While dogs with specific medical issues may be affected by too much protein, by and large recent research suggests that the notion of having too much protein is a myth both for senior dogs as well as for puppies. Dogs thrive on quality protein and it should makes up at least half of your dog’s diet, the remaining ingredients falling into place at various ratios. One of the most important aspects of a dog’s diet is variety. Healthy humans typically follow the same basic idea, and we benefit from rotating the sources of our nutrients by having different meals every day. By following general guidelines about fat intake and activity level we can stay lean and healthy while getting the nutrients we need. I think the biggest mistake we make when feeding our dogs is getting stuck in a pattern of feeding the same foods repeatedly. Vets don’t always have a great handle on nutrition, but speaking to your vet about your dog’s overall health and lifestyle is a good place to start if you’re really concerned about too much protein. Providing all the minerals and vitamins is more of a challenge in home cooking than determining the protein amount, and then you have to decide if you want to use synthetic sources or natural sources. Find a pyramid that makes sense for your dog and switch it up.
