Whether your dog does most of his running in his sleep or is, a working sled dog—your fuzzy friend requires protein to survive.

Is Your Dog Getting Enough Protein?

Dogs need 22 amino acids, 12 of which can be produced by their own bodies. This means that there are 10 essential amino acids that your dog needs to get from food. These essential amino acids include arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Guess what they all have in common? That’s correct. They are all found in protein. Let’s get to the real question: What is it that makes these so essential? There are three main functions of amino acids:

1. To build:

• Proteins help your dog grow, help build cells, antibodies, hormones, tissues, and organs.

2. To maintain:

• Maintaining muscle mass, reproductive, and the immune system is an important protein function.

3. To repair:

• Proteins also help your dog repair tissue damage and heal more quickly.