Do dogs live longer without kibble

11 Ways You're Shortening Your Dog's Life

According to theAssociation for Pet Obesity Prevention, an estimated 53 percent of dogs were overweight last year. In addition to that, the association found that 95 percent of the owners of these obese dogs incorrectly identified their pets as being at a normal weight. As Dr. Shari Brown, a veterinarian in Chesapeake, Virginia,notes, letting your dog get too heavy can not only reduce his life span but also his quality of life. People do not realize that dogs do not process or break down food like we do, she explains.

For example, when a dog eats 1 ounce of cheddar cheese, it is equivalent in calories to a human eating 1.5 hamburgers or 3 chocolate bars. And its not just people food that presents the issuesome dogs are simply being fed too much dog food or treats. I tell owners to treat each treat like a candy bar. Would you give your child 8 candy bars a day? Im guessing not, Dr. Brown adds.

Solution: Dr. Brown adviseslimiting the amount of people food you give to your pup and makingsure that you are correctly monitoring his intake of kibble. She also recommends that pet parents increase their obese pets' exercise routines, even if that means getting creative. If it is cold outside or the owner is unable to exercise much, put a leash on your dog and take them for a few laps around your backyard or house. Or put a leash on them and take them for a tour around the inside of your house, says Dr. Brown. Anything to get him moving.

If the weight still isn't coming off, consult your veterinarian, as they may want to put your pet on a dietary program. Your vet may also be able to help identify an underlying disorder, like hyperadrenocorticism or hypothyroidism, that may be contributing to weight gain.

Why Your Dog Wont Eat Kibble

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When it comes to feeding your dog, owners have plenty of options, from fresh dog food to canned food to raw food diets.

Lets talk kibble. Its easy and often inexpensive and, until now, your dog was perfectly happy eating it. Suddenly, though, your dog turns its nose up when you put the bowl down and it may not be clear why this happens. Luckily, dog owners have choices. Kibble, for all its convenience, isnt the only option for a dogs main diet.

Before you make any drastic changes to your dogs diet, consult your veterinarian. If your dog has suddenly stopped eating something theyve always eaten before, there may be intestinal or dental issues at play. If you determine that your pooch is just being picky, there are plenty of otherdog feeding optionson the market.

Add a Homemade Topping to Your Dogs Kibble

There are some simple homemade choices that you can add to your dogs kibble that may make it more palatable and even healthier. Cut up or pureefruits or vegetables, like carrots, green beans, and apples. Unsweetened cannedpumpkinhas fiber and may settle an upset stomach. Or try bone broth, which is thought to be good for the immune system.

Some owners may even opt forhomemade dog food. However, such diets should only be prepared with advice from a veterinarian and a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to ensure proper safety and nutrition standards.

A fully cooked egg added to kibble is a good source of protein and, as a bonus, manydogs love eggs. However, some dogs may have food sensitivities to eggs, so avoid them if thats the case with your pet. If your dog isnt lactose-intolerant, plain yogurt, especially those with lots of active bacteria, is good for a dogs digestive system. Any of these foods mixed in with kibble may entice your dog back to their food bowl.

One downside of adding food toppings is that your dog may decide they wont eat plain kibble anymore. Therefore, you may have to be prepared to make topping kibble a long-term commitment.

Try Canned Dog Food

As with any other dog food, theres a range of quality in canned food, from those that just barely meet nutritional standards to high-end well-balanced meals. Learning how toread the dog food labelwill help you choose. As a rule, high-quality canned food has more protein than kibble, contains fewer preservatives or artificial colorings, and has more moisture. On the other hand, it generally costs more than kibble, averaging anywhere from one to six dollars a day.

Research Raw Food Diets

Araw fooddiet tries to replicate food a dog would have eaten in the wild. It consists of some mixture of meat, bones, organ meat, raw eggs, some fruits, vegetables, and dairy.

Fans of raw diets believe its the healthiest option for their dogs and that it promotes shinier coats, cleaner teeth, more energy, and healthier skin. Naysayers point out the risks, which include exposure to harmful bacteria for both dogs and humans, an unbalanced diet, and the potential dangers of sharp pieces of bone injuring a dogs teeth and digestive tract.

In spite of its popularity, some research has come out against raw food diets. As early as 2012, the American Animal Hospital Association stated, Based on overwhelming scientific evidence, AAHA does not advocate or endorse feeding pets any raw or dehydrated non-sterilized foods, including treats that are of animal origin. TheAmerican Veterinary Medical Associationdiscourages the feeding to cats and dogs of any animal-source protein that has not first been subjected to a process to eliminate pathogens, because of the risk of illness to cats and dogs, as well as humans.

Additionally, some frozen raw dog foods have been recalleddue to the presence of pathogens like E. coli and salmonella. Owners feeding these diets should be careful to always stay aware of the most recent recall information for their brands.

