Dog is man’s best friend, says the Western world proverb. Through centuries and millenniums dogs perform many roles for humans. They protect us, they assist us hunting, herding, pulling loads. Dogs are devoted companions and, more recently, they often aid handicapped individuals. They were some of the first domesticated animals in the world, having lied with humans from the prehistoric times. All dog breeds are descendants from wolves. Dogs are still our faithful friends and probably the most popular pets on the planet.
They are not just a cuddly play buddies. A dog is a living being, that can feel love and joy, as well as pain and fear. A dog can be angry or sad, but if you take good care of him, you’ll have a loyal and happy companion. If you decide to bring a dog to your home, you should carefully consider all the responsibilities that come along. In order to raise your pet in good and healthy way, you should provide it the best living conditions, which include accommodation, all sorts of activities, healthcare and diet.
The dog’s menu
Many owners anthropomorphize their dog. Although they got used to humans environment and food we eat, they are carnivores in the first place. They are not obligate carnivores as cats, but they are far from eating everything we do. Their body has the ability of digesting high quality vegetable proteins as well as those of animal origin and it can also withstand larger amounts of fat as opposed to people.
On the other hand, their digestion system and body can tolerate starch as an energy source only if it is completely boiled and in proportion adjusted to the physiological limits. Dog needs for vitamins and minerals are quite different from humans. For example, a puppy needs much less vitamins than a human baby.
Many owners are wrong when they give their pets various different food and change it in short terms. Ideally, a dog should eat the same food from the same bowel at the same time every day. That is exactly the opposite of what they owners would like them to do. In fact, frequent changes in diet can cause dogs many digestion problems. It upsets their stomach and can cause them diarrhea or some other health issues. Dog’s intestinal micro flora gets adapted to a particular type of food and each sudden change would disturb it. It simply does not give enough time good bacteria to adapt to the new conditions. As a result, there come many digestion problems. Therefore, variations in feeding dogs can be tolerated only within the range of food of similar composition.
You can feed your dog with only commercial food, made especially for dogs or only with homemade food. Mix of the two is also a good solution. Just make sure that your pet gets all the necessary nutrients. Fresh food like raw fruit should also be given to dogs. In small amount, it supports their digestion system and can be very beneficial to their health in general.
Do dogs eat raw fruit?
The answer is yes. Actually, raw fruit is recommended as good food for a dog. Since it is a natural source of nutrients in a wild, you could often see a dog trying to get fresh fruit from the garden or table. Dogs can safely eat most of the fruits as we do. Apples, pears, watermelon, cherries (can dogs eat cherries?) and even sweet fruit like dates and bananas are all good for your dog. Just make sure you not overfeed it. A small portion of fruit, even on a daily basis, would make dog’s bowels function correctly, as it is full of good dietary fiber. On the other hand, some fruit has really high level of sugar, so it should be given only as a treat.
Are nectarines good for dogs?
Nectarines and peaches are safe for dogs as a good snack. If you give them pitted, in small quantities, your dog would enjoy all the fruit benefits, without any health problems.
Be extremely careful if your dog moves freely in the yard and you have a nectarine or peach tree. Your dog would very likely eat a lot of them. The problem are not juicy sweet parts of these fruits, but the pits. The pits of any fruit can be a potentional choking hazard, so it is advised that you keep your dog away from nectarine or peach tree.
Nectarine pits are also dangerous if eaten in larger amounts. They contain poisonous cyanide, which is bad both for dogs and humans. Therefore, too much nectarine pits could cause stomach discomfort and more serious problems However, in order to do so, they need to be crushed and taken in a very large amount.
So, nectarines can be good for your dog, if you give them properly and in a moderate amount. The best advice is to cut them and remove the pits before feeding.
You can also feed dogs vegetables. Some kale might be good for your pups every now and then.
