One of the keys to helping your dog live a life of health and high performance is making sure they have sufficient energy stores. A dog’s energy reserves should be built up to allow them to perform to their max, but what is the best source of energy for a dog?
From DNA studies, we know dogs evolved directly from the timber wolf somewhere around 15,000 years ago [1] Wolves are notorious for the unique order in which they consume their prey. Straight after the kill, a wolf will tear open the animal’s abdominal cavity and consume the organs. The “prized meat,” which is consumed first, includes the liver, heart, kidneys, spleen, and other vital organs.
In fact the African Wild Dog is infamous for tearing open and eating the organs of its prey while it’s still alive! This instinctive desire to consume organs as a priority is shared between most predators in the animal kingdom and there is a reason for that. Fats are highly digestible forms of energy and are actually the primary energy source for all dogs.
What are fats and what do they do for dogs?
Fats have many important functions…Not only do they provide energy, but they are also necessary for the normal development and function of your dogs cells, nerves, muscles, and body tissues. Fats help to regulate your dogs normal bodily functions, reduce inflammation, and help with nutrient absorption. Fats are an optimal source of energy for canines since:
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Dogs get 2.5 times as much energy from fat as they do from carbs.
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Dogs metabolize 90-95% of fat they eat
How Much Fat Should You Feed Your Dog?
It’s important to remember that all dogs are individuals and vary based on their breed, age, gender, health and activity levels. However, Dr Ben Holding a greyhound nutrition adviser recommends a daily macronutrient intake of 25% Protein / 40% Fats / 35% carbohydrate for elite performance dogs such as greyhounds.
SO, What are good sources of Fat?
Good sources of fat for dogs are all animal based fatty meats. The highest animal fat can be found in Beef, Lamb, Pork and Fish. Some of the best cuts of Fat are Organ Meat – examples include liver, tripe, spleen, sweetbreads, brain, intestines, Testicles, and kidneys.
How much fat are you currently feeding? Let us know by dropping a comment below!
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