If youre considering a raw food diet, be sure to consult your vet first. Be careful to purchase from brands that adhere to high safety measures in their preparation and packaging. Lastly, consider the cost. Commercially prepared raw meats can range from $2.50 to $5.00 a day.

Give Fresh Dog Food a Go

Theres a newer, increasingly popular addition to the array of dog food options: fresh dog food. For example,Ollieoffers human-grade food, made with natural ingredients like chicken, beef, carrots, lamb, and blueberries. The recipes are devised by veterinary nutritionists, are cooked to retain maximum nutrients, and held to the highest safety standards. Then meals are packaged in insulated boxes and delivered directly to your door.

Researchhas shown that dogs need a balance of meat and vegetables. As important, a dogs diet needs to suit their age, activity level, and general health. Rather than having to mix and match various types of food, Ollie has dog owners answer a few questions about their dog and then devises a customized meal plan, including the ingredients and amount of food your dog will receive in each meal.

There are many benefits to fresh food aside from convenience:

• Its made with ingredients you can trust. Fresh dog food labels wont include seven-syllable chemical and filler names, just actual, real food,
• Fresh dog food is highly bioavailable. A word often used in terms of medication, bioavailability describes the rate and degree at which a substance (in the case of dog food, nutrients) can be accessed and used by the body.
• Its good for the immune system. A diet rich in antioxidants and protein can boost a dogs immunity response and eliminate or lessen the severity of disease and illness.
• Weight management isbuilt-in. Portion control combined with a customized diet like the ones offered by Ollie eliminates the heavy starches and fillers that lead to weight gain.
• Owners report that dogs on a fresh food diet have healthier skin and coats, as well as fewer allergy symptoms.

Fresh food combines convenience with quality, nutrition, and safety. That does come with a price range of about two to twelve dollars a day, depending on your dogs size and how many meals they consume per day. So thats another factor to consider when deciding on dog food.

Youve established that your dog is healthy and that theres no medical reason for their aversion to kibble. Take heart! With so many options, ranging from canned and raw food to freshly prepared and packaged human-grade fresh dog food, youre bound to find something that suits your dogs taste as well as your preference and budget.

Can Dogs Live On Kibble Alone? (4 Benefits & How To Switch)

Kibble, also known as dry dog food, has been produced commercially long before the introduction of wet dog foods. With different types of dog food in the market today, many dog people now have reasons to deem one type of dog food superior to others.

People often compare dogs to their wolf ancestors when trying to figure out whether dry dog food is best for them. But the truth is that dogs have evolved in many ways to become omnivores, although they belong to the Order Carnivora. Now, is it possible for dogs to live off kibble?

Yes, dogs can thrive on just kibble and it is a healthy and safe option for them provided that you avoid cheap, low-quality products. Dry dog food is packed with all the essential nutrients for your pooch in a balanced proportion. Consider your dogs health, age, activity level, and allergies when choosing the best dog food for him.

While kibble-based diets are sufficient for your dogs nutrition, theres every chance that your dog may prefer wet food to kibble because he knows what food tastes and smells better. You can make your dogs kibble more palatable by adding different varieties of foods like chicken, beef, carrots, apple, peanut butter, salmon, eggs, blueberries, popcorn, and more.

Benefits Of Dry Dog Food

Some important benefits of dry dog foods to consider includes, but no limited to:

1. Contains All Nutritional Needs Of Your Dog

Kibble is specially formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of your dog. It contains a source of protein, grains, starch, vitamin, and mineral-rich vegetables and fruits. Hence, you dont need to supplement kibble with wet dog food, raw diets, or healthy treats to achieve balanced nutrition.

You are unlikely to encounter problems finding dog food best suited for your dog. For example, you can find grain-free dog food for dogs who suffer from allergies but dogs with high activity levels will need more carbs for a greater energy boost. However, you have to make sure that the kibble is high-quality and exceeds AAFCO guidelines for complete and balanced nutrition in dogs.

2. Improves Your Dogs Dental Health

Besides maintaining good oral hygiene in your dog through regular brushing, the teeth cleaning action of kibble is effective in removing plaques and preventing their calcification. Unlike wet dog foods, there is a lower risk of kibble sticking to your dogs teeth to cause dental plaque.

While the texture of the kibble plays an important part in teeth cleaning, cleaning action is not special to kibble. It is the chewing process that produces this effect, and the same can be achieved with dog chew toys or some other solid objects.

In contrast, dry dog food is not recommended for dogs with broken teeth or any painful dental problem. If you should feed kibble to such a dog, make sure to dissolve it with water or chicken broth.

3. Easier To Serve and Store

The reason why I prefer to use kibble for my furry friend is the convenience it provides. Since you dont need to cut, cook or dehydrate kibble-based diets before serving, its a huge time saver. All you need to do is measure the amount of dog food appropriate for your dogs age, size, activity level, and health status, and serve it to your dog in a clean food bowl.

You can choose to store your kibble in its original bag or transfer it to a clean airtight container to prevent contamination. Due to the fat content of kibble, preservatives are added to prolong their shelf life and prevent them from going rancid quickly.

4. Has A Lower Price Tag

Apart from being less time-consuming, dry dog food is also a relatively cheaper option to go for but this doesnt make it less healthy for your pooch.

Make sure the quality of the dog food is not tampered with. Take note of the various ingredients in the kibble and stay away from dog food with bad ingredients like corn syrup, food dye, BHA, BHT, propylene glycol, rendered fat, and melamine.

Also Read: Dog Eats Only Human Food But Not Dog Food (5 Common Reasons & What To Do)

Do Dogs Get Tired of Eating Kibble Every Day?

Dogs are different from their human counterparts in that they do not need different varieties of food. They may prefer wet dog food and other food with irresistible taste and smell but dogs dont necessarily need more than just kibble.

That said, dogs are smart and sometimes may refuse to eat their kibble if they trust that youll eventually show up with some yum-yum goodies. But once good eating habits are appropriated in your dogs, they are less likely to nose up at their kibble.

With picky dog breeds, its preferable to mix their kibbles with chicken, raw eggs, bone broth, vegetables, and healthy treats all in moderate amounts.

Choosing The Best Dry Kibble For Your Dog

As dogs may not be able to tell what food is suitable for them, its your responsibility as a dog parent to make that decision. There is no single best kibble for all dogs but you can find one thats tailored for your Fido based on various factors which include;

Age & Size: Dogs have different nutritional requirements at different stages of their life. Hence, food for adult dogs may not be suited for young pups. The same applies to small and large dog breeds.

Health: If your dog must be healthy and strong, his diet should contain all essential nutrients in the right proportion.

Presence of Food Allergies: Dogs can be allergic to a certain dog food ingredient like chicken, and grain. If your dog has a poultry allergy you can choose kibbles with other protein sources like lamb, pork, or fish. Grain-free kibbles exist for dogs with grain allergies.

Activity Level: Energetic and hardworking dogs often have higher calorie requirements than their calm, couch-surfing counterparts.

A great way to check for the contents of your dog food is by reading the label. The main ingredients are usually listed first, hence, ensure this includes a meat-based diet. As mentioned earlier, go for high-quality dog food that exceeds the AAFCO guidelines for complete and balanced nutrition.

Its important to choose your dry dog food from a reputable brand because the label doesnt provide information (at least not so reliable) on the product quality. Asking other dog owners will also point you in the right direction.

Do Dogs Live Longer If They Only Eat Kibble?

It has not been scientifically proven whether kibble can extend the lifespan of canines. But with a lot of cheap, low-grade, dry dog food in supermarkets containing harmful preservatives and fillers instead of high-quality ingredients, the odds are not your dogs favor.

Provided you get high-quality kibble for your pooch, they will live long and healthy lives. Of course, you have to ensure that you give them the best care and never neglect regular vet checkups.

Also Read: Help! My Dog Has Diarrhea At Night Only (8 Reasons Explained)

How To Prevent Or Break Picky Eating Habits in Dogs

Dog owners often complain of their canines turning their noses up at a bowl of dry kibble. The reason for such behavior can range from dental issues, stomach upset, and other underlying health issues to picky eating habits. But we are going to focus on how you can deal with picky eating habits.

Remember, dogs dont need varieties and can live healthily eating only kibble so if your dog refuses to eat kibble chances are that you have always fed your dog whatever he likes, hence, hell prefer human food or treats to his kibble. Pickiness may be common with your dogs breed.

Whatever the case may be, its always important to instill good feeding habits in your dog through proper training and feeding routines. Its also okay to mix his kibble with wet dog food, fruits, veggies, and healthy treats. You can gradually reduce the amount of non-kibble diet in his food till he starts to eat the food once again.

Switching To Dry Dog Food

As mentioned earlier, there are several benefits of feeding your pooch a kibble-based diet as opposed to wet dog food including convenience, lower cost, improved dental health, easy storage, and longer shelf life.

Switching your dog to dry food should not be a quick process. This is because your dogs digestive system has not adjusted to dry dog food, hence, he can suffer from gastrointestinal upset if a full transition is carried out immediately.

You can start the switching process by replacing a little amount (say ) of his wet food with dry food. Then continue reducing the amount of wet food slowly until your transition is completed.

Final Thoughts: Can Dogs Eat Kibble Alone?

A kibble-only diet for dogs is enough to provide them with all important nutrients. Not only is kibble a healthy diet option for your dog, but it can also provide dental health benefits to them. Always make sure that the kibble you are getting is of high quality and your pooch will be ever thankful.

As a dog parent, its important to take the necessary measures to see that your four-legged friend lives a long, healthy life. If you are quite unsure whether a kibble-based diet will be best for your dog or notice any unusual behavior in your dog, its always advisable to consult your veterinarian.

In conclusion, Its okay to feed your dog dry food only if its suitable for you and your pooch.

I hope I left no stone unturned in answering your questions. Thanks for stopping by.