| I have always been interested in knowing how dogs | | | | than we can. They also have this antibacterial ability in |
| function. Looking at how they are built and how they | | | | their saliva. |
| differ from humans helps us understand them. With | | | | The small and large intestine in the average human is |
| this knowledge, we can also choose foods that suit | | | | approximately 36 feet long. That's roughly the height |
| their physiology to help them live long and healthy | | | | of a four storey building! A 70 lb dog has a 6-foot |
| lives. For those of you that are frequent readers, | | | | long intestine therefore dogs need high quality |
| you know I have a passion for healthy natural dog | | | | proteins to be able to digest them quickly. People can |
| food. To understand the differences between | | | | digest raw fruits and vegetables better because of |
| humans and dogs is to understand why they need | | | | our longer digestive systems. Give a dog a piece of |
| quality proteins and whole foods. | | | | whole carrot and it comes out the other end much |
| Let's start with the teeth and jaw. Dogs have 42 | | | | the same way it entered! |
| well-spaced teeth. People have 32 and our teeth are | | | | Digestion of complex carbohydrates and vegetables |
| close together. The space between dogs' teeth | | | | is more difficult for your dog, therefore in a perfect |
| allows food to enter quickly. Dogs' mouths are | | | | world they would be cooked and pureed to simulate |
| funnels to get food into the stomach as quickly as | | | | predigestion. Cooking keeps the glycemic index low |
| possible. Your dog gulping his food is his natural way | | | | to help maintain even blood sugar levels. This causes |
| of eating. It's not that your dog isn't savoring his | | | | less stress on the pancreas and liver and less chance |
| dinner when he gulps it down it's just that he has | | | | of developing diabetes. |
| fewer taste buds! Our canine friends also lack the | | | | If you are like me and have your dog sleeping on the |
| ability to grind food. Their jaws work only up and | | | | bed with you it's not a great leap to understand that |
| down. Side to side movement is impossible for your | | | | after being domesticated for thousands of years |
| dog's jaw. They also do not predigest starches in the | | | | dogs, while different from humans in many ways, are |
| mouth like we do. We get cavities. Dogs get more | | | | similar in others. Just like us needing healthy natural |
| tarter build up, but no cavities! | | | | whole foods to thrive in today's environment your |
| Food travelling from their mouth to their stomach | | | | dog needs a healthy natural dog food as well. |
| takes only about 5 seconds. Once in the stomach, | | | | Look for more info on dogs vs humans in upcoming |
| the food is stored and digestion begins. Dogs have | | | | segments. |
| more acid in their stomachs than people do and this | | | | Dr. Janice Elenbaas |
| allows them to break down bacteria more effectively | | | | Always remember, Health comes from the inside out! |