Chances are you are not an expert in dog nutrition. That’s okay! It’s a complex subject and would take knowledge of chemistry, nutrition, physiology, and more to understand the inner workings of the topic.
Just because you aren’t an expert, doesn’t mean you can’t provide your dog with a well-rounded, healthy diet. The good news is that there are many excellent dog food choices on the market that are nutritious. There are also many dog supplements to fill in the missing pieces to support a healthy dog body!
Changing Dog Food
You may currently be happy with your dog’s food, but what happens when it isn’t working for you or your dog anymore? At some point in our dog’s life, you will change your dog’s food and there are lots of reasons:
- Low-quality to high-quality food
- Dry, cooked food to raw diet and vice versa
- Change in age
- Change in health
- Allergies
- Digestive issues
- Budget changes
- Change in tastes or appetite
- Rehoming
- And more...
Whatever reason you change your dog’s food, it’s best to do it gradually. Slowly decrease your dog’s original food, while slowly increasing the new food will help your dog’s body adjust easier.
Ensure Good Health
We all have the best intentions to feed our dogs good food, but our budget, knowledge, location, and time may play a factor in what food we buy or make for our dog. But the truth is that not all dog food is created equal, just as the food we eat from stores and restaurants has a range of quality and nutritional benefits.
Dog supplements are an excellent way to round out a dog’s diet no matter what food you are using. Whether you move from high-quality to low-quality food, raw to dry, or store-bought food to prescription food, including a dog supplement with each new food will support your dog’s health.
Changing your Dog’s Supplements
When you change your dog’s food you may need to add a supplement or change the supplement based on the new dog food.
Example: Let’s say you your veterinarian has prescribed a food that will help support your dog’s urinary tract or kidneys. While it’s fantastic that you are working on a pressing health issue, you might find the food upsets your dog’s stomach or maybe it doesn’t have the right ingredients to support joint health. Changing your dog’s supplements to adjust for a new food is a good way to continue supporting all components of their health.
This is just one example of changing your dog’s supplements based on a new diet. Speaking to your veterinarian about the change in dog food can help you decide which supplement is best for your dog.
You are an Expert
While you may not be a dog nutrition expert, you are an expert on your dog. You know them well and you know when they are not feeling their best. Finding the right dog food will keep your dog fueled and functioning. Changing your dog supplements to nutritionally complete your dog’s new diet will help keep them healthy and thriving!
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