How much protein? What percent protein is optimal for adult Yorkies? I've read 'high protein' is good for small dogs, but also recall seeing something about not giving them 'too much protein.' How much is too much? I'm mainly asking about dry kibble, as I see that each brand has a much higher % in their dry foods than in canned. For example, we received samples from TOTW and started Sugar Bear on Pacific Stream (salmon) kibble which is 25% protein. She doesn't like the Lamb (Sierra Mountain) which is also 25%, but will eat the Wetlands (roasted fowl) and High Prairie (bison & venison). Both of those are 32% protein. Is that too much for a 6 lb Yorkie? Should we stay with 25% or look for something higher or lower? :animal36 |
There's some debate about this. everything you mentioned is in the right "range". Kibble is pretty much always going to have a higher % of protein listed on the bag than canned because it's determined by weight volume and the canned food has a lot of water. Here's part of an article from Dog Food Advisor that I copy/pasted: A Better Way to Compare Protein Content Because different dog foods contain different amounts of water, it’s pointless to compare their protein contents. This is especially true when you put a dry kibble up against a canned product.A canned dog food can easily contain 70% water. And that can make a kibble… at least on paper… look like it has much more protein than its canned food rival. Yet without the water… this same can of food can sport a significantly higher percentage of protein than the kibble. Now, to make a fair comparison, you must first mathematically remove all the water from both foods. A dog food’s percentage that is either protein, fat or fiber… minus the water… is known as its dry matter basis. Dry matter basis is a much better way to compare the protein content of different dog foods. Now, let’s take a look at the issue of protein quality… and digestibility. What Is Biological Value and Why Does It Matter? Not all proteins are created equal.You see, proteins are nothing more than a chain of connected chemical building blocks… building blocks known as amino acids. All in all, there are 22 different amino acids required by dogs for their very survival. Twelve of these can be manufactured by the dog’s body itself. The other ten cannot… and must come directly from a dog’s diet. That’s what makes them “essential” amino acids. Certain protein sources are simply better than others… and provide a richer blend of amino acids. These better proteins have what’s referred to as a high biological value. As long as you're using a high quality food (which the ones you mentioned are:)) those little differences don't really matter. WHERE the protien is coming from is much more important:D If you want to read the full article go to DogFoodAdvisor.com. Dog's are carnivores, so they do need alot of meat based protient in their diet, but don't drive yourself nuts comparing the percentages. |
I prefer to stay between 22 and 28 percent protein for a healthy small breed dog. |
I prefer a medium-high level amount of protein, rather than high-carb. There is a lot of debate about protein. I feed raw and love it. This is probably my fave canine nutrition white paper, it's written in such a way that it's very easy to absorb: http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/ORIJEN_White_Paper.pdf |
All times are GMT -8. The time now is 04:15 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2003 - 2018 YorkieTalk.com
Privacy Policy - Terms of Use