You are the caretaker of your dog, and you want the best for them. A large part of your pet’s health is determined by the food they eat. So how can you know which type of food is best?
According to manmadekennels.com, there are some simple guidelines to help you understand what to feed your dog. Even if there is no “good” dog food, there are certainly some that are better than others in terms of nutrition.
If you’re anything like me (that is, a mad dog lady), you might have spent endless hours, days and months searching for the perfect dog food. It seems impossible to find the right dog food that is beneficial for the dog’s health, and that is also kind to your budget. The ideal food should not cause any digestive issue, give your dog plenty of energy, keep its fur clean and smooth, and keep its eyes bright and clean.
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Few Facts
The AAFCO has established guidelines for regulators to control the declarations that a pet food company can make on its label. If a product is said to contain a single ingredient, it must contain at least 95% of that ingredient, not including water.
When selling a mixture of ingredients, at least 95% of the mix must be meat content. For example, if the food claims to be made up entirely of beef, beef must make up 95% of the meat.
Phrases such as ‘dinner,’ ‘dishes’ and ‘appetizers’ mean that food should contain at least 25% of the ingredients mentioned. If the title says “with” a particular component (such as “with cheese”), only 3% of the stated ingredient is needed. Goods that sell different “flavors” should contain only a measurable quantity of that ingredient.
Source: anythingpawsable
How to Determine the Dietary Needs of Your Dog
Multiple factors contribute to the food requirement of your pet, including development, activity, reproductive status, and gender. Pet food is meant to be consumed during certain life stages of the animal. A puppy needs more calories than an older dog, and a pregnant or lactating dog will also consume more calories than its spayed or neutered equivalent.
You should think about your pet’s food requirements, but also note that not all these calories must come from just one kind of nutrient, e.g., protein or carbohydrate. For instance, a protein intake of 20 to 25% is adequate to maintain good health.
On the other hand, when you feed too many calories to your dog, it will store excess calories in its body. A dog can develop pancreatitis when there is a higher level of fat and protein in its diet.
You should know that fat is a type of concentrated energy. In other words, low-fat dry food will have 6 to 8 percent of fat, while a high-fat diet can contain fat as high as 18 percent!
For this reason, consult your veterinarian if you have any questions about chronic diarrhea or skin conditions that may be linked to food allergies. Diarrhea in dogs may have different causes, such as internal parasites and bacterial infections. However, lack of nutrition may also be the culprit. You can also consider commercially formulated diets, which a veterinary nutritionist can supply you with. If you want to know can your dog eat marshmallows be sure to check Pawster.
How to Pick a Nutritional Dog Food
Note that advertisements on television, newspaper, and superstores are not always sincere. Even the design of the bag or label can be designed to convince people to purchase the product.
Hence, don’t be fooled by beautiful pictures and funny ads. Do some study on your own for your furry friend’s sake. Labels that include promotional terms, such as “premium,” “natural,” and “gourmet” are appropriate for the selling of food. Still, there are no accurate definitions of these terms accepted by the FDA or by the manufacturers of pet food.
It is a matter of choice and your budgeting constraints whether you want to offer your dog canned food instead of dry food, and vice versa. Some dogs prefer both types, while some prefer either one.
However, on occasion, you may have a dog that is resistant to a particular diet. It can show symptoms, like vomiting and diarrhea. This indicates a lack of tolerance for the food by the dog’s body.
Canned food is usually costlier than dry food, and it is about 75% water. Dogs that like wet food prefer canned food. To compare dry food (10 to 12 percent moisture) and canned food (75 percent water), you need to consider the amount of moisture in the diet. To calculate the “dry matter basis” of protein in canned dog food, you need to remove the amount of water in the food by a calculation.
Furthermore, dogs are omnivores and can eat meat, grain as well as vegetables. Anyhow, you should buy food that has meat listed as the main ingredient. In other words, the main ingredient must be chicken or beef rather than “meat by-product” or “meat meal”.
Seeing the word “chicken” on the ingredient label means that the meat is primarily of muscle tissue, but may include the diaphragm of the animal or the heart (or other parts). So, you should be careful in this regard.
Generally, ingredients that include liquid and meat will typically dominate the list.
Over and above that, you have to make sure the food is fresh and natural. To ensure this, check the date of sale (or best before) on the container.
Dry food is coated with fat on the outside to increase palatability. Fat will inevitably deteriorate due to exposure to air and light.
Heat is going to increase the chance of rancidity, as well. Therefore, check that the bag is secure, and there are no holes in the box before purchase.
Equally important, dry dog food should be kept in an airtight container (plastic or metal) in a cold and dark place, such as a closet, pantry, or a freezer. Store unopened canned products must in a cool and dry place.
Source: dogstruggles
Different Types of Dog Food
It is perfectly acceptable to feed your dog with a pure kibble diet. Or you can combine your diet with some cooked and raw food, fish, vegetables, and rice added nutriment.co.uk.
Some pet owners like to give their dogs a raw meat diet. Some may even cook homemade food for their dogs.
Generally speaking, the best five dog food ingredients are buffalo, lamb, chicken, sweet potatoes, and peas. A combination of carbohydrates, fat, protein, minerals, and vitamins is compulsory.
Best Dry Dog Food
Dry dog food is more effective because it can be left out for hours or days, and still won’t smell bad. Then again, if your dog doesn’t drink enough water, or is quite old, wet food is a better choice. This is because it gives extra hydration, and makes it easier to consume for elderly pooches, who may have dental problems.
There are many types of dry dog food in the stores. From pork or beef jerky to chicken feet and rabbit ears for dogs. The options are endless. The right dry food for your dog depends on the dietary needs of your dog.
Typically, higher quality dry dog food that contains all the right ingredients according to your dog’s life stage, breed, and health condition is the right one. Regardless, speak to your veterinary nutritionist for a more customized diet plan.
Best Wet Dog Food
Wet dog food, or often referred to as canned dog food, is an excellent source of nutrition. If your dog hates drinking water, or you’re living in a dry, hot climate, wet dog food will keep your dog hydrated all day long.
Moreover, wet food contains a large amount of fresh meat, poultry, fish, and animal
by-products, along with textured grain-derived proteins. Canned dog food has a longer shelf life as well, but it must be refrigerated once opened.
On the whole, just like the dry one, the perfect wet dog food can be determined by considering the age, breed, and health condition of your dog, for instance, allergies. Take the advice of your vet to learn about which wet food will suit your canine buddy.
Source: allnewspetcare
Final Thoughts
Your dog is an integral part of your family, which is why it deserves the best dog food. It’s easy to fall for the cheaper product or the one with fancy packaging. Therefore, do your research before visiting the supermarket.
In the end, the best dog food for your dog is up to you to decide, obviously, after a thorough consultation with your dog’s nutritionist. After you have started feeding your dog with a particular product, check your dog’s stool, fitness, appetite, and overall health. If you see positive results, stick to the current food choice, or change immediately to a better option. For more information visit petdogplanet.
