As you probably know, you do not simply feed your dog anything.
This is because you also need to consider your pet’s nutritional requirements. So what are the best dog food to choose from?
For a start…
It is important that you opt for one that contains the right ingredients. The dog food should include a great amount of vitamins and minerals that could boost your dog’s stamina and your dog’s overall health.
You can choose between homemade dog food and commercialized dog food.
There are also different types of dog food such as raw food, canned food and dry food.
If you go with commercialized dog food, there are countless premium brands of dog food available in the market today. Choose the best brand of dog food for your dog.
One of the things you need to consider when searching for the right dog food is its ingredients. This is to ensure your dog is getting what it needs.
A healthy dog food brand should promote your dog’s wellness. It does not need to be expensive, as long as it meets certain standards.
Before we go into the best dog food we recommend…
Here’s a quick guide about 12 things that any dog owner should look for in a brand of dog food they feed to their dogs.
Guide To Selecting a Healthy Brand of Commercialized Dog Food
1. Specified Meat
The primary ingredient in your dog’s food should contain some kind of meat – beef, chicken, lamb, fish, etc.
Be sure that it is specified on the label and not listed as either “animal” or “meat”. You need to know exactly what kind of meat is in their food.
Be mindful that many dry dog foods will list their first ingredient as a meat with the second ingredient being corn. For that reason, many people think there is more chicken than corn in the food.
What is done though is that the chicken is weighed before water is taken out of it and before it’s cooked.
Raw meat has about 80 percent water. After the moisture has been removed, just 20 percent or so of the meat’s original weight is left. Thus, the second ingredient is usually the primary ingredient in the dog food – usually corn! When you see “meat meal”, it’s usually the meat after water extraction.
Be sure you read the labels of your dog food, as some do not even have actual meat in them.
2. It Should Contain Organic Ingredients
Make sure that the dog food brand you are choosing contains organic ingredients. This is because organic foods are healthier because they are free from preservatives.
Therefore, you can assure that their immune system will be stronger if you feed your dog natural or organic food. Organic food also improves digestion and promotes a shiny and healthy coat.
3. It Should Contain Vital Vitamins And Minerals Necessary For Your Dog
Vitamins and minerals are essential to your dog’s health. For this reason, you need to look for a dog food that contains ample amounts of these. Make sure that the ingredients are enriched with vitamins and minerals to maintain your pet’s nutritional balance.
In addition, these will boost your dog’s immune system. This also helps in keeping your dog’s coat shiny and healthy. Here are some important vitamins and minerals you need to look for on the label:
- Vitamin A and E: These vitamins are ideal for overweight or obese dogs. This is because vitamins A and E both play a role when it comes to trimming down the weight of your dog, since both promote a faster metabolism.
These vitamins are antioxidants, which helps keep your dog’s immune system.
Through this, it will be easier for your canine pet to fight off free radicals that cause illnesses and diseases.
Vitamin A and E can also effectively slow down your dog’s aging process; hence, your pet has better chances of living for a long time.
- Vitamin C: Just like humans, dogs also need vitamin C. This is because this vitamin helps boost their immune system. Thus, make sure that you also check that the dog food you are considering contains vitamin C.
- Iron: Pet owners should look for this mineral when choosing a dog food. Iron enhances your dog’s blood circulation. Dog food that contains by-products is a good source of iron so consider opting for a brand that has these ingredients.
- Phosphorus, Vitamin D And Calcium: These vitamin and minerals are responsible for making your dog’s teeth and bones healthy. For this reason, ensure you look for these when looking at the label of a dog food brand. This way, you can ensure it is healthy for your dog.
- Potassium: This kind of mineral promotes a healthier heart, making it a must when looking for a healthy, nutritious dog food.
4. It Should Contain Protein And Carbohydrates
These minerals are essential for your dog, because it will keep it energized throughout the day. With these, your dog will be less likely to become lethargic.
5. No Meat By-Products
Be sure that the food you purchase has no meat by-product including but not limited to:
- Beaks
- Eyes
- Feathers
- Fur
- Hooves
- Skin
It’s important to understand that these things are not meat. Rather, they are the leftover parts after the good meat has been removed. Simply put: it’s what humans won’t eat.
