The incredible number of products on the market these days can make it very hard to figure out how to go about choosing the best dry dog food and dog food supplies for your dog. A little bit of education on the subject is definitely required, so that you can make an informed decision. And there are some important things to be informed about, when it comes to pet foods.
Canines like wolves, coyotes, and jackals are omnivores-- they hunt and eat meat, but they also eat plant products. Most people assume that dogs need meat in their diets to be healthy, but this question has yet to be completely resolved. Modern, commercially prepared vegetarian diets are available now.
Reading the label on bags takes practice and some knowledge. An important piece of information is that the ingredients are listed from greatest percentage to least, by weight. Fresh meat and some other products are composed of a high percentage of water, however, so they make up less of the food once dried. Fresh meat or a specific type of meat meal are good things to see in the first few ingredients.
Anything on the label should be specified with a species, because it is possible for dog foods to contain roadkill and even euthanized pets. This can be avoided by not purchasing anything that has 'meat meal' or 'animal byproducts' listed. Specified byproducts, listed as 'turkey byproducts' or 'chicken byproducts' are okay, because although these are parts of the animal you wouldn't eat, a wolf (and thus most dogs) happily would.
Avoiding grains is one thing that current products are trending towards. This is not a problem, but it also isn't really necessary. While it is true that most dogs with allergies to certain products are allergic to wheat and corn, the rest of the grain products available have not shown the same tendency. Grain-free is fine, grains (excluding wheat and corn), are also fine.
Part of the reason to feed your dog a commercial product is that it has been fortified to contain all the essential nutrients. Some people believe that commercial foods can never completely replicate natural ones, and like to switch products every month or few months in order to 'make up' any missed nutrients. There is no evidence that this is required, but for dogs whose stomachs can handle it, there is also no evidence that it is harmful.
Federal labeling regulations define the terms 'puppy' 'adult' and 'all life stages' dog foods. All other terms are not regulated. However, they do have common market meanings-- 'senior' and 'weight-management' mean lower calorie, and 'large-breed puppy' means formulated to slow growth. The latter is supposed to reduce adult joint problems.
Choosing the best dry dog food and dog food supplies for your dog should not be based on price, but it can't be said that price doesn't count. One important thing to realize is that while the cheapest foods are cheaper, most of the so-called mid-grade and premium foods are all about the same price. Cheap foods also often incorporate volume from items of low digestibility, so your dog may need to eat more of them.
Canines like wolves, coyotes, and jackals are omnivores-- they hunt and eat meat, but they also eat plant products. Most people assume that dogs need meat in their diets to be healthy, but this question has yet to be completely resolved. Modern, commercially prepared vegetarian diets are available now.
Reading the label on bags takes practice and some knowledge. An important piece of information is that the ingredients are listed from greatest percentage to least, by weight. Fresh meat and some other products are composed of a high percentage of water, however, so they make up less of the food once dried. Fresh meat or a specific type of meat meal are good things to see in the first few ingredients.
Anything on the label should be specified with a species, because it is possible for dog foods to contain roadkill and even euthanized pets. This can be avoided by not purchasing anything that has 'meat meal' or 'animal byproducts' listed. Specified byproducts, listed as 'turkey byproducts' or 'chicken byproducts' are okay, because although these are parts of the animal you wouldn't eat, a wolf (and thus most dogs) happily would.
Avoiding grains is one thing that current products are trending towards. This is not a problem, but it also isn't really necessary. While it is true that most dogs with allergies to certain products are allergic to wheat and corn, the rest of the grain products available have not shown the same tendency. Grain-free is fine, grains (excluding wheat and corn), are also fine.
Part of the reason to feed your dog a commercial product is that it has been fortified to contain all the essential nutrients. Some people believe that commercial foods can never completely replicate natural ones, and like to switch products every month or few months in order to 'make up' any missed nutrients. There is no evidence that this is required, but for dogs whose stomachs can handle it, there is also no evidence that it is harmful.
Federal labeling regulations define the terms 'puppy' 'adult' and 'all life stages' dog foods. All other terms are not regulated. However, they do have common market meanings-- 'senior' and 'weight-management' mean lower calorie, and 'large-breed puppy' means formulated to slow growth. The latter is supposed to reduce adult joint problems.
Choosing the best dry dog food and dog food supplies for your dog should not be based on price, but it can't be said that price doesn't count. One important thing to realize is that while the cheapest foods are cheaper, most of the so-called mid-grade and premium foods are all about the same price. Cheap foods also often incorporate volume from items of low digestibility, so your dog may need to eat more of them.
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