Raising a dog is more or less an art! You should be clear about many factors. This could be anything like the dog’s bed, food patterns, or outdoor activities. According to experts, you should feed your dog the right kind of food. No two dog breeds are the same.
So, how do you determine the right food for your furry friend? The first step is to consult with your veterinarian about the specific nutritional needs of your dog breed. Then, look for quality commercial dog food that meets those needs. It’s important to read the ingredients list and avoid foods that are high in fat, sugar, or artificial additives.
This means you cannot feed a German Shepherd’s diet to a Yorkshire Terrier! You must remember many things before planning your dog’s food.
Nutritional needs and tastes differ between dog breeds. Always take your dog’s activity margin, breed, health condition, and age into consideration. This way you will pull together an idealistic dietary routine for your pet dog.
Choosing the Right Meal!
In this short article, you will read a few tips on how to choose the right food for your dog. Dog food comes in different forms, ranging from organic produces to canned food to dry dog food. Dry dog food is extremely famous amongst owners.
That is because you can keep small amounts of the food in a bowl and give it to your dog. Dry food is easy to clean too! Most dry dog foods are prepared with the right mix of proteins and other essential ingredients. Before you pick a dry dog food for your pet, make sure it has the right mix of ingredients.
While reading labels, you should focus on the following:
- The dry food product should not have any flavors or preservatives. Artificial additives will harm your dog’s health. Chemical additives can reduce the overall lifespan of your furry friends.
- The color is an important “keyword” to look for on dog food labels. Color can decide the overall quality of food. Often, healthy dog foods come in soft earth tones.
- A primitive ingredient in dry dog food would be “meat”. Select the right type of meat for your pet. It could be anything like lamb, chicken, beef, or liver.
Is dog kibble safe?
This is a question that has been debated for years. The answer, however, is not so simple. There are pros and cons to both feeding your dog kibble and giving them food you cook yourself. Let’s take a look at some of the key points:
Kibble is Affordable: Kibble is one of the most affordable options when it comes to food for your dog. It can be found at most pet stores, and it doesn’t require any special ingredients or cooking skills.
Kibble is Convenient: Kibble is also very convenient. All you have to do is open up a bag or can, and your dog will be ready to eat. This makes it perfect for busy dog owners or those who travel frequently.
Kibble is Nutritionally Balanced: Kibble is also nutritionally balanced, which means your dog will get all the nutrients they need from a single food source. This can be helpful for dogs with allergies or sensitivities.
However, there are some drawbacks to kibble as well. Here are a few of the most common complaints:
Kibble is Not Always Fresh: One of the biggest problems with kibble is that it can often go stale. This can make your dog sick and lead to digestive problems.
Kibble is not always Healthy: Kibble is also not always healthy. It can be packed with fillers and preservatives, which can be bad for your dog’s health.
Kibble Can Cause Weight Gain: Kibble can also cause weight gain in dogs, especially if they are not active. This can lead to a variety of health problems down the road.
So, what’s the verdict? Is kibble safe for your dog? In short, it depends on your dog’s individual needs and preferences. If you are happy with kibble and your dog is healthy and energetic, then there is no reason to switch to a different food type. However, if you are looking for a more nutritious and fresh option, cooking food for your dog yourself may be the better choice.
Is meat safe for dogs?
Just like kibble, the answer to this question is not so simple. There are pros and cons to feeding your dog meat, just as there are with feeding them kibble. Let’s take a look at some of the key points:
Meat is Nutritious: Meat is one of the most nutrient-rich food sources available. It contains all of the essential amino acids, as well as plenty of vitamins and minerals. This makes it an ideal food choice for dogs who need extra nutrition.
Meat is Fresh: Unlike kibble, meat does not go stale. In fact, it is best when it is fresh. This means your dog will always be getting a nutritious and fresh meal.
Meat Can Cause Weight Gain: However, meat can also cause weight gain in dogs if it is not balanced with other food sources. This can be harmful to a dog’s health and lead to obesity.
So, is meat safe for your dog? Again, the answer depends on your dog’s individual needs and preferences. If you are happy with feeding your dog meat and they are healthy and energetic, then there is no reason to switch to a different food type. However, if you are looking for a more nutritious and fresh option, cooking food for your dog yourself may be the better choice.
What do I feed my dog?
It’s easy to answer this question with the obvious… Dog food. Duh. BUT! There is so much more to this question than at first meets the eye. In this article, I will address this question and the reasons I draw the conclusions that I do.
