The importance of gut health for dogs: How probiotics can improve your pet's wellness

Listen up, all you dog lovers out there! Do you want to keep your furry best friend healthy, happy, and wagging for years to come? Then you better start paying attention to their gut health. That's right, I'm talking about probiotics for dogs.

Before we dive into the benefits of probiotics and how to introduce them into your dogs diets, let's talk the foods to avoid. 

As tempting as it is to share our favourite foods with our pooch, the wrong foods are doing more damage than good. The foods mentioned below are too complex for dogs to digest, causing vomiting, diarrhoea and inflammation. 

Steer clear from:

• Foods that are toxic for dogs such as onion, garlic, chilli and grapes
• Processed foods
• Foods high in sugar and fat
• Foods with preservatives
• Foods with excessive grains
• Foods that are spoiled or mouldy

Now that we know what to avoid, let's circle back to probiotics. You might be familiar with them yourself. Supplementing them with healthy food to soothe your own tummy woes. Think of probiotics like the superheroes of the gut. They help balance the good and bad bacteria in your dog's digestive system, which can lead to a host of benefits:

• Improved digestion and nutrient absorption
• Boosted immune system function
• Reduced risk of diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal issues
• Increased resistance to infections
• Alleviation of skin conditions and allergies
• Healthier, shinier coat
• Improved mental well-being and behaviour

But here's the thing, a lot of commercial dog food is loaded with fillers and artificial ingredients that can throw off your pup's gut health. So, just like how you take probiotics to keep your gut in tip-top shape, your dog needs them too.

You can add probiotics to their diet by feeding them yummy dog-safe treats like:

• Yogurt (make sure it's plain and doesn't contain any artificial sweeteners)
• Kefir
• Sauerkraut (make sure it's not seasoned with any onion or garlic, which can be toxic to dogs)
• Pickles (make sure they are made with vinegar, not alum)
• Miso paste
• Tempeh

Now I know what you're thinking, dogs may not be used to eating these types of foods. Dogs have a different digestive system than humans, but they can still benefit from the probiotics found in these foods. You can start with small amounts and gradually increase it, or you can also try mixing it with their regular food.

If that's not your thing, probiotic supplements formulated for dogs are also available as an alternative, these can be added to their food or given as a treat.

Why not give the Probiotic Peanut Butter Bites a go? They're a human grade, yummy treat that has all the benefits of a probiotic. Made from 100% natural ingredients with no hidden nasties they're a guilt-free treat that does wonders for your fur babies gut health. Available in single, double and triple packs. 

Purchase Probiotic Peanut Butter Bites

Thanks for taking the time to read our latest blog. Visit our online store here to check out our range of top quality, Aussie dog products.