At Luca’s Barkery, we talk a lot about the importance of health and nutrition for your dog, because we only stock dog food and treats that help you meet those nutritional needs.
But that begs the question, what actually ARE those nutritional needs, and what does proper nutrition for dogs actually look like? Here’s a helpful guide for when you’re looking for dog food in Cleveland.
What Vitamins and Minerals Are Important for Dog Nutrition in Cleveland?
When you’re looking down the list of essential nutrients for your dog’s health, you’ll likely see a lot of familiar names.
Some of the most important vitamins and minerals for your dog’s body include:
- Vitamin A
- B-complex vitamins
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- Choline
These vitamins have largely the same function in dog nutrition as they have in human nutrition. vitamin A helps with eyesight and immune function, B-vitamins help with everything from metabolism to red blood cell function, vitamin K helps prevent bleeding problems, and so on.
Some of these vitamins are less important than others – for instance, dogs naturally create vitamin C in their bodies, but they don’t create enough for optimal health to reduce cognitive aging and inflammation.
What Foods Have Ingredients for Optimal Dog Nutrition?
A high-quality dog food in Cleveland should have the vast majority of your dog’s nutritional needs taken care of. Lower-quality foods contain lots of grain-based fillers which provide calories, but very little health benefit – sort of like a diet full of junk food.
Most fruits and vegetables are very healthy foods for dogs and can also be fed to them regularly to help them get a daily dose of vitamins. Pumpkin, spinach and sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients and can help with their digestive health. Apples, blueberries, pears, and strawberries, among many others, contain nutrients like fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C.
The list of healthy fruits and vegetables for dogs goes on and on – broccoli, carrots, green beans, celery, bananas, oranges, pineapple, watermelon, and more. However the list isn’t endless. Some produce – like onions and grapes/raisins – is toxic to dogs. The best policy is to talk to your vet before trying to feed your dog any foods you’re unsure about.
Of course, if you want to cut out the guesswork, you can always come down to Luca’s Barkery and look at the wholesome, healthy dog food we have available. Much of our dry dog food, wet dog food, and especially raw dog food in Cleveland has ingredients like pumpkin and sweet potato built right into them, as well as the meats they need for protein and healthy fats like Omega-3.
Do You Need Supplements for Your Dog’s Nutrition?
We carry a number of health supplements for dogs at Luca’s Barkery, and we wouldn’t carry them if they weren’t good for dog nutrition.
But does your dog need a health supplement? The answer is: it depends. A balanced, healthy dog food in Cleveland should cover the vast majority of most dog nutrition needs, but it’s important to remember that every dog is different, so while these dog nutrition guidelines are generally helpful, your dog may need more or less of something based on breed, age, medical conditions and more.
Our health supplements for dogs are great if your dog has a deficiency in a particular area (perhaps because of poorly-balanced food), or if they’re aging and you want to help them stay healthier for longer, for example. But for young, healthy dogs on a diet of wholesome, balanced dog food, supplements are optional.
Of course, the caveat to all of this is that your dog’s nutritional needs are between you, your vet, and your pup themselves. There are many different approaches to getting your dog the nutrition they need, and you may need to tailor your approach based on your dog’s preferences (we see our share of picky eaters).
So while we hope this serves as a helpful guide to your dog’s nutrition in general, your needs may vary. Regardless, whatever your needs may be, we’re confident we have something in stock that will meet them perfectly. So come visit us or bark at us today, and let’s get your dog some nutrition that their taste buds and bodies will love.
