This young and energetic person is a leading nutritionist in the Czech Republic. And there are many of them! She graduated with a master's degree in nutrition from the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, completed an American course at the Academy of Natural Health Sciences Training Center focused on dog and cat nutrition, and in 2024 obtained a Pet Therapeutic Nutrition Coach certificate. Her work is her mission. As she says, the main thing is not to look at the packaging, but at the content in a broader context.
There are plenty of dog and cat nutritionists in the Czech Republic.
Let's talk about what drives you to this work and how thorny the path has been? There are not many nutrition specialists – the real ones – in the Czech Republic.
My love for animals is the main driving force that has brought me to where I am. Plus, I believe that what is meant to be, simply happens. For a very long time, I thought my life would revolve more around horses. However, fate had other plans, and it always threw some small obstacle in my path and alongside it, placed a topic related to dogs. I don't believe in coincidences, and therefore the path was clear. And when I finished university, I stumbled upon a position as a nutritionist for dogs and cats. Even though it meant moving to almost the other end of the country, I didn't hesitate. I packed my dog partner Bentley (who is my nutritional guru), my mare Thea, and we set off together for new experiences. It wasn't easy, but I don't regret it. I really enjoy and find fulfillment in my work.
Do you encounter absolute ignorance among dog owners, or is nutrition not so bad for us Czechs? Do people read labels or not?
People try to read labels. Unfortunately, they just don't know what to look for. They fall for marketing tricks and tend to look at and evaluate the composition of feed, rather than dealing with analytical components. Yet, analytical components are a key factor in choosing suitable feed.
Do you know what your kibble contains?
So how do you interpret the analytical components on labels?
The answer is complex because the analytical components should suit the dog's needs, activity, and health status. But if we focus on some basics and choose food, for example, for an adult dog with normal activity, then the protein content should be around 30%, fat 14%, fiber on average between 2.5 - 3.5%, and ash content ideally no higher than 8%. The calcium to phosphorus ratio should be between 1:1 - 1.5:1. If you're interested in what "ash" is, for example, I would recommend my book "That's Food, or What to Pour into the Bowl," where you can find out more.
What other mistakes do Czech breeders make most often in their diet?
For example, in the use of treats and various supplements. Improper (excessive) use of treats or an unsuitable type can lead to obesity, digestive problems, disruption of the feeding dose, making the dog picky, and so on.
What treats would you recommend personally?
With treats, you need to consider what they're needed for, the dog's health status, and choose accordingly. Whether we want something for a reward, for taste... I like to recommend dried, natural treats, such as venison sticks. They are also suitable for dogs suffering from food allergies or intolerances. Administer in moderation (up to 10% of the dog's daily energy needs), which for a 2 kg dog can easily be ¼ of a stick per day.
It's easy to overfeed a dog into obesity even just with treats.
How important would you say nutrition is for coat quality? Can I tell if something is wrong?
The coat and skin, along with the digestive tract (quality of stool), are the quickest indicators of our pet's well-being. It should conform to breed standards. And it certainly shouldn't be dry, brittle, dull, or lacking shine. The skin shouldn't be red, irritated, dry, or flaky. We shouldn't observe bald spots or dandruff in the coat. Dry skin often encourages dogs to scratch more frequently, and then the owner might mistakenly believe they are suffering from, for example, food allergies.
I understand that it's impossible to give a definitive answer and perhaps impossible to name specific things, but what feeding method would you describe as truly the best?
That's a tricky question, and unfortunately, I can't give a definitive answer, because every dog is different, just as every owner is different. And that's why I always try to find a type and method of feeding that suits the particular furry friend and their owner. Damage can be done both by feeding commercial food and by BARFing. For example, the absence of appropriately chosen vitamin and mineral supplements is often missing in home-prepared food (at least I frequently encounter this problem in consulted cases). 😊
Do you have any tips on what to add to food to make the coat healthier and more beautiful? Dog owners usually rely on salmon oil, even if they usually don't find out anything else about it...
Yes, there are many supplements on the market that support coat quality. They are based on salmon oil, or various other oils and fats. It is precisely the lack of fat in the feed, or the wrong ratio of fatty acids, that can affect an unappealing, dry and brittle coat. In addition to oils and fats, proteins (e.g., phenylalanine and tyrosine play a key role in coat coloration) also affect coat quality and coloration. Furthermore, we must not forget minerals (zinc, copper, etc.) and vitamins (e.g., B vitamins). I would just like to point out here that no supplement can replace a qualitatively balanced diet.
"No supplement can replace a qualitatively balanced diet," says Adéla Palacká
Do you have any curious memories from your practice?
Well, there would be plenty of experiences, and it constantly surprises me how one can grow and discover something new every day. I most often recall the dog Dream, who verified whether I was truly certain that I wanted to embark on the path of a nutritionist specialist and live my professional dream. Since Dream, I have refined my weight loss plans almost to perfection, because he managed to show all the pitfalls that I would not have even dreamed of before. DREAM means DREAM. And after this consultation, the sentence resonated with me for a long time: Do you really want to live your dream and are you ready?
What else would you add about diet in conclusion?
When you cook with love, it takes on a whole new flavor dimension. Enjoy every moment together and learn to read your dog's reactions, as they will best tell you if you are going in the right direction (whether it's about nutrition, or something completely different...). :)
