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Dog Nutrition Needs – Love Your Pet

Love and Learn Your Dog Nutrition needs

Must know tips and information to educate yourself with.

🐶 Understanding Your Dog’s Nutrition Needs

When you welcome a dog or puppy into your life, you’re making a long-term commitment. Along with love and companionship, you are now responsible for every aspect of their wellbeing — including their dog nutrition needs.

Dogs rely on us completely for their health, happiness, and proper care. That includes making informed choices about their food, exercise, grooming, and overall lifestyle.

🏡 Choosing the Right Dog for Your Life

Before you bring home a puppy or dog, it’s essential to plan wisely.

✅ Start with a Reputable Breeder

If you’re buying a puppy, consider only registered breeders who care about the dogs’ welfare and future homes.

They typically:

  • 🧬 Provide information about vaccinations and breed-specific health issues

  • 🐾 Ensure pups stay with their mum and siblings for at least 8 weeks

  • 💬 Offer guidance on nutrition and early care

Removing a puppy too early may lead to developmental and behavioural issues later in life.

🔍 Research the Breed Before You Decide

Different breeds have very different needs — especially when it comes to energy, nutrition, and exercise.

🐕 High-Energy Breeds

Working breeds like Border Collies or Kelpies are highly active and require:

  • 🏃‍♂️ Daily physical exercise

  • 🧠 Mental stimulation

  • 👫 Early socialisation with other dogs and humans

🛋️ Low-Energy Breeds

Other breeds are more relaxed, but they may:

  • 🍽️ Eat more or have specific dietary requirements

  • 💰 Cost more in food and healthcare

  • ✂️ Need regular and breed-specific grooming (e.g., Poodles, Malamutes)

📝 Always consider your lifestyle, schedule, and resources before choosing a breed.

🥩 Fulfilling Your Dog’s Nutrition Needs

Nutrition is not one-size-fits-all. Meeting your dog’s nutritional needs is just as important as meeting their social or emotional needs.

  • 🐕 Puppies need high-calorie, growth-supportive food

  • 🐶 Adult dogs require a balanced diet based on age, activity level, and breed

  • 🧓 Senior dogs may benefit from specific supplements or joint-support formulas

For optimal health, consult your vet or a canine nutritionist to tailor your dog’s diet to their needs.

🚫 The Cost of Poor Planning

Sadly, many dogs are surrendered or abandoned because their owners didn’t think ahead.

😔 The Emotional Rush vs Long-Term Responsibility

Far too often, people bring a puppy home in a moment of emotional excitement. However:

  • 🍼 Puppies grow — fast

  • 💩 They require time, patience, and consistent care

  • 🧾 They come with lifelong responsibilities and costs

When reality hits, some owners walk away, leaving innocent dogs:

  • 🏚️ Homeless or abandoned

  • 🐾 Confused and traumatised

  • 😢 In shelters, possibly facing euthanasia

🐾 Be a Responsible Pet Owner

Before you make the decision to bring a dog into your life:

  • 🧠 Think through the long-term commitment

  • 💬 Talk to experts — breeders, vets, trainers

  • 📚 Research breed, food, grooming, and exercise requirements

❤️ Your Dog Deserves the Best

By taking the time to plan ahead and fully understand your dog’s nutrition needs, behavioural needs, and breed-specific care, you give them the best chance at a happy, healthy life.

And in return, you’ll receive a lifetime of love, loyalty, and companionship.

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DOGS AND CATS ARE CARNIVORES

  • Teeth designed for biting, ripping, tearing, crunching meat and bones.
  • Jaws structure allows large gulping acNon, they don’t chew
  • Saliva has no amylase enzyme to break down plant mader, carbohydrate and starch
  • Highly acidic gut designed digest raw meat, fat, bone and organs
  • No bacteria to break down cellulose and starch. Pancreas does not produce enough amylase enzyme
  • Dogs and cats naturally choose to hunt and eat a raw wild prey diet high in protein from raw meat and organs
  • Dogs closely resemble the grey wolf and cats are descendant from the Africa wild cat

Testimonials

I had dogs all my life but I learned a think or two from Ron..maybe more😊
And the think that I can call him anytime to ask for advice is a big plus for us
We adopted a 2.5 years old American stuffy that wasn’t socialised correctly and as we did not know his past made me really nervous and did not know how to treat him
Ron eased my fears and help me train the dog the right way
Now we have a lovely boy that stole our hearts
Thank you Ron

