The Top 10 Things We Learned About Dog Food in 2016

Ah, 2016. You’ve been…not so real sometimes (fake news, anyone?) While we don’t blame you if you want to say "bye, Felicia" to this year, we’ve actually picked up a few super useful bits of wisdom about what our pups eat and how it can drastically impact their health. Check it out:

1. Coconut oil isn’t just awesome for humans—it helps reduce allergy symptoms and improves digestion in pups.

2. Dogs are just like us…they can suffer from too much sodium in their diet, too!

3. Another oil for the win: olive oil can help pups combat itchy skin.

4. 54% of dogs in America are obese. And that may be because we’re overfeeding them.

5. The ratio of calcium to phosphorus in dog food should be one-to-one (and that’s one of the reasons why humans mess up when they make it themselves).

6. Not all grains are necessarily bad for dogs! Gluten, however, still may deserve the bad rap.

7. Upset tummy? Pups’ stomachs can benefit from probiotics too.

8. Desperately need some doggy breath mints? Putting a little real mint in their food can help.

9. It may not sound very appetizing, but organ meat is like the kale of a dog’s diet (read: uber healthy.)

10. Perhaps most importantly on this list, a fresh, natural diet can actually extend your dog’s life by years (among many other amazing things).

The Ollie blog is devoted to helping pet parents lead healthier lives with their pups. If you want to learn more about our fresh, human-grade food, check out ollie.com.