PROTEIN is any of a large number of organic compounds composed of units of about 20 different AMINO ACIDS, which, in turn, are composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sometimes sulfur.  These compounds make up living organisms and are essential to their functioning.  Proteins are recognized as the predominant ingredients of cells, making up more than 50 percent of the dry weight of animals.  Proteins in the diet serve primarily to build and maintain cells, but their chemical breakdown also provides energy, yielding close to the same 4 calories per gram as do carbohydrates. 

There are ten amino acids, the building blocks of protein, that dogs cannot manufacture on their own.  These "essential" amino acids are: Lysine, Argine, Valine, Histidine, Leucine, Methionine, Isoeucine, Phenylalanine, Threonine and Tryptophan.  A dog cannot use any of the protein at all unless all ten are present.
There are ten other "non-essential" amino acids that can be produced by the dog.  They are: Proline, Glysine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Cystine, Alanine, Aspartic Acid, Asparagine, Tyrosine and Serine.

Besides their function in growth and cell maintenance, proteins are also responsible for muscle contraction. The digestive enzymes are proteins, as are insulin and most other hormones. The antibodies of the immune system are proteins, and proteins such as hemoglobin carry vital substances throughout the body.

Sources of protein are:

GRAINS: 

Brown rice, oats, granola, millet, corn, barley, wheat, cereals and flour

LEGUMES: 

Green peas, lentils, chick peas, and beans (navy beans, soy beans and products made from them (textured vegetable protein, soy milks), peanuts

GREENS: 

Broccoli, spinach

NUTS & SEEDS: 

Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds

MEATS: 

Fish, beef, poultry

DAIRY: 

Yogurt, cheese

Amount of protein in foods are:

HIGHER: 

Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, yogurt, cheese, peanut butter

LOWER: 

Vegetables, grains

TRACE: 

Fruits

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