As a holistic nutritionist who has spent years following changes in human dietary patterns, I’ve become very interested in the manner and degree to which trends in human nutrition shape how we feed our dogs. From the surge in grain-free dog foods paralleling the popularity of paleo and gluten-free human diets, to the growing interest in probiotics for both species, our approach to canine nutrition is evolving alongside our own dietary awareness.
But should it be? And when does this crossover make sense versus when might it go awry?
When Human and Canine Nutrition Trends Align
Walk into any pet supply store today and you’ll see dog food packaging that looks remarkably similar to the health food aisle at your local supermarket. Terms like “grain-free,” “organic” and “ancestral diet” dominate both spaces. This isn’t a coincidence: it’s a reflection of how deeply intertwined our food cultures have become.
The grain-free dog food boom, for instance, rose alongside the popularity of paleo diets, gluten-free eating and low-carb lifestyles in humans. As people came to question the emphasis placed upon wheat and other grains in our own diets, we naturally extended that line of questioning to our dogs’ bowls. While the appropriateness of grain-free diets varies by individual dog, the trend itself illustrates how human dietary movements influence canine nutrition.
There are compelling reasons why human nutrition trends should influence canine nutrition. After all, both humans and domestic dogs have experienced a universal increase in obesity and weight-related health problems over the past several decades. The cause of this predicament? Remarkably similar changes to our respective food systems.
The dominance of multinational corporations has dramatically reshaped both human and pet food landscapes. Companies like Mars, Nestlé and Colgate-Palmolive have consolidated the pet food industry, while agricultural giants like Cargill and ADM have built billion-dollar industries around mono-agriculture: scaling industrial growth of crops like corn and controlling vast portions of the global grain trade. Meanwhile, food processing giants like Nestlé, Kellogg’s, General Mills and Kraft have normalized highly processed foods as staples in the Standard American Diet (what holistic nutritionists refer to as “SAD”). Together, these corporate networks have created a food system built around hyper-palatability, convenience and shelf-stability rather than nutritional quality, affecting both humans and dogs.
In the pet food world, corporate influence has created a cultural narrative that feeding dogs “human food” is irresponsible and dangerous, while ultra-processed kibble and wet foods are positioned as the only safe, nutritionally complete options. This messaging has been so effective that many dog owners are shamed for wanting to feed their pets the same whole, minimally processed foods they’re choosing for themselves.
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Where Human Nutrition Insights Benefit Dogs
Fortunately, many trends flowing from human to canine nutrition are genuinely beneficial:
Rejection of Ultra-Processing: The movement away from highly processed foods containing artificial colourants, flavour enhancers and preservatives toward recognizable, whole-food ingredients benefits both species.
Organic, Non-GMO and Antibiotic-Free Foods: The move toward organic ingredients that are free from chemical pesticides, fertilizers, GMOs, antibiotics and growth hormones creates unadulterated nutrition for both species.
Emphasis on Gut Health: The growing recognition of the microbiome’s importance to overall health has led to the increased use of probiotics and prebiotics for both humans and dogs.
Marine-Sourced Omega-3s: The push for DHA and EPA from marine sources rather than plant-based alternatives reflects a deeper understanding of bioavailability that applies equally to dogs and humans.
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When Human Trends are Contraindicated for Dogs
However, not every human nutrition trend should cross over to canine nutrition. Vegan diets provide a perfect example of where ideology clashes with biology.
While humans, as omnivores, can do well on thoughtfully-planned vegan diets with appropriate supplementation, dogs have different nutritional requirements. Though dogs are also technically omnivores, they remain highly dependent on nutrients from animal tissue. For this reason plant-based diets present several problems for dogs:
Macronutrient Imbalance: Vegan diets tend to be high in carbohydrates and low in protein and fat, which is not an appropriate macronutrient balance for dogs (and arguably for many humans). Dogs, in most cases, require higher protein and fat ratios than what most plant-based diets naturally provide.
Protein Quality Issues: Plant proteins are generally less bioavailable than animal proteins and often have incomplete amino acid profiles, meaning that certain essential amino acids may be missing or present in insufficient quantities to achieve optimal canine health.
Anti-Nutrient Content: Plant-based diets are typically high in anti-nutrients like phytates and oxalates, which can interfere with mineral absorption and make nutrients less bioavailable compared to their animal-based equivalents.
While some dogs with specific health conditions might benefit from plant-based diets under careful veterinary supervision, adopting veganism for dogs based on human ethical beliefs is ill advised and can compromise their nutritional needs and overall health.
This highlights the importance of understanding species-specific requirements rather than assuming what works for humans automatically works for dogs.
The 2007 Pet Food Recalls
While human nutrition trends have certainly influenced canine nutrition, another pivotal moment dramatically changed the pet food landscape: the 2007 mass pet food recalls. When a Chinese supplier intentionally substituted cheap melamine for wheat gluten, which tested as protein but was actually toxic, hundreds of pet food brands were affected and dozens of animals died from poisoning.
This crisis shattered many dog owners’ trust in large pet food companies, revealing how profit motives (cheap ingredients, insufficient safety oversight) could be prioritized over animal health and wellbeing. The recalls sparked a lasting shift toward transparency, quality ingredient sourcing and smaller, more accountable pet food companies.
Industry Responds to Consumer Demands for Fresh Diets
The power of consumer demand driven by owner feeding preferences continues to reshape the pet food industry in remarkable ways. Take Royal Canin, for example, a company that has spent years promoting the superiority or its own ultra-processed foods while positioning fresh diets as potentially dangerous for dogs. However, they recently introduced their own line of gently cooked foods. It seems that their previous claims about the inherent superiority and safety of processed foods over fresh diets weren’t quite as ironclad as they once asserted. This shift demonstrates how consumer preferences, informed by human nutrition trends, can compel even the most established players to adapt their offerings and messaging.
Food For Thought
As you reflect on your own dietary philosophy and the approach you choose for feeding your dog, what similarities do you see? Are you applying the same principles of whole foods, minimal processing and quality sourcing to both your human family and your pets? (Does your dog eat better than you do, in fact?) Or have you found areas where your approach differs based on species-specific needs? Feel free to share your insights and experiences in the comments below.
Thanks for reading! If you found this perspective helpful, please consider sharing it with other dog owners who are navigating the complex world of canine nutrition.