Protein – why dogs need it

Most dog owners know that protein is good for their dogs, but not necessarily why or how much their dog needs. Dogs need protein to repair and maintain muscle, skin and other tissues and their protein is best sourced from a variety of animal and plant ingredients to provide all the essential amino acids that they need (like lysine, methionine and arginine). Good sources of protein are ingredients like chicken, beef, fish, eggs, lentils and beans. 

Dogs need different levels of protein throughout their life and depending on their lifestyle as well, pups need more protein because of their growth needs, to help them develop their new muscles, joints & bones. Whilst with very active dogs, higher levels of protein are necessary for recovery, preventing anaemia and keeping them performing at their best. 

Less active adults and seniors won’t need so much protein, so for them moderate to low levels are best. Excess protein is disposed of, so any extra protein that dogs are given, won’t make them healthier, but instead will be broken down and the by-products excreted through the kidneys. This can be detrimental for dogs with kidney disease as extra protein can accelerate how quickly the condition progresses so it’s best to keep protein at a moderate to low level with seniors to match their requirements but prevent excess.

So, when it comes to our diets at Gilbertson & Page, we’ve ensured that these are all formulated with high-quality proteins providing the essential amino acids that dogs need at different stages of their life and to support their different activity and working requirements.