So, Why Fresh?

When You Want The Best Outcome For Your Own Health And Wellbeing You Improve Your Diet By Eating More Fresh Food And Less Processed Foods So, Why Should We Keep Feeding Our Dog Processed Dry Foods That Do Not Resemble Healthy Fresh Food?

Unveiling the Importance of Real, Fresh Food for Your Dog's Health

Recent studies have delved into the ancestral lineage of dogs, tracing their origins back to the carnivorous grey wolf domesticated roughly 130,000 years ago. This genetic connection, with dogs sharing 98.8% of their DNA with wolves, underscores the importance of feeding them a balanced, real, and fresh food diet rather than processed alternatives for optimal health and well-being.

1. Evolutionary Perspective:

- Dogs' evolutionary history aligns closely with that of the carnivorous grey wolf, highlighting their genetic predisposition towards a meat-based diet.

- The shared genetic heritage between dogs and wolves suggests an inherent preference for nutrient-rich, animal-derived foods.

2. Digestive System Adaptations:

- Dogs possess a digestive system optimized for processing meat, bone, and fat, reflected in their jaw structure designed for tearing and chewing meat.

- The absence of amylase in their saliva limits their ability to efficiently digest plant material, emphasising the importance of a diet rich in animal protein with limited plant matter.

3. Gastric Physiology:

- Canine gastric physiology features a highly acidic environment, conducive to the breakdown of protein-rich foods.

- The low gastric pH during digestion facilitates efficient protein hydrolysis, contributing to nutrient absorption and utilization.

4. Nutritional Requirements:

- While primarily carnivorous, dogs may exhibit a preference for certain vegetables, fruits, and herbs, suggesting a facultative carnivorous dietary strategy.

- A balanced diet incorporating a variety of nutrient sources, including animal and plant-based ingredients, is essential to meet the diverse nutritional needs of dogs.

5. Dietary Considerations:

- Recognising the limitations of canine digestive physiology, methods such as cooking or blending plant-based ingredients may enhance nutrient bioavailability and digestibility.

- Tailoring the diet to individual preferences and nutritional requirements ensures optimal health and well-being for dogs.

Conclusion

By understanding the evolutionary and physiological underpinnings of canine nutrition, pet parents can make informed choices regarding their dog's diet. Embracing real, fresh foods that align with their ancestral heritage and biological adaptations promotes longevity and vitality, enriching the lives of our beloved companions.

The excerpt below is taken from the book "Transform Wellness" By Dr Joe Tilley of Core Wellness Centres. -

"As a nation, we are obsessed with finding the next big trend in nutrition. Whether we are counting calories, reducing portion size or shaming fats, we are constantly on a search for the secret formula. The key thing is there is no secret, no one size fits all; the answer lies in a template of what our ancestors ate. If you speak to any zoologist who studies animals they will tell you that every species has a specific nutritional plan for them to stay healthy and alive. 

We are the only species on the planet that believes we can eat anything. This is where the problem with our nutrition begins. When animals eat and live in accordance with the environment to which they've adapted, they thrive. Cats, with their sharp teeth and short intestinal tracts, evolved to be carnivores. Cows have adapted to naturally graze on grass, with four stomachs and jaws that are capable of moving sideways. As soon as we put either of these animals on a diet outside of their natural habitat by feeding them grain, we start seeing changes to their health. 

In fact look at the animals we have domesticated, zoo animals or pets. These animals are now some of the sickest animals on the planet, obese, depressed and carrying similar western diseases unheard of in wild animals. When did you ever watch obese, depressed animals on David Attenborough's Planet Earth. Our biology and genes adapted to a particular environment, then that environment changed far faster than we could adapt - resulting in the modern epidemic of chronic disease. For the vast majority of our existence, we lived as hunter-gatherers sourcing only ingredients that the land or sea provided us. 

We caught our own meat or fish, foraged for vegetables and fruits that were in season. The Agricultural Revolution dramatically altered our food supply and way of life. We settled in one place, planted crops and domesticated animals. We began eating foods that never existed to our hunter-gather ancestors, such as dairy products, copious grains, ate farm-raised meats, pulses and other cultivated plants. On top of this in more recent times, the introduction of agrochemicals in farming and an upward trend of processed long-lite convenience foods, we find ourselves a far cry from what we should be eating as a species"

We would like to give A special thank you to Dr Tilley for giving us permission to use this excerpt in our article.

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