Zero. Nada. Zip. That’s how many carbohydrates are required by a dog to sustain life.
The fact that a dog food doesn’t need to contain any “carbs” at all… may seem hard to believe. But it’s true.
You see, according to the National Research Council… and compared to the other major nutrients… proteins and fats… no carbohydrates appear to be “essential” for the typical canine diet.1
Dogs don’t need corn. They don’t need wheat… barley… or potatoes. They simply don’t need these ingredients… at all. Yet surprisingly, carbohydrates represent the most common raw materials used for making dry dog food. How can this be?
Why Dog Food Companies Love Carbohydrates
Since the early 1950s, dog food manufacturers everywhere have fallen head-over-heels in love with carbohydrates because they’re…
- Cheap (much cheaper than protein or fat)
- Abundant (simple to acquire)
- Durable (long shelf life)
- Necessary for the process of making kibble
Please notice that not one of these reasons has anything to do with canine nutrition. Not one.
Are They Safe for Dogs?
Now, don’t get me wrong. Carbohydrates aren’t bad for dogs. No, in reasonable amounts they can actually provide a practical source of energy. The problem lies in their quantity.
The amount of carbohydrates consumed using a dog’s “ancestral diet” as a model is dramatically less than what has become “the norm” for products created by the pet food industry.
One responsible source estimates natural carbohydrate consumption for a dog’s ancestors at around 14 percent of total diet.2
Yet today’s dry kibble averages somewhere between 46 and 74 percent carbohydrate.3
The Numbers Aren’t Even Close
Wow… that’s roughly four times the amount of “carbs” found in the canine ancestral diet. It looks like the pet food industry may have taken advantage of the dog’s remarkable willingness to eat just about anything.
OK… maybe the ancestral diet represents an extreme. But considering the dog’s evolutionary background… it just seems that manufacturers may have gone too far in the opposite direction.
Doesn’t it make sense for a dog’s diet to be more balanced… more “natural”… more like the canine ancestral diet? With more protein and fat… and fewer carbohydrates?
My Strongest Recommendation
When choosing dog food, it makes good sense to favor products lower in carbohydrates. That’s because as the carbohydrate percentage of the overall “pie” falls… its protein and fat content must necessarily rise. Simple math. And remember… even though most dog food companies fail to disclose the percentage of carbohydrates contained in their products… the Dog Food Advisor reports an estimate of this all-important figure inside every review.
So… always favor dog foods rich in meat-based protein. You’ll be providing your pet with a diet closer to the one she was naturally designed to eat. Plus, you may even be adding years of good health to your best friend’s life.
Never forget. Bad dog food sucks. Spread the word.
- National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences, “Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats”, 2006 Edition, National Academies Press, Washington, DC ↩
- Brown S., Taylor B., “See Spot Live Longer”, 2007 Creekobear Press, Eugene, OR USA, page 51 ↩
- National Research Council, National Academy of Science, “Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats”, 2006 Edition, National Academies Press, Washington, DC, p 317 ↩
Pampered Pooch and Pony Equine and Canine Consulting Services is a company committed to consumer education and improving the health of your dogs and horses. Our blog is here to provide you with quick access to nutritional information, and our products were created in the interest your dog and horse’s best health. Consider browsing through the articles that Mr. Sagman has written on his website Dog Food Advisor. His well written summaries should be an eye opening experience, to say the least…
Our treat ingredients are organic, human grade and simple. There is no need for artificial additives or preservatives in your pet’s diet. Pampered Pooch and Pony’s supplements are designed to provide the nutrition lacking in a proper diet, including a Omega 3 flax seed base, but without the unnecessary additives, chemicals, and by-products found in most other supplementation products.
August 25, 2011
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