Dogs are omnivores with a carnivore ancestry. They thrive on a balanced mix of proteins, healthy fats, and vegetables. Key nutrients include omega-3 fatty acids for coat health, taurine for heart function, and calcium for strong bones.
Daily nutritional needs for adult dogs — hover any bar to explore. Log scale.
Protein is the foundation of your dog's entire body — every muscle fiber, every immune cell, every enzyme, and every strand of fur is built …
Fat is your dog's most concentrated energy source, delivering more than twice the calories per gram compared to protein or carbohydrates. But fat does far …
Omega-3 fatty acids are powerful anti-inflammatory compounds that benefit nearly every system in your dog's body. The three main omega-3s — ALA (from plants), EPA, …
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in your dog's body, with about 99% stored in bones and teeth. It provides structural strength to the skeleton …
Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that plays a critical role in heart health, eye function, immune response, and bile acid formation in dogs. Unlike …
Vitamin A is essential for your dog's vision, immune function, skin health, and reproductive performance. It maintains the integrity of epithelial tissues — the cells …
Vitamin D is calcium's essential partner — without it, your dog cannot properly absorb calcium from the gut, no matter how much calcium is in …
Fiber is the structural part of plants that your dog's digestive enzymes cannot break down — but that does not mean it is useless. Soluble …
Water is the single most important nutrient for your dog — making up about 60–70% of an adult dog's body weight. It is involved in …
Phosphorus works hand-in-hand with calcium to build and maintain strong bones and teeth — about 85% of your dog's phosphorus is in the skeleton. The …
Iron is the core component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to every tissue in your dog's …
Zinc is involved in over 300 enzyme reactions in your dog's body, touching everything from immune function to wound healing to DNA synthesis. It is …
Vitamin E is your dog's primary fat-soluble antioxidant, protecting cell membranes from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. It works synergistically with vitamin C and …
Thiamine (vitamin B1) is essential for converting carbohydrates and some amino acids into energy that your dog's cells can use. It plays a particularly critical …
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is a key player in energy metabolism, helping your dog convert fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into usable energy through its role as …
Niacin (vitamin B3) is essential for energy metabolism, converting food into cellular fuel through its role in the coenzymes NAD and NADP, which participate in …
Vitamin B6 is central to protein metabolism — it helps your dog break down and reassemble amino acids, making it essential whenever protein demands are …
Vitamin B12 is essential for red blood cell formation, nervous system function, and DNA synthesis. It is unique among vitamins in that it is found …
Carbohydrates provide readily available energy and serve as the primary fuel for your dog's brain and red blood cells. While dogs have no strict biological …
Magnesium is involved in hundreds of enzymatic reactions in your dog's body, supporting bone health, muscle and nerve function, energy production, and heart rhythm regulation. …
Potassium is an essential electrolyte that regulates fluid balance, nerve impulse transmission, and muscle contraction — including the heart muscle. It works in balance with …
Sodium is an essential electrolyte that regulates fluid balance, blood pressure, and nerve and muscle function. Your dog needs a small but consistent amount of …
Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting — it activates the proteins that allow blood to coagulate and wounds to stop bleeding. Dogs obtain vitamin …
Unlike humans and guinea pigs, dogs can synthesize their own vitamin C in the liver, which means it is not technically an essential dietary nutrient. …
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid that is a major structural component of brain tissue and the retina. It is especially critical …
Omega-6 fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid, are essential fats your dog cannot manufacture and must get from food. They form a critical part of every …
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) is a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid found primarily in marine sources like salmon, sardines, and fish oil. It is one of the …
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) is a component of coenzyme A, one of the most important molecules in your dog's metabolism. CoA is involved in breaking …
Biotin (vitamin B7) is essential for maintaining your dog's skin, coat, and nails in top condition. It serves as a coenzyme in fatty acid synthesis …
Folate (vitamin B9) is essential for cell division, DNA synthesis, and amino acid metabolism. Every time your dog's body creates new cells — whether replacing …
Copper is a trace mineral that plays essential roles in your dog's body despite being needed in only tiny amounts. It is required for iron …
Manganese is a trace mineral that supports bone formation, cartilage development, and metabolic processes in your dog's body. It is a key component of the …
Selenium is a powerful trace mineral that partners with vitamin E to form one of your dog's most important antioxidant defense systems. As a component …
Iodine is the raw material your dog's thyroid gland uses to manufacture thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), which regulate metabolic rate, body temperature, growth, and …
L-Carnitine is an amino acid derivative that acts as a shuttle, transporting long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria where they are burned for energy. Without adequate …
Glucosamine is a naturally occurring compound that serves as a building block for cartilage, the smooth cushioning tissue that lines joints and allows bones to …
Chondroitin sulfate is a major structural component of cartilage, responsible for its resilience and ability to resist compression. It works by attracting and holding water …
Sugar provides rapid energy as simple carbohydrates that are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Dogs do not need added sugars in their diet — their …
Arachidonic acid (AA) is a long-chain omega-6 fatty acid involved in immune signaling and inflammatory response. Unlike cats, who cannot synthesize AA and require it …
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a group of naturally occurring fatty acids found primarily in meat and dairy from ruminant animals. Research suggests CLA may …
The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in your dog's diet influences the body's overall inflammatory tone. Most commercial dog foods are heavy on …
Chloride is an essential electrolyte that works with sodium and potassium to maintain fluid balance, blood pressure, and proper pH throughout your dog's body. It …
Chromium is a trace mineral that enhances the action of insulin, helping your dog's cells take up glucose from the bloodstream more efficiently. While not …
Molybdenum is an ultra-trace mineral that serves as a cofactor for several important enzymes, including xanthine oxidase (involved in uric acid metabolism) and sulfite oxidase …
Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria that support the balance of your dog's gut microbiome. A healthy gut microbiome helps with nutrient absorption, immune regulation, and …
Prebiotics are non-digestible fibers that serve as food for beneficial gut bacteria, helping them thrive and outcompete harmful microbes. Unlike probiotics (which are live bacteria …
Oxalates are anti-nutrients found in certain plant foods that bind to calcium in the digestive tract, forming insoluble compounds that cannot be absorbed. This reduces …
Phytates (phytic acid) are anti-nutrients found in grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds that bind to minerals including zinc, iron, calcium, and manganese, reducing their absorption …
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a naturally occurring compound found in every cell, playing a critical role in the mitochondrial electron transport chain — the process …
Flavonoids are a diverse group of plant-based antioxidant compounds that give fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors. They provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits that complement …
