10 Ways to Improve Your Dog’s Metabolism
Your furry friend's health starts with what they eat. It’s hard to say no to those puppy-dog eyes at the dinner table, but maintaining a consistent and healthy diet for your dog will keep them feeling good.
Every crumb matters when it comes to what your dog is eating. You can use products like XDOG’s bully puppy supplements to give your pet extra support, but you should pair any supplements with a healthy diet.
If you’re struggling with where to start, consider dog metabolism. Regardless of your dog’s shape or weight, keeping their metabolism at a healthy rate is essential.
The Importance of Metabolism
Metabolism is the chemical process our bodies (and our dogs’ bodies) use to turn food into energy. A metabolic rate describes how fast your pet’s body goes through this process. Your pet’s resting metabolic rate depends on their genetics, age, breed, and weight.
The older dogs get, the more their metabolic rate decreases. Slower metabolism may lead to:
- Weight gain
- Constipation
- Digestive issues
You can assess your dog’s weight by asking your vet to tell you their body condition score, which places them in an underweight, overweight, or ideal weight category.
Improving Your Dog’s Metabolism: 10 Methods
You can improve dog metabolism through several methods. Most involve making additions or substitutes in their diet, but other factors like movement and available supplements play a part as well.
1. Keep Them Well-Fed
Some pet owners believe the solution to their pet’s weight gain is decreasing their food intake. While this may help on a short-term basis, it actually slows down their metabolic rate. The right amount of food will vary dog-to-dog depending on their size, exercise habits, and breed.
But it’s more than just keeping them fed — it matters what you feed them.
2. Use Probiotics in Their Diet
Probiotics have numerous health benefits, one being that they improve metabolism. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that help your pet’s digestive system break down food.
By regulating your dog’s gut health, probiotics promote weight loss and a stronger immune system. You can find probiotics in various supplements for dogs.
3. Keep Up the Protein
Protein is a key component in all diets, and for good reason. It generates a high thermic response, which increases metabolic rate. You can find protein in sources like meat, but too much too much meat intake can put your dog at risk of contracting heart disease.
Balance your pet’s meat intake with other sources of protein like beans, buckwheat, and scrambled or hard-boiled eggs.
4. Try Coconut Fiber
Coconut fiber is a type of dietary fiber from the husks of coconuts. It has incredible benefits for digestion in general, including improving your pet’s metabolism.
Coconut fiber is most effective in its raw form, offering anti-inflammatory properties. However, you can also use fermented coconut fiber to improve your dog’s gut health, as it creates short-chain fatty acids that act as prebiotics.
5. Hydrate the Right Way
Keeping your dog hydrated may seem obvious, but it’s important to know how to keep them hydrated. While all water is a good source of hydration for your furry friend, keeping their water cold and filtered is the best way to go.
While they won’t notice a difference in taste or quality, their bodies will. The cold water will feel more refreshing, and keeping it filtered means you guarantee they’re only putting the best things in their body.
6. Add Fish Oil to Their Diet
Fish oil has countless health benefits for your dog. Its anti-inflammatory properties protect them against certain cancers and heart disease. It can also promote eye health and improve brain function.
Regarding your dog's metabolism, fish oil can help your pet maintain a healthy weight. Specifically, the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil work to reduce the inflammatory enzymes produced by body fat.
Cold water fish like tuna, salmon, and mackerel are all excellent sources of fish oil for your dog.
7. Use CBD Oil
CBD oil is a more experimental way to improve dog metabolism. It may assist with weight loss, as CB1, one of the cannabinoids, attaches to fatty tissue.
CBD oil will likely prove most effective for dogs with more fat, but smaller dogs may also experience a reduced appetite. CBD oil can help prevent metabolic disorders as well.
8. Feed Them Coconut Oil
Coconut oil, especially in its raw, unprocessed form, has numerous health benefits for your dog. You might be thinking: but it’s a type of saturated fat! How could it improve dog metabolism?
While it’s true that coconut oil is a saturated fat, the medium-chain fats in it generate the energy your pet’s body needs to boost their metabolism. It’s also a thermogenic oil, which boosts your pet’s metabolism.
9. Prioritize Exercise
Ensuring that your pet gets its proper exercise may seem like common sense. Of course, any movement will help with their metabolism and weight loss. However, it’s important to note the most beneficial type of exercise.
While walks are great, encouraging your dog to exercise in short, intense bursts of energy can be even better. High-intensity activities do more to improve your pet’s metabolic rate.
This movement is healthy for you, too. Remember that maintaining your health as a pet owner is vital to keeping them healthy.
10. Make Sure They Rest
After a long day of playing, your dog will need their rest. A good night’s sleep means they’ll have the energy the next day to keep up their movement. The amount of sleep your dog needs varies depending on age and breed, but most require between 7 and 13 hours a night.
Your Dog’s Diet Matters
Here at XDOG, we care about your dogs as much as you do. Improving dog metabolism is just the beginning. Maintaining a healthy diet is vital, but sometimes they need a little extra boost.
Their health is our top priority, which is why we offer a variety of supplements that work on building your dog’s immune system, strengthening their muscles, and more.
Shop our selection of supplements and vitamins to keep your dog's metabolism healthy.