How to Get Your Pet Started on the Paleo Diet

Last Updated on February 19, 2016 by Ellen Christian

Do you know how to get your pet started on the Paleo diet? Do you know why it’s something you should consider? If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ll notice that I follow the Paleo diet. It’s a diet that’s rich in meat and vegetables with no grains or processed foods. Our bodies (and our pet’s bodies) weren’t made to digest grains, fillers, and artificial ingredients, and they function best when we feed them a natural, whole food diet that contains healthy foods that have been minimally processed and aren’t loaded with artificial ingredients. The Paleo diet is a healthy diet for our pets who were created to eat a diet that is mostly meat and healthy fats.

This post is sponsored by PetSmart and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer NetworkTM. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the Only Natural Pet® available at PetSmart®, but I only share information I feel is relevant to my readers. PetSmart and Only Natural Pet are not responsible for the content of this article.

How to Get Your Pet Started on the Paleo Diet

One of the easiest ways to get your pet started on the Paleo diet is to begin with a pet food that follows Paleo guidelines. Only Natural Pet is a Paleo-inspired brand that is well-suited for dogs and cats and their ancestral roots. According to proponents of a Paleo-inspired diet for dogs, the digestion of dogs and cats today is on par with their wild counterparts, where meat-eating is the foundation for good nutrition and health. The optimal food composition following the prey model is 50% protein, 40% fat and 10% carbohydrates.

Most pets (along with far too many Americans) eat diets that are heavily processed and the rates of obesity reflect that diet. Poor nutrition is a factor in many chronic and degenerative diseases in our pets. Traditional mass-market pet foods just aren’t working. One of the easiest ways to get your pet started on the Paleo diet is by slowing introducing a Paleo-inspired food to your dog or cat along with a little fresh raw or lightly cooked meat to each meal. If you cannot do this with each meal, even adding a bit of fresh raw or lightly cooked meat to their diet once or twice a week is beneficial.

Of course, the Paleo diet isn’t all about what we eat. It’s a lifestyle. The Paleo diet encourages healthy activity, reducing exposure to chemicals and toxins in the home and an overall approach to healthy living. A few more things you can do for your pet include making sure that your pet stays active, scheduling regular veterinary appointments to monitor their health including regular dental care, reducing their exposure to chemicals from things like cleaning products and ensuring that they receive quality time with you regularly.

Only Natural Pet is committed to making healthy choices easy for you and your pet. They are the leading natural, sustainable pet brand and feature natural, clean ingredients that live up to their ingredient standards. You can purchase Only Natural Pet products at select PetSmart stores nationwide and online at www.PetSmart.com.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of PetSmart. The opinions and text are all mine.