How to Incorporate Natural Nutrition for Dogs

Written and verified by the lawyer Francisco María García

Last update: 22 December, 2022

Natural nutrition for dogs is just the homemade preparation of their food. It consists of using fresh ingredients, combining them and cooking them according to the nutritional needs of the animal.

In contrast from what is typically believed, a dog that is already accustomed to eating processed food can change his eating habits.

The first step to a natural nutrition in dogs is to go to a specialist. Based on an evaluation, the vet can formulate a suitable diet for your animal, according to their current condition and needs.

After starting natural nutrition the dog should be weighed once a month to check the reaction of their body. This way you monitor any changes in your dog and the effects of this type of nutrition.

If the animal is losing weight, they may be eating fewer calories than those indicated for their size. However, if they are gaining a lot of weight, they are getting more calories than usual.

What are the benefits of natural nutrition for dogs

1. It helps control the dog’s weight. Because it is a directed diet, you have more control and can take better care of your dog’s diet.

The important thing in this aspect is to be aware of the quantities of food. Overfeeding may cause obesity in your dog, which can lead to other health problems such as diabetes or kidney problems.

The same is true for underfeeding, if the animal receives less than the amount of food required for normal development.

2. Improve their physical condition and emotional state. When starting natural nutrition with the dog, you can see the changes almost immediately.

By the second or third day, your dog might be more active or lively.  Also, over time their coat will become brighter and softer.

Natural food is better for the dog’s digestion.  This can be seen in how your dog’s breath smells, as well as smaller and less smelly stools, because your dog’s digestive system is taking advantage of all the nutrients.  Their body odor may also improve.

3. Food without additives or preservatives. Because the food is all fresh products, it doesn’t have all the additives or preservatives common in processed foods.

However, you need to be careful that there’s a good balance between the foods you’re feeding your dog.  It’s important to make sure you’re meeting all your dog’s nutritional requirements.

4. It doesn’t cost more. Contrary to popular belief, natural nutrition for dogs actually doesn’t cost more than processed food, and it also has so many benefits for the life and health of your dog.

The BARF diet

BARF stands for Bio-Appropriate Raw Food.  The BARF diet consists of feeding the dog according a percentage of its current weight.  So if your dog is primarily sedentary, you would feed it 2% of its weight in food, while for an active dog you would feed it 3%.

According to natural nutrition for dogs, proteins should come from meat, whether from beef, poultry or fish. In addition, dogs can be given viscera such as liver, kidney, and heart.

Vegetables become the main source of minerals and vitamins, and oil the supplier of fatty acids.

The BARF diet has some recommendations that should be considered when cooking food:

1. To avoid contamination, the meat must be frozen for a minimum of three days. In addition, it should be cooked to well done to kill off any existing parasite.

2. The bones should not be cooked. These should always be given to the animal raw. You should check with your vet as to which bones are okay for your dog to eat.

3. In case of constipation, the intake of vegetables should be increased. If the condition worsens, you should consult your vet.

4. Natural food should not be combined with processed food.  You can alternate the two types of food, but you shouldn’t mix them.

How to store natural dog foods

Each species and breed is different, so they have nutritional requirements according to their characteristics. Because of this, it is important to get an evaluation from your vet before introducing natural nutrition for dogs to your animal.

Today there are many businesses and brands that are involved in preparing natural foods for dogs. These businesses can help you with the meal prep process.

Each meal is properly packaged and refrigerated. This way you can store them for as long as you need to.

Finally, you should be sure that any meals you are purchasing for your dog have the right nutritional components, which are essential for your dog on this type of diet.