How Much Fiber Does Your Dog Really Need?

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• The canine ancestral diet provides minimal but crucial amounts of fiber as compared to the tremendous amount of inexpensive “filler” fiber added to most ultraprocessed dog food
• Too much filler (indigestible material) in your dog’s diet will be detrimental to his health, however, he needs an appropriate amount of specific prebiotic fibers, in the form of low glycemic, fibrous vegetables, to maintain microbiome and bowel health
• Dogs eating most ultraprocessed diets on the market and even some commercial raw diets can benefit from added prebiotic fiber
• Good sources of added food-based fiber for dogs include green leafy veggies, prebiotic-rich veggies, as well as supplements like psyllium husk powder, coconut, or acacia fiber, if needed