Most owners know dogs need protein. But few stop to ask how much, from where, and why it matters. This blog unpacks the core food groups and the real reasons behind each one, from growth to brain health.
🍖 Protein — The Biological Building Blocks
Protein is the foundation of health. It is essential for:
- Muscle repair and strength
- Skin and coat renewal
- Hormone and enzyme production
- Immune defence and cellular growth
A dog requires 22 amino acids. They can make many themselves, but some must come from the bowl, and if they don’t, the result is deficiency, poor repair, and long-term weakness.
Ideal protein sources include:
- Fresh meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Certain legumes and grains (as part of a structured mix)
Fresh meat means meat that is not overly processed or damaged by extreme heat or oxidation. It can still be part of a quality kibble, as long as a significant portion of that meat started off fresh and is listed clearly on the label. This helps preserve amino acids, fats, and real structure.
Healthy adult dogs thrive between 20 and 30 percent protein, depending on weight, age, and activity. Puppies, elderly dogs, and working breeds often need even more.
👉 Unused protein is expelled through urine. But chronic overload (with no adjustment for weight or activity) can still lead to fat gain, inflammation, or overload in weaker dogs.
The safest route? Match meat to the ideal weight, not the current one. Rotate proteins weekly. Track results. If your dog thrives, you’ve hit the mark.
🌾 Carbohydrates, Helpful or Hype?
Carbohydrates are the most argued-over nutrient in dog food. The truth? It depends on the type and quantity.
- Simple carbs (like white rice and processed wheat) spike glucose quickly, provide empty calories, and offer no lasting benefit.
- Complex carbs (like sweet potato, brown rice, oats) offer fibre, B vitamins, and slow-release energy. These can support digestion, stool quality, and endurance when used properly.
Dogs do not need carbs to survive, but they can use them well in small amounts if the source is clean and balanced against meat.
Far too many foods overload carbs to cheapen the recipe. If you ever wonder why your dog is hungry all the time or bloated after meals, that’s usually the reason.
🐟 Fats, Vital, But Often Forgotten
Good fats make dogs smarter, faster, healthier, and calmer. Bad fats do the opposite.
Dogs need:
- EPA: a powerful anti-inflammatory fat found in oily fish
- DHA: critical for eye development and brain function
- Omega 6 and 3: in the right ratio, to support joints, nerves, and recovery
Where do the best fats come from?
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Herring
- Chicken fat (in moderation)
👉 Fat is a carrier for key vitamins and a slow-release fuel. But like all nutrients, too much will cause overload. Variety is the answer. Rotate meat and fish types weekly to balance fatty acid intake naturally.
Too many owners see the benefit of fats and wrongly assume more is better, this backfires. The system becomes overloaded. Inflammation increases. And what started as a helpful idea ends in biological confusion.
Most owners forget: fats oxidise. Once damaged, they can promote inflammation and oxidative stress. That is why storage, sourcing, and freshness matter just as much as quantity.
🎯 Final Thought, Every Group Must Be Tracked
Real dog nutrition is not a guessing game. It is built on 22 amino acids, 13 vitamins, and 14 minerals, and each food group either helps or hinders that equation.
A proper canine nutritionist will always discuss balance, meat rotation, ideal weight targeting, and the impact of excess. And if the person advising you cannot name the 22, 13, and 14, then you are not having a nutrition conversation. You are watching a performance.
If you want more, then read all our blogs OR click this link and go to our simple FREE 10-page PDF.
Enter your name and email and it’s in your inbox within seconds (check your spam folder).
We will never use your details for any marketing whatsoever.
This is a simple-to-read PDF. It also includes details on how you can contact us directly if you want help.
Read it and you will be able to stand in a room of 100 dog owners and know more than over 90 percent regarding nutrition.
Your dog, if it could talk, would worship you even more than it already does. 🐾