What actually ends up in the food bowl?
If you want to know exactly what's going on, you can do it yourself. It's important that your four-legged friend is provided with all the essential nutrients he needs. Therefore, you should consider your dog's nutritional needs thoroughly in advance.
In general, a ration should be structured roughly as follows:
IMPORTANT NOTE: With vegan rations, it is not possible to make general statements about the necessary amounts of ingredients in correlation with the dog's weight. This is because lupin flour, chickpeas, and the like vary considerably in their composition. While a few grams of one component are sufficient, a much larger amount of the other may be needed to meet the needs of various substances. For this reason, we regularly produce precisely adjusted Recipes on our blog. These are calculated using a special program and tailored to your individual weight.
But now to the individual ingredients.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates have unfairly gained a bad reputation in recent years. They are very easy for our dogs to digest, as long as they have been broken down beforehand, for example, through cooking. To meet our four-legged friends' energy needs, they must be fed foods made up of sugar molecules. These cannot be fully covered by proteins or other nutrients. Furthermore, individual carbohydrates have different concentrations of essential nutrients. Potatoes, for example, are known for their high potassium content, oatmeal replenishes magnesium stores, and quinoa, a health booster with numerous positive properties, is a real winner.
For this reason, carbohydrates can now be added to the food bowl without a guilty conscience.
Proteins
One man's loss is another man's blessing. Unlike carbohydrates, proteins are currently enjoying exceptional popularity. High levels are being used for advertising and marketing purposes. But what's actually behind this?
Proteins are macromolecules composed of various amino acids. Ten of these amino acids are essential for dogs, meaning they cannot be synthesized by the body itself. They must therefore be supplied through food.
Proteins are broken down by various metabolic processes in the liver and kidneys. Excess can therefore place a strain on these organs and thus on the body. This becomes particularly critical if diseases such as chronic kidney failure or impaired liver function are already present.
That's why quality over quantity counts! The protein fed should be high-quality and easily digestible, as well as contain the amino acids essential for dogs. Cooked pulses and protein powder are excellent choices.
Fats
In addition to carbohydrates and proteins, dogs need high-quality fats. These not only provide energy but also have a positive effect on the immune system and skin/coat. As a rule of thumb, at least 0.5 g should be provided per day and kilogram. Hemp oil, chia oil, linseed oil, evening primrose oil, and others have a good composition for dogs. Olive oil, on the other hand, while extremely healthy for humans, is not ideal for dogs. It's important to note that EPA and DHA are two fatty acids with outstanding properties—but they are only found in algae (and certain fish). Since salmon oil is not included in vegan diets, algae products such as capsules, oils, or powders should be used.
Fibers
Organic fruit
Fiber is an important aid to digestion. It is found primarily in vegetables. In addition to their high fiber content, they also provide various vitamins and, when combined with various fruits, are a real fitness booster. The general rule is: All vegetables that need to be cooked for humans should also be cooked for dogs. Vegetables that we eat raw ourselves can also be eaten raw by dogs. The finer the fruit and vegetables are chopped, the better the various vital nutrients are available. It is recommended to use regional and seasonal organic varieties, as this minimizes the ecological footprint and puts less strain on the dog's body.
Since avocados, onions, garlic, and leeks are sometimes poisonous (depending on the dosage and plant part), they should not be fed to birds. Grapes should never be provided!
Minerals
ALL-IN VELUXE
Since natural ingredients do not provide all essential nutrients in sufficient quantities, it should be supplemented with a mineral powder. For this purpose, we have developed the “ALL-IN VELUXE” The amount to be administered depends on the raw materials to which it is added. For this purpose, we regularly develop new Recipes and offer individual ration calculations. This way, our vegan four-legged friends get everything they need to thrive in good health.
We wish you bon appetite
Your VEGDOG team