Basic Nutrition

We all know proper nutrition is important for the health and well being of our companions - it does get confusing with all the marketing ads, people recommending various diets, nutrition ratings, weird names listed in ingredients, formula changes etc.

I found this site very informative on how each nutrient is broken down on what its needed for, where to find it, signs of deficiency and excess intake: http://www.gooddogk9training.com/dog-nutrition.cfm . I thought it interesting to note various ailments caused by under/over doing specific nutrients. I looked them up separately to see the accuracy of this information and it seems right on. It does fail to list meat sources for vitamin C (ascorbic acid) which can be found in chicken liver (27 mg), cured pork/ham (34 mg) and Veal (49 mg) which are sufficient amounts since dogs create ~ 18mg per pound on their own by using trace minerals through their own liver.

Here is a listing of all nutrients a dog needs from Merck Vet Manual: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/htm/bc/tmgn46.htm It is interesting to note only some nutrients have a maximum value and it does not list Vitamin C as a needed source.

That's fantastic-thank you for posting. It explains why, when I was giving the puppies eggs and liver every other day, they stopped poop eating. They needed the vitamins! Guess the dogs are going to start getting eggs and liver again!

Just make sure the eggs are not given more than 2 times a week and the liver not to exceed once a week ...too much of a good thing can be as disastrous

I found it intriguing on how out of 5 - one would have coprophagia and another have low thyroid while the rest seem ok and essentially being raised the same way and not knowing why ...now I know

This research was inspired from a past dachshund adopters daughter who adopted a dachshund from a different breeder that wasn't willing to help on obvious nutritional deficiencies he was suffering from that was coming out in various ways from temperament to skin/coat problems - while I am an advocate for raw feeding - I am not opposed to kibble either (most pups are weaned to kibble) ....every one has the best intentions in providing nutrients as best as they can..some kibbles are outstanding and come very close to raw feeding then again no matter what is fed any dog can have deficiencies - very much like genetics