Adriana Leventis

Wow, where do I start? Ron has an incredible wealth of knowledge about dogs and their psychology. He also has a “presence” that right away my very cute but naughty puppy responded to. This is the FOURTH trainer we’ve seen since we’ve had the pup and he is the first to make total sense and apply proper dog psychology to explain the methods he uses. I’ve been given such conflicting information by the other trainers, and wasted so much time (and money!), I wish I knew about Cause for Paws Dog Training 5 months ago. If you’re a fan of Cesar Millan, this is basically the Cesar Millan of Australia. I almost felt like I was in a “Dog Whisperer” episode! Such an eye opener. Thank you Ron, I am very confident that with your advice and my persistence we will turn this troublesome puppy into a good dog at last

Laetitia Rodrigues

Highly Qualified, Extremely Knowledgeable Above and Beyond Customer Service and after service .
My wife and I adopted to beautiful recue dogs, after a month of unchartered waters and two dogs in much need of training we decided to search for a Highly specialised dog behaviourist/trainer. I was extremely sceptical of dog trainers as my daughter had previously invested time and money with various other dog trainers for her dog with little or no result.
Due to my scepticism, my wife called Ron and spoke with him at length for half an hour as well as explained my apprehension due to my daughters experience with her past dog trainers. I then called Ron and spoke with him for an hour. Based on his past experience and wealth of knowledge and qualifications I decided to get Ron to come to our house and meet our dogs and teach us the correct method on handling certain situations.
To our amazement, our dogs bonded immediately with Ron and we spent another couple of hours going through the correct procedures and training of not only the dogs but training us as well.
We discussed all aspects of having a pet, from feeding and diet through to walking, exercises and best practice to ensure we would have many years of wonderful experiences with our dogs.
Ron guaranteed he would provide an after service if required, I can honestly say that he has stuck to his promises and we have contacted him on occasions when we have had some issues, he has always been there to help us. Due to his passion for animals and dogs he has always gone “above and beyond” to ensure we have a very happy relationship with our dogs.
We have been extremely happy with our choice to use Ron as our dog behaviourist, are dogs are much better trained, much more healthier and happy, we would not hesitate to recommend Ron and his services to anyone wishing to employ his expert knowledge and advice.
On behalf of my wife, myself, Marley and Patchy we cant thank you enough.

Derek Magid
Botany

🥩 Dog Nutrition Needs: Carnivores at Heart

From the smallest Chihuahua to the largest Mastiff, all dogs share one essential trait: they are carnivores by nature.

While some claim that dogs are omnivores, this theory is yet to be definitively proven. What we do know — based on science, biology, and behaviour — is that dogs thrive on a carnivorous diet.

Carnivorous dog and wolf comparison

🐕 What Do Dogs Eat in the Wild?

Domesticated or not, dogs are descendants of wolves.
In the wild, wolves are opportunistic feeders, meaning they’ll eat whatever they can find to survive.

🍖 Survival vs Diet Type

  • If prey is scarce, they’ll scavenge.

  • If nothing is available, they may face starvation.

  • This doesn’t make them omnivores — it makes them adaptable carnivores.

Dogs will eat many things when food is limited, but biologically, they are designed to digest meat.

🦴 Carnivore Traits in Dog Anatomy

To understand why dog nutrition needs should be met with a carnivorous diet, we must look at their anatomy.

🐺 Skull & Jaw Structure

The shape of a dog’s head may differ slightly from its wolf ancestor, but its jaw mechanics remain identical:

  • 🔗 A hinge joint allows the jaw to move in a scissoring motion

  • 🐴 Unlike herbivores (e.g. horses, cows), dogs cannot chew in a circular motion

  • 🦷 Their teeth are designed to tear flesh, not grind plants

💧 Saliva & Digestion

Another sign of carnivorous adaptation:

  • 🧬 Saliva in dogs lacks digestive enzymes

  • Its primary role is to lubricate food, not break it down.

  • True digestion begins in the stomach, not the mouth

⚠️ Why It Matters: Feeding Dogs Properly

Understanding the biological and evolutionary makeup of dogs helps us make better nutritional choices for them.

