What ingredients make for good and bad dog food?
With so
many dog foods available on today's market that are commercially
prepared, it is often quite difficult as only a dog owner to tell which
ones are better than others and why.
First of all, many of the big
companies are paying really slick marketers and advertisers millions of
dollars per year to advertise their dog food. The amount of money they
are spending on marketing has no relationship to the quality of the dog
food. This is unfortunate for you as some of the best advertised dog
food is inferior.
There is one way for you to guess the quality of
dog food however it is not fool proof. You can normally use the price
of the food as an indicator as to the quality. Low priced foods are not
always, but most often, the lowest quality foods on the market and
likewise the more expensive are normally better quality.
When
feeding your dog 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 so make sure
to discuss this with your vet to ensure proper feeding of your dog.
When
making an informed decision, you must know which ingredients are better
than others. When you look at the dog food label, the following are
the kinds of ingredients that you are looking for:
- Human Grade Ingredients Chicken meal
- Turkey meal
- Fish meal
- Rice
- Potatoes
- Lamb meal
- Potatoes
- Rice
- Sunflower Oil
- Vegetables and others.
For
a good dog food, the first four ingredients on the dog food label
should not be grains. Instead they should consist of things like meat
and proteins.
You also want to make sure it says chicken meal and
not chicken as the primary ingredient. If it says chicken only, this
means that the manufacturers are counting the entire chicken toward
protein value. This includes all of the pieces they have probably
scraped of the ground such as beaks, feathers, and feet. With chicken
meal, they are only counting the cooked down version of the protein.
This will ensure that your dog is getting the appropriate kind of
protein and not by products.
Vitamins and fatty acids are also
good ingredients in dog foods. Some examples include Vitamin E, Omega 3
and 6, etc. These are very important for a healthy looking skin and
coat.
Make sure your dog food is not laden with preservatives.
Some of the ingredients that you don't want to see on your dog food
label are the inferior protein's which consists of but are not limited
to variations of the following: Wheat, Corn, Chicken by-products, Soy,
Gluten.
These ingredients are hard to digest and can cause health
problems later on if used for a long period of time. Sugar is another
ingredient that you want to stay away from.
You are always better off making your own dog food and dog treats from recipes such as those you can find at my blog however if you are purchasing dog food you really should only purchase
from a company that spends time and money field testing their products.
You
can always be sure that companies such as Purina, the Iams Company
(which also includes Eukanuba), Royal Canin, Nutro, Diamond, and Hill's
Science Diet are constantly testing their foods to provide the optimum
quality ingredients. These companies offer different grades of food,
however, from lower quality to premium quality so make sure that you
always read the labels.
These are not the only companies by any
means who make good quality dog food. The important thing is to read
the label, do your research, ask questions of your veterinarians and pet
professionals and always be informed. People who work at feed stores
are usually a good resource and can help you find good quality pet food.
Breeders can also be a good source for finding a quality food for your
dog. Dog trainers will also often have a good knowledge of proper
nutrition.
You should always follow your veterinarian's
recommendation on food as well. Many times dogs of certain ages or with
certain health conditions need to be on a prescription diet. While
these diets are often expensive, they do contain the proper nutrients
that dogs in these categories need. Many times owners will switch to a
commercial food because of cost or palatability concerns and the dog's
health will go in to a decline. Your veterinary staff know what is best
for your particular dog.
