Dogs have evolved from carnivorous meat eaters into omnivores capable of digesting both animal and plant nutrients. They are no longer the same as their close relatives, the wolves, who are strict carnivores living on meat alone. Although dogs prefer meat-based foods, they can survive on vegetable proteins as long as other missing nutrients and amino acids are added.

Good nutrition and a balanced diet are essential for your dog's health. People often have questions on dog food. Here is some dog food information that should help. What and when you feed your dog early in life will shape its preferences when it is older. This applies to time of day, odor, texture and taste and meal temperature. Up to fifty percent of an adult dogs diet can come from carbohydrates such as grain.

Pets should have access to fresh water at all times. This is especially important to avoid dehydration and overheating during periods of heavy physical activity or simply during hot weather. Adult dogs usually do well being fed once or twice a day while puppies should be fed more frequently. Nutritionally complete dog food recipes that can be prepared at home can be found on the Internet by searching for dog information.

Lifes Abundance dog foods are available in regular variety and in a special formulation to assist overweight dogs to lose weight. In general, more dry food is sold than any other type. Dry foods contain about 90% dry matter and 10% water. They are a blended mixture of grains, meat and meat by-products, fats, mineral and vitamins. Lifes Abundance is a premium quality dry food that never contains meat by-products, but does contain a high proportion of protein - mostly meats, with some grains and some dried vegetables, fruit and herbs.

Some dogs prefer the more-appealing flavors, aromas and palatability of canned food factors that are generally far superior to dry diets. Dry foods, however, tend to be much healthier for dogs over time. Dry dog foods help eliminate tartar on a dog's teeth, and the incidence of gum disease with a dry diet is greatly reduced. Without being able to crunch and chew the harder dry foods, a dog will develop a lot of inflammation of the gums surrounding his teeth which leads to teeth receding and loosening. The bacteria associated with gum infection can actually travel through the dog's bloodstream and result in kidney and liver damage. Canned foods also contain more fat, so dogs that eat a diet high in canned food have more problems with obesity.

Sad but true, many adult dogs are overweight. As they outgrow puppyhood and reach their middle and senior years, they require less food. The amount of food they need also depends a lot on their breed as well as the personality of each dog. For example, a Brittany Spaniel is much more active and has a higher metabolic rate than dogs of many other breeds and will be able to eat more. If a dog becomes overweight, he will add excess fat in his loin and lumbar regions. Using a food like Life's Abundance Weight Loss Formula natural dog food will give your overweight dog more food to eat without adding an excess of calories.

Unlike their strictly carnivorous wolf ancestors, modern dogs are omnivores, capable of digesting nutrients from both animal and plant sources. Although dogs prefer meat-based foods, they do not actually require meat in their food. They still need a well-balanced diet and good nutrition however. High quality dog food provides protein, carbohydrates, and essential vitamins or minerals. It can be dry or canned. Lifes Abundance dog food is a good selection for high quality dog food without meat by-products. Dog owners can also prepare dog food recipes that have been veterinarian-approved. Breed-specific and age-specific dog food information is also readily available online, to help you meet your dog's metabolic needs.