Dog Nutrition: What Are Your Dog’s Needs?
Just like every other living thing on the planet, a dog has some pretty basic nutritional needs that must be met. These nutrients help him to grow, fight off disease and infection and give much needed energy (whether you think your pup needs it or not 
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Again, just like people, lifestyle determines just how much. Is your dog active or lazy? Is she pregnant or nursing? Is your dog an actual working dog that herds and hunts? All of these factors come into play when deciding what exactly your pup’s nutritional requirements are.
However, there are 6 basic nutrients that are a must. These are water, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins. Let’s examine each of them individually:
Clean Water
This is the most vital of all. A dog can go for quite some time without food in its belly, but it can not do without water. Without water, your dog is at risk for dehydration, overheating, which can lead to heatstroke and a number of other serious conditions. And by serious, I do mean deadly. This is not to be taken lightly. An adult dog is made up of nearly 60% water and a puppy 80%, so you must have a bowl of fresh, clean water available at all times.
How much water should your dog be drinking?
Well, a medium-sized dog that eats mostly dry food will likely require about 2 quarts of water per day.
Proteins
A dog needs protein to keep its body’s processes functioning normally. Typically, your dog needs to get 2 different types of protein from its food. One such type is the kind that comes from animals. Think meat, eggs, fish. The other kind is considered an “incomplete” protein. Dogs get this from the grains and veggies in his or her diet. Now, you might read this and start thinking that the more “complete” protein that your dog gets the better. That’s not true. The reason that your dog needs proteins is for the amino acids they contain, not really for the protein itself. To keep your dog’s diet balanced, it’s essential to supply him with both types.
How much protein does your dog need?
Again, this has a lot to do with lifestyle. A normal, regular, adult dog actually needs very little. If your dog is young, extremely active or pregnant, then, more is required. Does this make sense?
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates give your dog energy and keep the intestines functioning properly. Oftentimes, when trying to get a dog to lose weight, higher doses of carbs in the form of fiber are added to the diet because it helps to make your pooch feel full longer. Commercial dog foods usually contain corn as their source, but the trend has been moving toward adding rice instead. This is especially good for dogs that are known to be allergic to certain grains.
How much carbohydrates does your dog need?
When it comes to carbs, a good rule of thumb is that they make up about 50% of your dogs diet.
Fats
Like all of the other ingredients that I have mentioned, fats are essential to keeping your dog healthy and a dog’s nutrition balanced. Again, fats are also an excellent source of energy for our dogs. Of course, too much fat can be a bad thing, but if you steer clear of the table scraps, a high-quality dog food will not contain enough fat to cause an issue.
How much fat should my dog’s diet contain?
Ideally, a dog’s diet will contain no more than 25% fat. If you are feeding your dog a good, commercially-prepared food, there is no need to worry that he’s not getting exactly what he needs. If your dog is extremely active, however, you can up his intake to make up for all of the calories burned throughout the day.
Minerals
Minerals are an important part of your dog’s diet because they trigger lots of different chemical reactions in a dog’s body that allow for the organs to function at their optimal level. Generally speaking, your dog doesn’t really need high levels of them in their diets. If you want to know how much your dog’s food contains, check out the label. Do you see the part about “ash content”? That’s not about actual ash, but instead refers to how much mineral content the food contains.
Should I give my dog supplements?
A dog that is fed high-quality dog food will take in the proper amount of minerals. Usually, dog supplements provide no value whatsoever. Studies have shown that they may even prove harmful, if given in excess. Spend your money on good dog food and leave supplements to the humans. If you’re feeding your dog a homemade diet, though, you really need to make sure that it’s completely balanced.
Vitamins
It never ceases to amaze me just how much like people our dog’s really are! And just like us, they need vitamins as part of their daily nutritional requirements. Much like minerals, a balanced dog food will contain what your dog needs.
Should I give my dog supplements?
Unless you’re feeding your dog food that you make yourself, the answer is no. Just like minerals, too much of a good thing can cause problems. For example, too much Vitamin A (especially) will lead to trouble.
In conclusion, your dog’s nutritional needs are likely to be met by any of the better commercially-prepared dog foods on the market. If you like knowing exactly what goes into your pup’s body or are trying to save money by making dog food at home, then just run the recipe by your vet next time you visit and he or she will be able to tell you if you’re on the right track.