The Benefits of High Meat Content in Dog Food

Mimics Natural/ Ancestral Diet

A protein based grain free food mimics a canines natural/ancestral diet as a carnivore.

Many pet nutritionists believe that dog and cat diets should mimic that of their ancestors because their digestive systems have barely changed. The dog and cat ancestors are wolves and wild cats, and from studying their diet it has become mostly agreed by nutritionists that dogs and cats should eat a diet containing around 60% meat and 40% plant matter like vegetables, herbs and fruit. Our brand nourish contains a minimum meat content of 50% on all dry dog & cat food and can rach as high as 70% in our kitten food. Learn more about nourish.

Helps lose weight and mantain lean muscle

Overweight dogs can achieve healthy weight loss through a high protein diet and caloric restriction.

Several studies have proven that providing higher levels of protein in a dog’s diet as part of a weight loss program can facilitate the loss of excess fat. Feeding your overweight dog a high-protein diet and implementing caloric restrictions can benefit them by:

• Helping him maintain lean body mass while shedding extra fat.
• Stimulating the burning of extra calories. Dogs burn more calories after a meal high in protein.
• Giving him a satisfied feeling of fullness after a meal.

High-protein diets became popular for their weight-loss benefits, so too can it help your dog if he/she is a little on the pudgy side. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that dogs fed a high-protein (47.5%), low-carbohydrate diet had a greater loss of body fat and higher conservation of lean body mass than those fed a lower-protein diet (23%). “A lot of times, I find with overweight dogs, it’s the drier, lower-protein diet that’s to blame,” says Tiffany Margolin, D.V.M. in Summerland, California, who recommends high-protein meals for her dog clients.

Great for Gestating and lactating dogs

A gestating dog’s diet should be high in protein. For lactating dogs, protein is just one factor to consider.

A lactating dog needs a high-quality, nutrient-dense diet that is also high in calories. Before deciding on a food, it’s wise to consult your veterinarian to be sure your gestating or lactating dog will be getting adequate protein, fat and calories during this critical time.

Nutritional Benefits

Dogs need 22 amino acids, 12 of which their bodies can produce on their own. Leaving 10 essential amino acids that your dog needs to get from food. These essential amino acids include arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Guess what they all have in common? Yes, you can find these amino acids in protein. Your dog needs protein to:

• Build proteins help your dog grow and help build cells, antibodies, hormones, tissues, and organs.
• Maintain muscle mass, reproductive, and the immune system is an important protein function.
• Repair proteins also help your dog repair tissue damage and heal better.

Great for Senior dogs & helps ease ageing

As dogs get older, they need more protein in their diet to help them maintain their ideal body condition. That’s why we formulate our senior dog foods with high levels of protein. See our Senior Grain free dog food.

High-protein dog food diets can also be particularly beneficial for older canines who are starting to experience muscle loss. “I notice a lot of good response to a high-protein diet for muscle loss,” says Dr. Margolin.

As for the controversy regarding high-protein diets harming kidneys in older dogs, “it’s all about the quality,” she adds.

Benefits Puppies

Complete and balanced dog foods are formulated to provide adult dogs with adequate dietary protein and amino acids (the building blocks of protein) to support their maintenance needs.

Growing puppies, however, require extra dietary protein while they grow and develop. It’s important to select a food that is formulated for puppies (or “All Life Stages”) and meets this demand. That is why are puppy foods have 60% meat content compared with our adult food which contains 50%.

Benefits Active Dogs

When your dog exercises, his muscles build and break down muscle protein at a much faster rate. The amino acids in protein promote muscle growth and recovery, which means that some extremely athletic dogs can benefit from a high-protein dog food.

This high protein content provides the raw materials your dog needs to build and replace his muscle tissues. It’s of primary importance if your dog is very active.