Giving your dog a naturally healthy diet

If you eat ‘junk’ food all the time, eventually your health will start to suffer. Obesity, a lack of essential vitamins and minerals and a sluggish digestive system can all add up to a range of long-term health problems for humans. It’s exactly the same for our pets, too. While it’s nice to give your dog the occasional treat, too much of a ‘good thing’ can lead to real problems later on. A sure sign that your animal’s diet isn’t providing them with the nutrients they need is a dull, lifeless coat, skin conditions such as dandruff and excessive shedding and poor digestion such as excessive wind, constipation or diarrhoea.

To ensure that your dog has a healthy, balanced diet, specialist dog food ranges are available that provide all the vitamins and minerals your dog needs, but without any of the

"filler" that can often pad out cheaper brands. Arden Grange and James Wellbeloved both provide a wide range of healthy options based on an animal’s age, as this can play a key part in any dog’s diet. A younger dog or puppy will need a different combination of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and protein to promote healthy growth, while older dogs may require a diet that’s more easily digested. In the same way that some humans can develop gluten or lactose intolerance, some dogs can also have intolerances to certain food substances, so specialist pet foods do not include beef, dairy, soya, or wheat products.

Natural ingredients

Whereas many commercial dog foods can contain additives and preservatives, truly healthy alternatives steer clear of including these in the mix as, once again, they can cause digestive problems to dogs with sensitive stomachs. Strangely enough, not all dogs are created equal, and there are specific nutritional requirements for particular breeds. Specialist foods from suppliers such as Eukanuba create breed-specific dog food that is tailored for individual breed’s requirements.