Why Your Dog’s Diet Matters More Than You Think

Why Diet Matters for Humans — and Dogs
Humans are constantly being told what they should eat, what times of the day they should eat, and how much they should eat. We take great care in buying quality products, avoiding fast food at all costs, and limiting the amount of sugary beverages in our refrigerator. As a whole, we have become increasingly aware that what we put in our bodies has a dramatic effect on our mental and physical health.

When it comes to our dogs, however, the debate on what constitutes a quality diet seems ongoing. Some dog owners will tell you that the only diet you should feed your dog is a raw diet. Others will tell you that fresh is best. And then there is the kibble only crowd who swear by their store bought bag of “real chicken” crunchy goodness. With all of these options and the never ending back and forth about what kind of food is the “best”, the path to a proper dog diet can seem very dark and scary. Over the years, I have personally fed my own dogs all of the above diets and I have experienced hundreds of client dogs who ate a wide variety of foods. Based on my observations I have developed the following opinions:

Raw Diet
The raw diet is very expensive, but very good. When my late dog Bo Diddly ate raw, after being on a kibble diet, his coat quality improved and he no longer had gross eye gunk. The boost in his diet also contributed positively to our behavioral training journey. The client dogs I have worked with who were also on a raw diet exhibited similar positive symptoms as mentioned above. I chose to feed my dog a high quality frozen raw brand, but there are other variations out there. It’s not enough to just give your dog raw chopped meat and call it a day. Quality premade foods also include all the other essential nutrients your dog needs that make a balanced diet. Dogs that eat a nutrient rich diet feel full, think more clearly, and are more receptive to learning new things.

Fresh Food Diet
I currently have my dog Daisy on a fresh food diet and couldn’ t be happier. It is not as costly as a raw diet, but the benefits I am experiencing with her on this diet are the same. When I first got her, she was on a kibble diet…that she didn’t like. I switched her to a higher quality kibble, but then started researching fresh food diets. I decided to give one brand a try and wow! Her interest in eating skyrocketed! Her long blonde coat became shinier and fuller. Her breath improved. When she was on a kibble diet, she would get a pretty decent amount of eye gunk and her blonde beard would become stained red due to yeast build up. But not anymore! For fun, I add frozen broccoli and strawberries to her food to give it some crunch but also, these are two kinds of fresh food that are really great for your dog!

Kibble Diet
Most likely the most popular diet, dry dog food comes in all shapes and sizes (well not really but, you know what I mean!) It is easily accessible, the most affordable, and you can buy it in large quantities. While affordability and accessibility are important, it is imperative to understand that not all kibbles are created equal. If you need to feed your dog a kibble diet, please do your research. The most popular dry dog food brands are low in animal protein and contain A LOT of fillers. This requires you to feed your dog MORE per serving to ensure they receive the adequate amount of calories, but then you run the risk of OVERFEEDING your dog. Any dog that I have worked with that was on a subpar dry dog food has suffered from hyperactivity and anxiety (not to mention poor coat quality and really bad breath). As soon as their diets changed to a higher protein, higher quality kibble (or better yet, fresh or raw) their behavior changed dramatically. This observation has led me to conclude that, while cheaper in the short run, a kibble diet eventually leads to big ticket costs down the line with your veterinarian ranging from allergy struggles, dermatological issues, and health problems associated with obesity.

Food for Thought
While I am not a nutritionist, over a decade of dog experience with hundreds of dogs has taught me that diet matters. And not every diet is created equal. What a dog eats has a direct impact on how they behave. And I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that once a poor diet is changed to a fresher option, that health and behavior change dramatically. If we invest so much time and effort into thinking about what we put into our bodies, shouldn’t we put that same consideration into what we feed our dogs? Just some food for thought!