How to Add Salmon to Your Dog's Diet

So, you want to feed salmon to your dog. You have heard salmon gives dogs energy, helps their heart and improves their coat. Many people, especially owners of husky breeds, believe salmon is vital for the dog's health. Fortunately, you can easily add salmon to your canine cupboard with quality products from your grocery store or pet supply.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Money
• Shopping List

1. Most salmon is good, but consider buying Chinook. Chinook salmon can grow more than five feet long and weigh more than 100 pounds. They are a popular food around the world. Their value is considered to be high protein, low fat, high Omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients. These make them a healthy food for most people and their pets.

2. Understand the two main types of salmon: Farm-raised and wild. Most salmon at the grocery or fish market is farmed salmon. These salmon are raised in water pens. Most canned salmon is wild salmon. Why is this important for you and your dog? According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, fish farmers may use antibiotics and pesticides to reduce disease outbreaks. The residues may affect the health of those who eat the salmon. Many nutritionists believe the strong benefits of eating salmon, even if it is farmed, are greater than the risks.

3. If your dog is thriving, keep your current dog food as the primary food. If your dog is not thriving, talk to your vet about switching to a balanced dog food. Use salmon as a supplement to your dog food, not a replacement. You can add salmon nutrients with jerky, treats, toppers, capsules and oil.

4. Make sure you're buying the right jerky for your dog. Salmon jerky is usually dried strips of salmon filet. Some brands are 100-percent wild Alaskan salmon. Other brands are salmon-flavored grains and fruits formed into jerky strips. Read the ingredients carefully to be sure you are getting what you want.

5. Use salmon treats for training or as a healthy reward. Again, watch your ingredients and read the label. Some treats are salmon cubes or bits that are dehydrated or freeze-dried. Others are flavored bits with only a small amount of salmon flavoring.

6. Top your dog's food with flakes of canned salmon. Canned salmon is a fine way to share fish with your dog. Open a can, flake some on your salad and some on your dog's kibble. Canned salmon often includes the fish skin and bones. The calcium-rich bones are cooked and soft enough to be blended into the food. Cover and refrigerate any leftover salmon.

7. If your dog refuses the capsules, squeeze the oil from a capsule on your dog's food. Salmon oil is available in capsules and in liquid form. You can also buy salmon oil in a squeeze bottle blended with other vitamins and nutrients. Squirt it directly on your dog's food. Most supplements need refrigeration after the bottle is opened. Check the label for storage and precautions.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask your veterinarian about the method he or she recommends for increasing salmon in your dog's life. Vets often have information on the latest products and studies.
• Talk to people who have dogs like your breed. Ask about their experiences with salmon supplements.
• Remember that dogs go through life stages. What is good for your dog now may not fit his needs later.
• When you are out with your dog, do not let it forage on salmon scraps or eat dead salmon found by the river. Raw wild salmon may contain parasites that are fatal to dogs.
• Wash your hands after feeding your pet dehydrated salmon. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms that people have become ill with salmonella traced to beef and salmon pet treats. One manufacturing plant was not using dehydrating temperatures high enough to kill the organisms. The treats also were not irradiated, which would destroy salmonella and other bacteria.

Resources

• Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch

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