Providing Proteins In Your Homemade Canine Dog Diet

Protein is a major source of energy in the canine diet. It is also the primary building block of your dog's body. Protein forms the primary component of most of the tissues in his or her body, from blood to organs to skin to nails to fur. One function that protein performs is repairing body tissues and for growth.

Striated muscle meat provides the majority of protein found in many brands of commercial dog food. Protein is also derived in other forms, such as other meat sources, eggs, soy, and legumes or any combination of these items. It might be found in the form of meat by-products, meat meal, or fresh meat. However, not all forms of protein are created equal.

Depending on where you buy your food, your pet’s food might contain a variety of ingredients that may contain a large amount of protein but are not suitable as food items. These ingredients may include feathers, beaks, or hooves. The term "crude protein," seen on many pet food labels, refers to the testing method employed in testing the product for the percentage of protein that it contains. It does not imply that the protein contained in the product is less refined than other proteins.

Protein is composed of amino acids, 22 of which your dog requires to maintain good health. Only 12 of these 22 amino acids are produce naturally in your dog's body. The remaining 10 amino acids that are not manufactured by the body are known as “essential amino acids.” Protein is vital in your dog's food because it provides these 10 amino acids that his or her body is unable to produce.

Animal proteins are referred to as "high-quality" proteins, also known as "complete proteins." These proteins provide all of the essential amino acids that your dog does not produce on his or her own. Select the leanest proteins available, such as fish or game animals, when feeding animal proteins in order to avoid a high amount of fat and cholesterol in your dog's diet.

Selecting lean proteins is particularly important if your dog is older or is inactive for any reasons. Very active working dogs or high-activity competition or sporting dogs should have unrestricted consumption of high-quality proteins and fats, due to the wear and tear on their bodies.

Fruit or vegetable proteins are considered "low-quality" or "incomplete" proteins because one or more of these essential amino acids are missing. For this reason our dog should eat the highest quality protein available to you in order to ensure that protein needs are being met. If your dog is unable to eat a high protein diet or if you prefer a vegan diet for your dog, he or she should eat a diet that includes several different plant proteins. Doing so may still provide all of the required amino acids.

Next article: Providing Carbohydrates and Fats In Your Homemade Canine Dog Diet

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