You know that old saying, “You are what you eat?” Well, it's true for our pets too! What your dog eats directly affects how healthy they are. 

It might seem obvious, but many pet owners don't realize how much a good diet affects their dog's health. One of the most important things you can do is feed them healthy dog food, and we mean, choosing the healthiest food you can find.

Your dog might try to convince you they need every treat in the world, but it's up to you to choose healthy food for them. Here's what's important to know about healthy dog food…

6 Key Nutrients in Healthy Dog Food for Your Dog's Diet

Your dog needs six essential things in their diet: water, protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Most pet foods have these ingredients, but it's the quality of those ingredients and the right amounts of each that really matters.

#1 Lots Of Water

Water is essential for your dog's health. It makes up about 70-80% of their body, and without it, their body can't function properly! Water helps transport nutrients – those essential building blocks they need from their healthy dog food – regulate body temperature, digest food, and flush out waste.

Make sure your dog always has access to fresh, clean water. A good rule of thumb is to give them about one ounce of water per pound of body weight each day but always check with your vet for personalized recommendations.

#2 Protein

Protein is like magic for your dog, giving them the energy to zoom around and play all day, and providing all the materials their body needs to create strong skin, nails, muscles, and bones. Their body can't store protein, so it needs a constant supply.

It’s made up of amino acids, and dogs need 22 different ones to thrive. Their bodies can produce about half of these amino acids naturally, but the rest must come from their food. That's why choosing healthy dog food with high-quality protein as the first ingredient is so important.

The type of protein – chicken, lamb, duck, fish, meat, or poultry – is up to your dog's individual preferences and dietary needs. But rest assured, chicken, duck, and lamb are always the first ingredients in Healthy Dogma’s dog food.

#3 Fats

While often viewed with caution, fat is an essential part of your dog's healthy diet. It protects their internal organs, regulates their body temperature, and promotes a healthy nervous system. If fat levels are too low, dogs can develop dry, itchy skin and dull coats.

Dogs need certain fatty acids that their bodies can't produce naturally. These are called essential fatty acids.

It's important to note that calorie calculations for pet food are a little different than human food! Protein and carbohydrates are assigned a value of 3.5 calories per gram, while fat is assigned 8.6 calories per gram. This accounts for the less processed ingredients typically used in pet foods.

Not all fats are good for your dog. When choosing healthy dog food, carefully consider the source, quality, and quantity of the fat.

#4 Carbs

Carbohydrates are a key part of your dog's diet, even though they often get a bad rap! Most commercial dog foods are dry and contain a significant amount of carbohydrates - usually between 30% and 70%.

But like with anything, too much of a good thing can be bad. Be mindful of how much carbohydrate your dog gets. Excess carbs are stored in the body as fat, which can lead to obesity over time. Rice and vegetables are good sources of carbohydrates and provide a rich source of fiber too.

One reason? Carbohydrates, like those found in vegetables, are a great source of fiber and dogs need fiber for good digestion, to go to the bathroom regularly, and most importantly, to feed the healthy bacteria in their gut.

All Healthy Dogma PetMix food includes a mix of fruits and vegetables to ensure your pup gets its daily dose of fiber and keeps it in peak physical condition.

We also offer a special blend called PetMix™ Super Green. Made with premium ingredients and packed with superfoods like broccoli, spinach, spirulina, blueberries, quinoa, lupin, and more. This unique recipe is formulated to work for both vegetarian and omnivore diets, it’s so delicious that your pooch will love it – and you'll feel good knowing you're giving them healthy dog food. 

#5 Vitamins

Your dog needs two main types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins A, D, E, and K, can be stored in the body's fatty tissue, but they still need to be present in your dog's diet to prevent deficiencies. Water-soluble vitamins, like those in the B complex and vitamin C, cannot be stored in the body and must be replenished daily through food or supplements. 

These vitamins play an essential role in keeping your dog healthy, supporting functions like maintaining calcium and phosphorus levels, strengthening the immune system, acting as antioxidants, promoting blood clotting, and supporting the function of the nervous system.

Here's a brief look at some key vitamins and their roles in your dog's health:

• Vitamin A: Supports good vision, growth and development, a strong immune system, and healthy cell function. It also helps protect against bacterial and parasitic diseases.
• Vitamin C: A powerful antioxidant that eliminates free radicals and reduces inflammation.
• Vitamin D: Regulates calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood.
• Vitamin E: Another important antioxidant that protects cell membranes and helps regulate the efficiency of unsaturated fatty acids.
• B Complex Vitamins: These play an important role in the function of red blood cells, the nervous system, and metabolism.
• Vitamin K: Essential for blood clotting and faster wound healing.

#6 Minerals

Your dog's body needs minerals to function properly. These inorganic substances come from the earth and can't be made by their body, so they need to be taken in through food or supplements. 

Minerals power a whole range of important functions, including forming strong bones (calcium, phosphorus), transporting oxygen throughout the body (iron), healing wounds (zinc), providing antioxidant support (selenium), facilitating nerve transmission (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium), and regulating fluid balance (sodium, chloride, potassium). 

You can find these important minerals in a variety of foods. Meats are rich in phosphorus, bones are high in calcium, organ meats provide copper and iron, and shellfish contain zinc.

Final Thoughts,

Many pet owners like to share their meals with their pets. While there's nothing wrong with that, it's important to make sure your dog is getting the right nutrients. If you're unsure about the best food choices or don't have the time to research, it is better to offer your dog the right PetMix Formula!

We use real, premium ingredients you'd recognize – like you're making it in your kitchen. It's “Homemade, Made Easy” with Healthy Dogma.

You can trust that you're providing your pooch with healthy dog food with natural ingredients and exceptional nutrition.