Can dogs digest starches?

As so many studies have already shown, dogs can easily digest starch (i.e. the plant-based carbohydrate storage unit). They even produce the enzyme in their mouths to begin the digestive process - we are quite sure that many of you have seen the long strings of saliva or drool hanging from your dog's mouth when they smell something irresistible?

(Think Pavlov's story where dogs begin to produce the enzymes and saliva to digest the food long before the food is even made  -some of you who home cook will know that this process begins when your dog hears the familiar unpacking of the oven trays that are being used to make their wholesome meals!!)

When you feed your dog, the rest of the starches not digested by the saliva, can then be processed in your dog's small intestine. Calculations have revealed that they can digest about 99% of plant-based starch if provided to them in a suitable form.

It is so important to blend or carefully mash any homemade food that is fed to your dog to ensure that all valuable nutrients can be absorbed adequately, especially legumes such as lentils, chickpeas and beans.

A fascinating study at the University of Uppsala in Sweden proved how mutations in key genes occurred allowing increased starch digestion in dogs relative to wolves. Wolves require only 1.5% of their diet to be starch, but dogs have adapted to the diet of having lived with man for so long and they require at least 50% of their energy and nutrients to come from starches compared to grey wolves.

These results indicate that early ancestors of modern dogs could thrive on a diet rich in starch which was a crucial step in the early domestication of dogs (interesting reading if you required further proof that dogs digest starches).

So please don't worry about feeding your dog a purely plant-based  - they will not only thrive, but also live longer with a better quality of life as shown in published paper by Prof Andrew Knight. As always, the key is a balance of nutrients and taste to keep your dogs healthy and happy!

At Just Be Kind, we are here to support and encourage you every step of the way! Be inspired by gorgeous boy Harry who loves his homemade wholefoods SO much, and he has made it very clear with the saliva dropping to the floor as shown in the video below!

Which homemade recipe has Harry's devoted Mum made him?

It's our FEED THE RAINBOW HOMEMADE RECIPE  - absolutely delicious with ingredients below: