RHIAN ALLEN is passionate about health and living well. As founder of the online hub The Healthy Mummy, Rhian helped more than 1.5 million Australian mums regain their health. She has now turned her attention to pets, with the launch of Healthy Active Pet, an online community providing helpful resources for Australian pet owners.
In her new book, Healthy Dog, Happy Dog, Rhian gives us the best recipes to ensure our dogs live their longest, healthiest and happiest lives.
Have you ever wondered if there are better foods out there to help preserve your dog’s health and longevity?
Significant research has been conducted in this area and the results are conclusive: apart from a dog’s size and breed/genetics, diet has one of the biggest impacts on a dog’s lifespan and wellness. This is why we put such a big focus on recipes and meal plans
Here’s a look at 5 of the best foods you should consider feeding your dog for health and longevity:
RAW, SINGLE PROTEIN (MEAT)
Clinical studies have shown that a raw food diet can actually increase a dog’s lifespan (compared to just feeding dry, preserved food).
After all, dogs descend from wolves and used to live in the wild, where they would eat a raw diet (before being domesticated much later).
Although dogs are omnivores and eat both plants and meat, the protein and minerals in meat make up much of their nutritional needs.
Just always make sure any raw meat you give your dog is human-grade so it doesn’t have preservatives that can be bad for your dog’s health and age them faster.
UNCOOKED MEATY BONES + BONE BROTH
Dog bones are one of the healthiest treats you can give your dog – and will also keep them occupied for some time!
However, it’s important that bones are always uncooked and raw. Cooked bones are more likely to “splinter” whilst being chewed on which can may unintentionally damage or obstruct your dog’s throat/body (such as the intestine).
Raw bones are not just a treat – they are great for dental health and avoiding dental disease later in life by keeping a dog’s teeth and gums healthy.
The bone needs to be big enough that your dog can’t fit it inside its mouth whole.
You can also make a broth from bones as a nutrient dense, vitamins and mineral rich food that has lots of health benefits for you dog.
Bone broth enhances breakdown of food and is said to have detoxifying effects and help strengthen bones and reduce joint pain due to the high collagen (aka anti-aging protein).
FISH
We’ve said “fish”, but what we really mean is Omega-3 rich foods – which fish are a concentrated source of!
Omega-3 is a proven natural anti-inflammatory protein in a dog’s diet that also supports immune system function, promotes healthy skin and a glossy coat, plus good eye health, brain function and joint support (especially for older/arthritic dogs).
CARROTS
Carrots are full of beta-carotene, an essential antioxidant and vitamin for cellular health and good vision (which naturally deteriorates with age in dogs).
The good news is they are also a good source of fibre for dog bowel health.
The magnesium, phosphorus and potassium offer even great health benefits for your dog’s longevity.
EGGS
Eggs, and are also one of the most complete bioavailable proteins available.
They are also packed full of essential amino acids, vitamins, antioxidants, calcium and more! Combined, these healthy, natural inclusions can increase the longevity and wellness of your dog.
A Few Things to Remember when Choosing Food for Your Dog
- Any new foods should be introduced slowly to avoid allergies or reactions
- Food needs to be complete and balanced for your dog’s stage of life (puppy, adult, elderly) and their size.
- Canine experts have determined that no more than 10% of your dog’s daily food should be treats.
We hope this list helps you enhance your dog’s diet or healthy snacks for longevity and wellness!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rhian Allen is an entrepreneur who has started multiple successful businesses. She has turned her attention to pets with her business Healthy Active Pet. With this business she aims to help pets to be healthy and live a long life, providing them with the correct nutrition – without this correct nutrition, dogs and cats can become unhealthy.
The number one way to deliver the best nutrition for your animal is feeding them a species appropriate diet – and not by feeding them heavily processed food. And for dogs this means a fresh food diet – high in protein and low in carbohydrates.
