| Introduction | | | | you've never seen your dog enjoy commercial dog |
| Your dog's health and wellbeing is important to you | | | | food the way he enjoys a good meaty bone. |
| and your family. Not to mention keeping down the | | | | Raw food advocates concede the diet costs more |
| cost of veterinarian bills! So you need to carefully | | | | than traditional dog food, but they argue it's worth it. |
| consider the food that you give your dog. People | | | | You may find that locating free natural home made |
| sometimes just pick the first dog food bag they see | | | | dog food recipes is not easy. Try making a mixture |
| at the store. It's easy to overlook the importance of | | | | of ground turkey, rice and carrot as your own dog |
| dog food but it is essential to pick the right one for | | | | food. Your dog will thank you for it. |
| your dog. | | | | If you decide to go the commercial route, try and |
| To keep your dog healthy he needs plenty of fresh | | | | choose a good premium dog food since it contains |
| water and should be fed good quality dog food in | | | | more energy and protein than an economy brand. |
| amounts just right to meet his energy requirements. | | | | Unfortunately not all dog food brands contain high |
| Always follow the guidelines on the dog food | | | | quality and natural ingredients, so always check the |
| package for recommended feeding amounts. | | | | label. It is best if you seek advice from your |
| Picking a dog food | | | | veterinarian before deciding on which dog food to |
| The first challenge in choosing a dog food is picking | | | | feed your dog or puppy. He will know your dog's |
| one that has overall quality. The term that comes up | | | | dietary needs and you will find that veterinary offices |
| a lot about dog food is human grade. Human grade | | | | and feed stores often carry excellent and natural dog |
| implies that the dog food is good enough for us to | | | | food. |
| eat. Many commercial dog foods are made from | | | | All Natural Dog Food |
| materials unusable or less desirable for human | | | | Many natural dog foods contain only fresh, natural |
| consumption. Often the meat that is used in dog | | | | and wholesome ingredients for your dog. Not only |
| food is of a quality considered unfit for humans to | | | | are the protein ingredients digestible, but the |
| eat. | | | | carbohydrates in the dog food are digestible. Natural |
| Major dog food companies try to provide balanced | | | | dog food has 100% nutritional value which is |
| proportions of vitamins and minerals for maximum | | | | important for healthy strong dogs. Chicken, egg and |
| benefit to your dog. Although you may see that | | | | fish are examples of protein that is provided in |
| many brands of dog food have almost identical labels, | | | | natural dog food. There are also ingredients in natural |
| a reputable dog food company will provide an | | | | dog food that really help the health of your dog's |
| explanation for each supplement and how it benefits | | | | skin and also your dog's coat. One of the main draw |
| your dog. | | | | backs of natural dog food is that it has a shorter |
| Always read the label to see what proteins, vitamins | | | | shelf life and may spoil before it is used. |
| and minerals are being provided to your dog. Try not | | | | Dried Dog Food |
| to use store brand dog food they may short change | | | | A good high quality dry dog food will work out to be |
| your dog on much needed nutrition. | | | | more economical than the generic brands even |
| Studies have shown that the primary ingredient in | | | | though they cost more per pound. A vast majority |
| dog food should be meat-based protein, not corn | | | | of dog owners go for dry dog food for its |
| meal, flour or corn gluten meal. According to reviews | | | | convenience and ease of storage. The cheaper dry |
| a better quality dog food results in a healthier coat, | | | | dog foods are made from soybean, corn or rice, |
| fewer digestive problems and firmer stools. | | | | while many premium dry dog foods are made with |
| Pet-nutrition experts agree that the best dog food is | | | | all-natural, human-grade ingredients. |
| made from human-grade ingredients like meat, whole | | | | Vegetarian dog foods |
| grains and vegetables. Premium dog food is so | | | | There are dog foods specially formulated for dogs |
| important because good nutrition is essential for a | | | | that are allergic to wheat, corn, and/or chicken. There |
| long, healthy life. | | | | are also vegetarian dog foods marketed to owners |
| Types of dog food | | | | who do not want their dogs to consume meat |
| There are many varieties of dog food to choose | | | | products. Most vegetarian dog foods use soy as a |
| from. The three most popular types of dog foods | | | | protein source. If your dog has allergies consult your |
| are dry, semi-moist and canned products. Check the | | | | vet before putting him on a specialized diet. |
| color of your dog food. Usually dog food made from | | | | Conclusion |
| natural ingredients will have soft earth tones and | | | | Overall it's usually best to let dogs enjoy dog food |
| contain no preservatives, artificial colors and flavors. | | | | and not our food, even though they may prefer |
| Raw dog food is becoming more popular. More and | | | | what we're eating! Of course you can feed your dog |
| more veterinarians recommend feeding your dog with | | | | treats from time to time, every dog needs some |
| raw dog food. They feel that this is the best choice | | | | TLC from time to time! |
| and is the healthiest food for your dog. After all, | | | | |