How many essential amino acids must dogs obtain through food intake?

Ten essential amino acids.

Protein in the diet is broken down into amino acids, which the body then reassembles to build necessary structures like muscle, skin, hair, and hormones. Dogs cannot synthesize all the necessary types of these fundamental building blocks internally. Specifically, dogs require ten essential amino acids that must be supplied directly through their diet. While animal proteins typically offer the highest concentration of these necessary components, vegetarian diets can sustain dogs if they are carefully formulated and supervised by a veterinary nutritionist to ensure all ten required amino acids are present in adequate amounts.