🚫 Risks of Omnivore Diets

Feeding your dog like an omnivore — with grains, carbs, and fillers — can result in:

  • ⚖️ Weight gain

  • 🧠 Behavioural changes

  • 🩺 Allergies or digestive issues

✅ Benefits of a Carnivore-Appropriate Diet

When dogs are fed according to their natural carnivorous needs:

  • 💪 They maintain strong muscle and energy levels

  • 🐾 Their skin and coat stay healthy

  • 🧬 Their body functions remain balanced and disease-resistant

🐶 Respecting the Nature of Dogs

Domesticated dogs still carry the instincts and biology of their wild ancestors.
Respecting their true nutritional needs as carnivores is key to ensuring a healthy, balanced life.

Your dog may eat bread, vegetables, or even sweets if offered, but that doesn’t mean they’re suited for it.

🐾 Conclusion: Feed Your Dog the Way Nature Intended

In conclusion, your dog’s nutritional needs are rooted in their carnivorous biology.

Whether you have a teacup Poodle or a giant Mastiff, feeding a meat-based, biologically appropriate diet supports optimal health, behaviour, and longevity.

Dogs: The Omnivore-Carnivore Question
by Dr. Jeannie Thomason & Dr. Kim Bloomer

The teeth

Look in your dog’s mouth. “Those huge impressive teeth (or tiny needle sharp teeth) are designed for grabbing, ripping, tearing, shredding, and shearing meat” (Feldhamer, G.A. 1999. Mammology: Adaptation, Diversity, and Ecology. McGraw-Hill. pg 258).

Dog Teeth and Natural Diet

A dog eating raw food

🦷 Understanding a Dog’s Teeth: Designed for Meat

When considering proper dog nutrition, it’s essential to look at their anatomy — specifically, their teeth and jaw structure. Unlike omnivores, which have flat molars for grinding plants, dogs have teeth designed for tearing and crushing meat.

🐺 Carnivores vs. Omnivores: What’s the Difference?

Omnivores, such as humans or pigs, have:

  • 🦷 Flat, chisel-like incisors for cutting plant stems

  • 🦷 Large molars designed for grinding fibrous material

In contrast, dogs as carnivores have:

  • 🐾 Sharp front teeth and long canines for puncturing and slashing

  • 💪 Premolars and molars (aka flesh teeth) for tearing and shearing meat

  • 🦴 The ability to crush small bones and cut through tendons

🍖 What Are Carnassial Teeth?

One of the most distinctive features in a carnivore’s mouth is the carnassial pair:

  • 🔪 The fourth upper premolar and the first lower molar

  • 🦷 Specialised to act like scissors — slicing meat, bone, and hide efficiently

Compare this with the flat molars of omnivores (e.g. bears, pigs, and humans) — built for grinding, not slicing.
Dogs lack these flat grinding surfaces, which clearly indicates their natural diet is not plant-based.

💪 Powerful Jaws Built for Prey

Dogs aren’t just built to eat meat — they’re built to hunt and process it:

  • 🐶 Strong jaw and neck muscles help bring down prey

  • 📐 Their jaws open wide for gulping large chunks of meat

  • 🔒 The mandibular fossa (jaw joint) is deep and C-shaped, allowing only up-and-down crushing motion

  • 🔄 Unlike herbivores and omnivores, dogs cannot chew side to side

These anatomical features leave no doubt: dogs are evolved meat-eaters, not veggie-grinders.

📚 Scientific Insight: What the Experts Say

“Teeth are highly specialized and structured specifically for the diet the animal eats…”
– Feldhamer, G.A. 1999. Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, and Ecology.

In species like canids, felids, and mustelids, we see:

  • 🦷 Greater tooth and claw development

  • 🐾 Enhanced carnassial teeth

  • 🏃‍♂️ Cursorial locomotion (adapted for hunting prey)

These traits support a diet that consists primarily of freshly killed meat.

🍽️ Our Recommendation for a Balanced Carnivore Diet

With over 40 years of experience in biologically appropriate canine nutrition, Cause for Paws recommends feeding your dog a diet that reflects its evolutionary needs.

✅ We proudly support the raw feeding philosophy and recommend:

🔗 Raw & Fresh – Natural Dog Food
A trusted supplier of fresh, balanced meals — made to meet your dog’s true carnivorous nutritional needs.

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