You probably know that fiber is invaluable in our diets, and the same goes for dogs. Not only does it help keep food moving through your dog’s digestive system at the right pace, but it also keeps their poop pretty perfect. Fiber supports your dog’s microbiome, or ‘second brain,’ by fostering healthy gut bacteria (commonly known as probiotics). It can also help maintain your dog’s weight and blood sugar at healthy levels, and even aids in natural anal gland expression (peeewww!) by bulking up stools to the ideal consistency.
Fiber plays an essential role in a dog’s diet. Soluble fiber is digestible and breaks down into smaller molecules that nourish the probiotics in their gut. Insoluble fiber, meanwhile, isn’t digestible but helps massage and cleanse the gut lining, promoting a happy, healthy colon. In essence, fiber is vital for the digestive health of both dogs and humans. Here are some excellent ways to add it to your dog’s diet.
First Things First: Can Dogs Have Too Much Fiber?
It’s important to know that not all fiber is created equally. And, if your dog takes in too much fiber, particularly lower quality as is often found in foods for filler, you may see increased diarrhea, gas, constipation and high-stool volume. The key is not only the correct amount of fiber, but quality fiber as well. Often, dog foods will include fiber as an afterthought–something to be added in (especially in weight loss foods) as filler and to meet daily requirements.
But quality fiber, and in effective dosages, makes all the difference in your dog’s gut health. And that means his overall immune health will likely be better too!
How Can I Increase Fiber in My Dog’s Diet?
The easiest way to increase fiber in a dog’s diet is to first look at the food you’re giving him. A ‘typical’ dry kibble will likely have fiber in it, but a high fiber dog food will obviously have a higher fiber content. The thing is, more is not always better when it comes to fiber, because quality definitely makes a difference. And, as dog parents ourselves, we know that the marketing that goes into ‘high fiber’ foods can be tricky.
Fiber in dog foods is measured in levels referred to as ‘crude’ and high fiber dog foods typically contain anywhere from 5%-16% of crude fiber. But that doesn’t necessarily mean anything to most dog parents, and when looking at ‘Guaranteed Analysis’ of foods, the percentage listed is the ‘maximum percentage’ and NOT the actual absolute amount.
Even Trickier?
What you see on the bag doesn’t usually account for soluble fiber, as most dog foods don’t include it on their packaging. When increasing fiber in your dog’s diet with high-fiber food, it’s essential to research and trust the companies making your dog’s food.
Add Fiber Rich Foods
Since dog food ingredient labels aren’t always clear about fiber content, many dog parents like to increase fiber in their dogs’ diets by adding fiber-rich foods to daily meals. The key is ensuring that these fiber-rich foods don’t contain too much sugar or excess calories. Some excellent high-fiber fruits and vegetables you can add to your dog’s diet include blueberries, carrots, and apples. These also make great treats and can replace other filler treats that might only provide empty calories.
Add Bernie’s Perfect Poop!
The easiest way to increase fiber in a dog’s diet is to add Bernie’s Perfect Poop with every meal! And we’re not just saying that to sell you the product. The truth is, that’s why we created Perfect Poop! From experience with our own dogs (Bernie and his sister Lady), we’d researched and consulted with experts on how to give them the best gut health we could.
We learned that premium fiber was essential, as well as offering pre- and probiotics and digestive enzymes.
The thing is, adding all those separate supplements to each meal got expensive and time-consuming, and we thought there had to be a better way. There was—actually, we created the perfect way! The main ingredient in Bernie’s Perfect Poop is Miscanthus grass, an all-natural perennial grass grown in the Midwest. Miscanthus is grain-free, gluten-free, and is processed using no chemicals—something that many other fiber products in dog foods and supplements can’t claim. Miscanthus is purposefully grown for its fiber content and digestive health benefits. It’s environmentally friendly, and best of all? It’s a premium source of fiber—84% dietary fiber!
In addition to Miscanthus, we combined flaxseed and pumpkin. Pumpkin is widely regarded as a superfood for both humans and dogs, creating beneficial fatty acids that energize your dog at the cellular level. Pumpkin also stimulates intestinal sodium and water absorption, helping your dog absorb all the nutrition from his food and supporting the beneficial bacteria in his gut. Flaxseed boosts omega-3 fatty acids in your dog’s diet, which helps keep his coat, hair, and skin healthy and vibrant. It also contains lignans, which support his immune system, helping your dog thrive from the inside out.
All of these ingredients are combined in delicious bits that you can easily add to each meal. Voilà—and you’re welcome!
Fiber may not traditionally be considered an essential nutrient, but it is vital for your dog to have the healthiest gut possible. And since good health begins in the gut, we can confidently say that fiber and good health are strongly connected, whether or not your dog has poop issues! So go ahead—boost fiber in your dog’s diet the easy and healthy way! Just add Bernie’s Perfect Poop!
