Excerpt from Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet by Steve Brown
Most modern dog foods come up short in comparison to the canine ancestral diet in three major ways:
- Not enough protein
- Unbalanced and incomplete fats.
- Can’t be completely nutritionally balanced without some fresh foods
Not enough protein – Protein provided 49% of the calories in the dog’s ancestral diet, our gold standard. Modern dogs eating typical dry foods get about half as much protein (25% of calories) and seven times the amount of carbohydrates (43%) as their ancestral diet provided.
Unbalanced, incomplete, and a time, rancid fats – The scientific evidence is overwhelming – dogs who eat the proper amounts of balanced fat with a complete range of fatty acids, are healthier and happier. These dogs: learn faster; remember more; see and hear better; have fewer skin, coat and other inflammatory problems; are more coordinated; are less likely to be obese; and will probably live longer than dogs who do not consume a proper balance of fats.
Can’t be complete without some fresh foods – Dogs, like people, need some fresh whole foods. In the past ten years, many long-term studies have shown that vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant from whole foods are more nutritious than the synthesized or refined forms found in most dog foods.
For additional information on commercial food and ways to bring the benefits of the canine ancestral diet to your dog, get Steve Brown’s Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet.