Please Help Me Find a Good Dog Food!

Your dog is an important part of your family so you’ll want to give him a diet that will keep him healthy. How do you find a good dog food for your dog and how do you tell which dog food ingredients may cause his health to suffer?

{Due to the vast number of dog foods available today, it would be hard to do a dog food comparison to find the best one There are so many different dog foods for sale today that it is virtually impossible to conduct a dog food comparison to find out which one is best}. The optimal diet for your dog depends on how active he is, his size, his age and what you can actually afford. A well balanced dog food contains the right proportions of proteins, fats and carbohydrates with the important vitamins and minerals. Please note just because a dog food has “balanced” on the label, does not mean that the balance is right!

What dog food ingredients to avoid.

Some cheaper dog food ingredients are merely “fillers” added only to bulk out the container to make you think to are getting value for your money. They have minimal nutritional value and should be avoided. Examples of these filler food are corn, cornmeal, soy and wheat. These fillers can cause health problems such as indigestion, a dull coat, damage to the dog’s immune system and lack of energy.

What ingredients does a balanced dog food contain?

Dogs and people have different nutritional needs which is why feeding a dog human food is a bad idea overall. Dogs need the same basic food groups but in different amounts to what we do. A dog’s protein need are greater than a person’s and his digestive system is equipped to break protein down easily. This is one reason why meat based dog foods are better than carbohydreate based ones.

Carbohydrates such as rice or oatmeal are also necessary for muscles to work efficiently and for good digestion. Carbs containing fiber are good for digestion and also to keep your dog regular.

Some fat is necessary to provide energy and for the absorption of vitamins. Animal fats are unhealthy but omega 3 and omega 6 are good for your dog’s health and will keep his coat shiny and provide many health benefits. The better brands of dog food may already contain omega 3 and 6, otherwise you can add them as a supplement.

Vitamins and minerals are mainly added to dog food these days and should not need to be supplemented. Make sure the brand you choose contains the minerals calcium, magnesium and phosphorus as well as the trace minerals iron, iodine, selenium and zinc – only needed in tiny amounts. It should also contain vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K.

So, choosing a good dog food does require a certain amount of research and maybe spending a little more money to get the best. This is easily offset by the money you’ll save in vet’s bills, not to mention being the owner of a happy healthy dog.