoic acid-rich fish oil from 8 to 52 weeks of age.

This Helps Heal Many Pet Disorders

Should I give fish oil to my pet?

Improving Dogs’ Arthritis Pain With Diet

Effects of feeding a high omega-3 fatty acids diet in dogs with naturally occurring osteoarthritis.

The effect of dietary long-chain omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on owner's perception of behaviour and locomotion in cats with naturally occurring osteoarthritis.

Vegetables

Evaluation of the effect of dietary vegetable consumption on reducing risk of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in Scottish Terriers

Independent effects of the broccoli-derived compound sulforaphane on Ca²⁺ influx and apoptosis in Madin-Darby canine renal tubular cells.

The effects of sulforaphane on canine osteosarcoma proliferation and invasion 

Probiotics /microbiome

Purina Launches Supplement for Canine Anxiety Management

https://www.americanveterinarian.com/news/purina-launches-supplement-for-canine-anxiety-management

Assessment of psychotropic-like properties of a probiotic formulation (Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum R0175) in rats and human subjects.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20974015

Efficacy of a Probiotic-Prebiotic Supplement on Incidence of Diarrhea in a Dog Shelter: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28186660

Effects of Varying Doses of a Probiotic Supplement Fed to Healthy Dogs  Undergoing Kenneling Stress

http://www.jarvm.com/articles/Vol10Iss3/Vol10%20Iss3%20Kelley.pdf

Dog and human digestive systems have similarities

https://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/7666-dog-and-human-digestive-systems-have-similarities

Gut feelings: mood and microbes

https://klaire.com/klairelabs/cache/file/D43A1A80-EF62-46F0-B80F627EF97DD85A.pdf

Mood and gut feelings

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26252541_Mood_and_gut_feelings

Effects of Varying Doses of a Probiotic Supplement Fed to Healthy Dogs Undergoing Kenneling Stress

http://www.jarvm.com/articles/Vol10Iss3/Vol10%20Iss3%20Kelley.pdf

Boosting tranquility through nutrition

http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/boosting-tranquility-through-nutrition

Could Your Anxious Dog Benefit from Probiotics?

https://www.natren.com/blog/anxious-dog-benefit-probiotics/

Efficacy of a Probiotic-Prebiotic Supplement on Incidence of  Diarrhea in a Dog Shelter: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5354029/pdf/JVIM-31-377.pdf

How a dog's diet shapes its gut microbiome

Differences in the gut microbiota of dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) fed a natural diet or a commercial feed revealed by the Illumina MiSeq platform

Raw meat based diet influences faecal microbiome and end products of fermentation in healthy dogs

Key bacterial families (Clostridiaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae and Bacteroidaceae) are related to the digestion of protein and energy in dogs

Effects of the Dietary Protein and Carbohydrate Ratio on Gut Microbiomes in Dogs of Different Body Conditions

WALTHAM Research Highlights the Influence of  Dietary Protein Levels on Gut Bacteria in Kittens

Deep Illumina-Based Shotgun Sequencing Reveals Dietary Effects on the Structure and Function of the Fecal Microbiome of Growing Kittens

Faecal microbial populations of growing kittens fed high- or moderate-protein diets

Altering the Intestinal Microbiota during a Critical Developmental Window Has Lasting Metabolic Consequences

Can antibiotics make your veterinary patients fat?

Weight Control

Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs

“Median life span was significantly longer for dogs in which food was restricted. The onset of clinical signs of chronic disease generally was delayed for food-restricted dogs.”

“No One Method Is Best for Feeding Dogs or Cats Pets can flourish eating just about any foods (with a few caveats). In mulling over this conclusion, we realize that we should not have been surprised to make this discovery. After all, we know perfectly well that humans grow, reproduce, and live to ripe old age on diets that differ enormously in what is considered normal and acceptable to eat. As long as the diet includes sufficient amounts of a variety of minimally processed foods—meat, dairy, fruit, vegetables, grains (or their substitutes)—the needs for essential nutrients and energy will be met. The same goes for dogs and cats. As we have said, it is extremely difficult to induce a nutrient deficiency in a person or animal eating enough of a variety of foods. This means that you have lots of options for feeding pets healthfully. You can choose a feeding method that not only meets the nutritional needs and preferences of your particular animal, but also—and we think this is an important consideration— one that fits comfortably with the way you live and with your personal dietary beliefs and preferences. If this concept seems as surprising to you as it did to us, it is because nobody would ever know this from surveying current books on how to care for pets. The books that are out there tend to cite every bit of research or experience they can muster to argue that you must feed your pet only one kind of diet—only commercial pet food, only one or another alternative pet food, only meat, only grains and vegetables, only raw foods, or only home-cooked foods. Humans don’t eat only one way. Pets don’t need to either. Any or all of those methods, singly or together, can promote excellent health in a dog or cat.” Nestle, Marion. Feed Your Pet Right: The Authoritative Guide to Feeding Your Dog and Cat). Atria Books.

[1] Brown, Steve. See Spot Live Longer the ABC Way. Dogwise Publishing.

[2] Differences in the gut microbiota of dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) fed a natural diet or a commercial feed revealed by the Illumina MiSeq platform

[3] Brown, Steve. Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet: Healthier Dog Food the ABC Way . Dogwise Publishing

[4] Applied Veterinary Clinical Nutrition. Wiley

Evaluation of the effect of dietary vegetable consumption on reducing risk of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in Scottish Terriers

The Science and Dogma of Pet Nutrition with Dr. Richard Patton

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