Related: The Best Probiotics for Dogs in 2023
As you explore probiotics, check out our always up-to-date list of the best probiotics for dogs. With so many brands on the market, we did our research to make picking the right one for your dog easy!
As direct descendents of wolves, dogs are classified under the order Carnivora, or mammals that eat a meat-based diet. Animals like dogs (and cats) that need to consume meat-specific proteins to remain healthy have shorter small intestines than omnivores or herbivores. In fact, all carnivores possess a digestive system that evolved to digest and extract essential nutrients from meat. As a result, feeding them diets high in grains like corn and wheat can lead to malnutrition, immune system disorders and chronic illnesses.
Dogs have teeth made for meat-eating. Designed to grip, shred and tear captured prey, a dog’s front and back teeth are jagged and sharp, precisely adapted to accommodate his digestive abilities. Alternately, plant-eating animals have rounded, blunt-edged teeth suited for grinding leaves, stems, seeds and other types of flora. In addition, your dog has hinged jaws and cannot move his jaws sideways like herbivores can. This unique anatomical feature allows dogs to open their mouths widely in order to consume large chunks of meat.
A dog’s stomach is a highly acidic environment where chewed meat is broken down into chyme before entering the intestines. Chyme is a fluid that flows into the small intestines where all nutrients contained in the chyme is absorbed by the dog’s body. All waste products then pass into the large intestine. Electrolytes and water are assimilated here and intestinal bacteria break down undigested fiber that is later excreted by the dog.
Dogs consistently fed fiber, grains and vegetation will naturally suffer digestive problems due to their highly evolved physiology specifically designed to digest protein. With their simple, short digestive tracts, dogs are unable to ferment and absorb high-fiber, high-grain diets. Proteins consumed by carnivores must spend more time in their stomachs getting broke down by acids before moving into their shortened intestines. Omnivores and herbivores, on the other hand, have a lengthy intestinal architecture because plant-based foods spend little time in the stomach and more time in their intestines.
Let’s look at a well-known brand of dog food called Beneful to learn why feeding your dog some types of commercial dog food is bad for his health and well-being.
Although Beneful purports to be a “100% complete and balanced” dog food, a closer examination of its ingredients tells a different story:
Unbelievably, 75 percent of all well-known dog food sold at supermarkets and department stores contain these ingredients. What’s even worse is that “off-brands” or brands sold for a few dollars less than popular brands are made using ALL filler products and possibly ingredients that are not regulated by the U.S. FDA.
Now for some good news!
There are dog food companies that genuinely understand the importance of providing dogs with the kind of nutritious, protein-rich food their physiology demands. One of them is Taste of the Wild.
When you feed your dog Taste of the Wild, you are providing him with a grain-free food that:
One of the best things about Taste of the Wild is its inclusion of high-quality good bacteria in their recipe. Probiotics are specialized bacteria that help stabilize the canine digestive tract and eliminate “bad” bacteria responsible for so many dog health problems. Taste of the Wild supplements their dog food with “good” bacteria like Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus acidophilus to help dogs digest, absorb and metabolize nutrients in food that passes through their intestines.
Although a variety of canine probiotic supplements in capsule form are available, dog owners should never feed their dog inferior dog food and think that supplementing this diet with probiotics will keep their dog healthy. Probiotics are formulated to stabilize your dog’s gut flora, reduce the population of “bad” bacteria and significantly improve functioning of your dog’s immune system. They do not provide the nutrients your dog needs to maintain optimal health of his cardiovascular, nervous, musculoskeletal and endocrine systems.