Pet Food For The Discerning Pet Owner

There are so many types and brands of pet food on store shelves today that it can be really hard to compare, contrast, and pick the best one for your pet. Don't try to evaluate the quality of a brand of pet food just from the advertising. All the ads tell you is how much money was poured into advertising, which does not indicate anything about the quality. Really, the best clue that a pet food is good is the price. Low price typically indicates a lower quality.

You want to make sure that the adult dog food you are feeding is 22-25% protein and 15-19% fat. The protein should come from a good quality source. Some dogs such as puppies, large breeds, and active breeds have different protein and fat requirements. Make sure to discuss this with your veterinarian to ensure proper feeding of your dog.

You have to know which ingredients are better than others in order to be able to buy the right food. If there are ingredients such as human-grade chicken meal, turkey meal, fish meal or lamb meal on the pet food label, then you are heading in the right direction. It is important to make sure the first four ingredients are not grains. Meat and proteins are paramount. These ingredients are usually present in pedigree dog food.

Also ensure that the ingredients say chicken meal and not chicken as the primary ingredient. When they say chicken only, it means that the entire chicken is being counted towards protein value which is inclusive of beaks, feathers, and feet. When they specify it as chicken meal, only the cooked down version of the protein is taken into account. This ensures that your dog is not given the byproducts but the actual protein part of its diet. Dog foods must also contain Vitamins and fatty acids.

Many dog foods contain ingredients that you should avoid in the interest of your dog's health. Gluten, corn, wheat, chicken by-products, and soy are all inferior sources of protein and their long-term use can eventually cause health problems for your pet. Many dog foods also contain high amounts of sugar, which is another ingredient that should only have a minimal role in the diet of your canine friend.

Remember to always follow the recommendations on food your vet gives you, and be prepared to discuss this with your vet also. You would expect your vet to know all of this information, but the truth is many vets are not taught this in veterinary school, but receive their information and facts from some commercial pet food manufacturers. On some occasions when dogs reach a certain age or have certain health conditions they need a special prescription diet. These diets may, or may not, contain the proper nutrients that dogs need, as well as often being more expensive then other foods. The dog's health will begin to decline if owners switch to a commercial dog food brand instead of the special diet due to cost or other concerns. The veterinary staff knows what's best to keep your particular dog healthy.

There are so many types and brands of pet food on store shelves today that it can be really hard to compare, contrast, and pick the best one for your pet. In order to make the best choice, the most desirable ingredients are. On a dog food label, you are looking for these types of ingredients: Human Grade Ingredients, chicken, turkey or fish meal, lamb meal, rice, potatoes, sunflower oil, and vegetables. In quality dog food, the first four ingredients should never be grains. Meat and proteins are the desirable first ingredients. These are the main ingredients in pedigree dog food and Flint River ranch dog food.

-Melinda Smith