Just how much fat a protection dog should consume is a hotly debated subject in the world of canine nourishment. Many people who formulate their own carnivorous diet regimes for their protection of dogs include too much protein in comparison to fat or use plant oils that are poorly digested, which can have a very negative impact on the health of their animals.
Fat Consumption In Nature
The diets of wolves vary based on the area, time of year, and so on. As natural predators, they consume small and large creatures according to their supply. These animals all share one basic feature: A layer of fat beneath the skin that helps regulate core temperature and protects the skeleton and muscle tissue from damage.
Not surprisingly, wolves typically consume much more fat than domestic dogs as they eat all they can of their prey’s carcass, even the skin – which is actually very beneficial.
Understanding a Dog’s Metabolism
Domesticated protection dogs need protein for restoring muscle and fat rather than carbs for energy. Their bodies are naturally wired to conserve energy.
If a dog’s diet lacks fat but has plenty of carbs, the animal’s body instead conserves carbs for energy. To produce a comparable amount of energy, your pet must conserve two times as many carbs (measured in weight) as fats.
It is a well-worn myth that dietary fat causes animals to become fat. The modern age’s surge in dog obesity can be attributed to the increase of carb-heavy plant elements in contemporary dog foods as opposed to the fat composition.
At the other end of the spectrum are carnivorous diets that hinge around low-fat meats and have inadequate amounts of fat and carbs, which can cause even more serious health complications. These diets force the canine body to derive energy from protein, which results in excess nitrogen that must be excreted – and that’s hard on the kidneys and other organs.
Due to the high number of low-fat/low-carb homegrown diets and their adverse effects, the incorrect opinion has emerged that uncooked diets overtax the kidneys. But if these diets had included enough nutritional fat to provide energy, the waste materials would only have been water (rather than nitrogen) and CO2, which the body has a considerably easier time clearing away.
In both situations, lowering the number of carbs and increasing the amount of fat in the diet should fix the problem.
The Three Essential Fats Personal Protection Dogs on Raw Diets Must Have
Since we can’t necessarily provide our canine friends with whole carcasses to eat, we have to include nutritional fat in both homegrown and store-bought animal foods. Consider including and alternating between the highest quality, least refined variants of the three foods listed below.
1. Unprocessed Butter
Butter consists of roughly 66.6% saturated fat and 33.3% unsaturated fat. Saturated fats include various sorts of fats that have short to long carbon molecule chains and provide a wide variety of beneficial health effects. And since they are single-bonded, saturated fats are more resistant to spoilage, particularly that caused by heat, than unsaturated fats.
Butter also contains butyric acid, an important saturated fat that has displayed great promise in scientific experiments for managing the symptoms of cancer, diabetes, inflammatory conditions, and digestive disorders.
Selecting raw butter from free-range cows means your pets will get balanced amounts of Omega-3 and 6 oils and a proper intake of essential vitamins and minerals. One teaspoon for every 20 pounds of body mass each day is a good dose of raw butter.
2. Raw Coconut Oil
Coconut oil primarily contains saturated fat, half of which is a medium-chain fat called lauric acid. When this fat is broken down in the body, it creates a fungicidal substance known as monolaurin which, in addition to lauric acid, is widely known for its ability to destroy unhealthy bacteria.
Caprylic and capric acid are two other noteworthy fats in coconut oil touted for their yeast-fighting and hormone-stabilizing capabilities. They have both also demonstrated effectiveness at enhancing cognitive function in mature dogs.
Unrefined virgin coconut oil is best, or alternately unrefined coconut butter, which is made up of about 60% pure coconut oil and contains additional fiber, protein, and other nutrients. One level teaspoon for every ten pounds of your dog’s body mass daily is a good dose.
3. Uncooked Free-Range Egg Yolks
The nutrient composition of eggs is determined by the diets of the chickens that lay them. Studies have indicated that eggs laid by free-range chickens that eat plenty of grass and insects have more optimal proportions of fats.
For instance, the amount of Omega-3 oils is increased twofold and thus supplies a more balanced proportion of Omega-3s to Omega-6s, which decreases inflammation and improves your protection dog’s ability to heal.
Free-range egg yolks also have a more balanced proportion of saturated and unsaturated fats, making them an outstanding option for wholesome supplementation with a variety of fatty acids.
A single large yolk provides roughly 50 calories, so include this amount in your protection dog’s handcrafted diet regimen or subtract 50 calories from his or her store-bought diet plan when supplementing. This is particularly beneficial for animals whose homegrown diets consist mainly of low-fat meats.
Maintaining a diet with relatively few carbs and a balanced proportion of fat and protein is the surest way to see that your protection dog gets the nutrients he or she needs. These elements lay the foundation for the proper absorption of enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and other phytonutrients protection dogs require in order to function at peak performance.
Due to the unstable nutrient composition of natural foods and the many different kinds of fats that exist, alternating them is an important factor in maintaining dietary balance. Taking the cues provided by scientific research, it is possible to formulate an ideal diet regimen for your personal protection dogs.
