Enter a keyword below to search for articles and products.
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is an omega-3 fatty acid important for neural development of puppies. DHA is a major structural component of the brain, as well as the most abundant fatty acid in the brain. It plays a vital role in the development of a puppy’s central nervous system and retinal function.
To help your puppy be as smart and healthy as possible, DHA should be an essential component of your dog's diet. The DHA in IAMS™ ProActive Health™ Smart Puppy food helps encourage healthy brain development, which can make your puppy more trainable and help forge a stronger bond with you.
Common dietary DHA sources include fish (such as salmon, sardines, tuna and other seafood), eggs and organ meat. In pet foods, sources of DHA include fish, fish meal and fish oil.
Prior to weaning, puppies get DHA from their mothers. The puppy’s mother transfers DHA from her body tissues to her offspring during pregnancy and lactation.
After weaning, puppies can obtain DHA through their diet.
One IAMS study looked at beagle puppies whose mothers had been fed enhanced or typical dietary DHA from breeding on through weaning.* After weaning, puppies were fed the same diets as their mothers throughout the remainder of the study (up to 16 weeks of age). To evaluate the effect of diet on trainability, all puppies were taught to associate a symbol with a direction in a t-maze, with correct responses resulting in a food treat.
In the 30 days of testing, puppies from the enhanced-DHA group consistently outperformed the puppies from the typical-DHA group on the maze test. Results of the study indicated that puppies nourished on high DHA levels were more trainable.
*Data on file. The IAMS Company.
Protein is best known for supplying amino acids to build hair, skin, nails, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. It also plays a main role in hormone production.
The protein in dog foods can be supplied by animal sources, plant sources or a combination of the two. High-quality animal-source proteins contain all of the essential amino acids dogs need, while a single plant-based protein might not contain adequate amounts of some essential amino acids.
Common animal-based protein sources used in pet food include chicken, lamb, fish, and beef.
Even though they are often fed plant-based diets, dogs are not herbivores. While dogs are technically considered to be omnivores—animals that eat both animal- and plant-based foods—they should be treated primarily as carnivores to better fulfill their specific nutritional requirements.
Dogs are members of the Canidae family. This family also includes the wolf, coyote, fox, and jackal. The ancestors and relatives of today's common dog hunted animals and ate them as a means of survival.
The body structure of domestic dogs is similar to that of their ancestors and relatives and is ideal for eating prey. Dogs have the enlarged carnassial teeth after which carnivores are named. Their gastrointestinal tract is simple and does not have the capacity to digest large amounts of plant products.
Animal-based proteins help dogs achieve optimal health.