During my tenure as a manager at a large pet specialty chain store, this must have been one of the most frequently asked questions I heard from pet parents, new and old alike.
After learning more about dog food and all things dog, I realized there is a science to feeding your dog.
The first guideline, but which I was amazed to find out a lot of people did, is to not feed your dog cat food. Allowing the dog to lap up the leftover cat food, or spills, will not cause harm, but feeding a regular diet is not recommended. Cat food contains higher fat, which of course the dog will love, but it’s also going to contribute to the obesity of your pet.
Cat food also contains vitamin A, which dogs synthesize internally, and an overdose can have adverse effects. Cat food also contains predominately animal protein, and dogs require a source of plant protein as well.
Puppy food versus senior versus adult. All these foods are specially formulated for a specific type of dog. Puppies need more calcium for bone development as well as a higher fat requirement to provide the energy of a puppy. The adult food is a balance between the puppy and the senior food. Senior food provides for lower fat because usually, the senior dog does not maintain the high activity level of a puppy. In some cases, the kibble is smaller and softer as well.
Of all the different dog foods, which is the best dog food? That was another question I received quite frequently. With dog food, the expression – You get what you pay for – holds true… For the most part.
There are three “grades” of dog food. Grocery, premium, and super-premium. Grocery is the “cost-effective” variety. The store brands like Ol’ Roy, Purina dog chow, and Pedigree. Premium foods are Mid-grade foods like Natural Choice by Nutro, Eukanuba, and Science Diet by Hills. Super-premium are high-grade foods that have more meat than by-products. These include the likes of Blue Buffalo, Bil-Jack, Royal Canin, Ultra by Nutro, Hills also has a line of high-end food as well. This list is not exhaustive.
The main difference between premium food and grocery food is the amount of by-
products. Examine the ingredient label. The ingredients are listed in order of quantity contained within. If one bag says chicken by-product, or chicken meal, and the fourth or fifth ingredient is chicken, then be sure that it is not premium food.
Another advantage of the higher quality foods with fewer by-products is this. Meat protein is more easily digestible by your dog than by-products. This aids in more digestible components. Two things happen as a result of this. First, your dog requires less quantity to receive the same amount of nutrition obtained from lower quality food. This directly correlates with the amount of waste expelled. The fewer digestible, the more you have to clean up in the yard.
So not only does your dog benefit from a better diet of high quality food, you benefit from less cleanup. And as a result of the dog consuming less, the high quality food will last longer than the grocery food because they require less, thereby somewhat offsetting the increased price.
And dogs, like humans, benefit from an improved diet. Their system will function better if kept in shape. They are less susceptible to heart disease and other illnesses if their diet is sound.
Contrary to most of the hype we are exposed to, corn is not easily digestible, if at all. Corn is cheap. Corn is the perfect filler. But it passes thru your dog almost completely intact providing little or no nutritional value for your dog and contributing to additional clean-up in the back yard. The grocery dog foods use corn, cornmeal, and corn by-products as the main filler in their products.
Some other considerations are the type of dog. Large dogs, for example, the Rottweiler, have problems with their joints and hips. This is due to having to support the weight of the big dog. Some foods are formulated with this in mind. The two ingredients known to promote joint health are chondroitin and glucosamine. You can also supplement these two bone-integrity-enhancing ingredients by providing your pet with vitamins that contain these.
Some other food ingredient considerations are the primary protein ingredient. Beef, fish, chicken, lamb, venison, a whole plethora of protein sources can be found. Of all those, lamb is the easiest to digest. If your dog is having trouble with keeping the food down or having trouble with their stool, try a lamb-based food. Lamb is also known to produce fewer allergic reactions than other protein sources.
Sometimes allergies can contribute to a poor coat. Again, lamb has been shown to improve coat condition due to the natural oils and vitamins present in the lamb protein. Fish oil, or Omega 3 fatty acid, is also known to assist in reducing skin allergies and can be fed with the food. Some foods even include this ingredient, foods tailored for “skin and coat.”
Feeding your dog is not a difficult task, but take into account what you feed. You wouldn’t eat junk, would you? I mean, an occasional lunch at the fast-food drive-thru is fine, but you don’t want to eat it every day do you? You want your healthy diet and your fruits and veggies every day because you know it promotes a healthy lifestyle and prolongs your life and contributes to a better quality of life.
Doesn’t your four-legged family member deserve at least this much for everything he gives back?
