The evolution of dogs has gone from one of a being a strict carnivore to an omnivore digesting both animal and plant tissues. Dogs are no longer similar to their relative, the wolf, which is a strict carnivore subsisting on only meat. Although dogs do have a preference for meaty diets, they are able to live on vegetable protein as long as they supplemented with additional amino acids and other missing nutrients.

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.

It is important to feed and water your pet on a regular basis. To prevent overheating and dehydration, water should be available to your pet at all times, especially during periods of high activity. Puppies need to eat often, while adult dogs can be fed once or twice each day. For pet owners interested in feeding their dog a homemade diet, dog food recipes are available on the internet under the dog information section.

You will find Life's Abundance dog foods in both regular and low-cal varieties that will help your dog shed excess pounds. Dry dog foods, containing 90% dry ingredients and 10% water, are the ones most commonly purchased by dog owners. To make dry foods, most manufacturers use a mixture of grains, meat and meat by-products, vitamins, minerals, and fats. Life's Abundance, however, does not contain any meat by-products. Instead, it is high in proteins and is made of mostly meats, grains, and dried fruits, veggies, and herbs.

Many dogs prefer food from cans rather than dry kibble food. The aroma and flavor of dry diets sometimes is inferior to that of canned foods. As the years go by it has become noted that some dogs who live on dry food diets have less tartar build up on their teeth, less incidence of gum disease, and are less prone to be overweight. With canned diets however, over time gum inflammation can cause the teeth to recede and loosen. Also the bacteria associated with the disease can travel through the blood stream and harm the liver and kidneys.

Individual dogs vary greatly in the amount of food necessary for optimal weight and health. Active breeds such as Brittany Spaniels have a much higher metabolic rate than more placid breeds. Many adult dogs are overweight. Overweight dogs become flattened with fat over their loin or lumbar region but almost never on their legs. Lifes Abundance Weight Loss Formula natural dog food is perfect for overweight dogs. Growing dogs and puppies require considerably more food per pound body weight to thrive than adults or senior pets do.