When meat is not clearly specified or listed as being “animal” or “meat”, it may mean the meat comes from a rendering plant, which uses any type of meat from euthanized animals, road kill, diseased animals, etc. These rendering plants will sell the meal to cat and dog food companies as being any of the following things:
- Meat by products
- Animal fat
- Animal by products
- Bone meal
If you don’t see what kind of meat that’s being used in the product, skip it!
6. Soy Free
Any food product you buy for your canine needs to be soy-free, as a good many of the breeds are allergic to it. Soy allergies can manifest itself in many conditions such as:
– Breathing problems
– Skin problems
– Diarrhea
7. It Should Not Include Ingredients That Are In High Fat And Sugar
Every pet owner who searches for a healthy dog food should ensure that the brand they are considering does not contain high levels of sugar and fat. Too much sugar or fat in your pet’s system is bad.
This is because consuming these will put your dog at risk for developing diabetes and various heart problems, as well as obesity. The ingredients are not the only thing you need to consider when looking for a healthy dog food.
8. Make Sure The Dog Food Does Not Contain A Lot Of Preservatives
A healthy brand of dog food should not contain high levels of preservatives. This is because preservatives will harm your dog instead of making them healthy. Thus, avoid dog food brands that have these ingredients as much as possible.
9. The Label Should Provide a Nutritional Statement And Feeding Trial Information
Healthy brands of dog food should contain this information in their label because these are the first things pet owners look for.
Nutritional adequacy statement will give you an idea about vitamins and minerals the dog food contains. Moreover, this will inform you whether it is for all dog ages or it is just for puppies.
Make sure to check on this so you will be able to ensure that you are getting proper nutrition for your dog. In addition, ensure to check the feeding trial information. This will serve as verification that the adequacy nutritional statement has undergone a series of trials.
10. Certified By The Food And Drug Administration (FDA)
Another thing you need to look for in a healthy brand of dog food is if the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) certifies it.
This will give you an assurance that what you are feeding your dog has undergone a series of tests, as well as passed the FDA standards.
A responsible owner ensures that quality and healthy food is given to their dogs. For this reason, you must consider checking this the next time you buy food for your dog.
11. Detailed Nutritional Facts
A healthy dog food brand should contain this on their label. This is important since it will provide you the information you need when it comes to the nutrients your dog is getting.
The nutritional facts includes percentage amount of each kind of ingredients included in the package. You should also check the caloric content, especially if your dog is overweight.
12. Look For Premium Labeled Brands of Dog Food
Healthy brands are premium labeled because they contains ingredients packed with vitamins and minerals. These products will also keep your dog healthy and strong. You will know that the brand is premium labeled if your vet suggests it.
There are many dog food brands to choose from nowadays. This might make things easier since you have so many different options available. However, this makes it harder to find which of the brands is right for your dog.
If you take note of the things discussed above though, the search will become easier. Moreover, this will give you the assurance that the brand of dog food you are choosing is healthy.
Make it a habit to read the labels whenever you go shopping for dog food. It will only take you couple of minutes to study the nutritional facts enumerated there.
Moreover, your dog deserves the healthiest food you can find. If you are still confused, talk to your dog’s veterinarian. They can recommend the right formula for your dog.
The Quality of Pet Food Ingredients
Check out the three videos below.
Dr. Karen Becker, a proactive and integrative wellness veterinarian, shares tips on what are the best and worst ingredients found in dog food and evaluate the quality of the different types of pet food. When deciding what to feed your pets, remember these tips from Dr. Becker.
Do not skip these!!!
Watch the videos below. There’s a ton of critical and useful information to show you how to choose wisely great dog food for your dog.
Here’s an eBook to find out more about dog food nutrition and diet that is safe and healthy for your dog.
In Summary
The first ingredient should say a certain meat or meat meal. Anything with the following must be avoided:
- Added colors and/or dyes
- Animal digest
- “Animal” or “meat” not specified
- Bone meal
- By products
- Corn syrup
- Flavor added animal fat
- Grains
- Sugar
It’s better to spend more for great dog food then going for the inexpensive stuff.
Dogs that eat junk dog food are not getting the vitamins and minerals they need so they’ll consume more of the cheap dog food. On top of that, it can cause them to have a dull coat, body odor and shed more.
With the best dog food, they are not going to eat as much because they will feel content afterwards.
This all means a reduction in health problems later on.