Consumer's guide to choosing a Healthy dog food
The exact traces of how man tamed the dog still remain a mystery. What's more interesting is the history of how man came to worry about feeding a healthy dog food for the very first time. Well, all of these histories remain unknown. Whenever it was, man has discovered over the years ways on how to feed their best friend efficiently and healthily.
The phrase healthy dog food has been used redundantly by most commercial brand feeds for dogs for years over years now. However, always keep in mind that not all dog foods with that seal are considered a healthy choice. You have to realize that your dog's structure, breed, weight, veterinary medical history, hygiene, shelter, and physical activity are all equal contributors when choosing a healthy dog food that is well suitable for your dog's needs.
Have you ever gone an extra effort and scanned the contents of a commercial dog food. For some of you who didn't, good for you. For the unlucky few who have, you may have come across ingredients you have always thought to be dangerous and unhealthy if ingested. Well unfortunately, most commercial dog foods available in pet stores today are full of preservatives and are highly processed. So before you have your dog smack up a pound of that dog food, you may want to consider these few tips to find a healthy dog food.
Understanding the basics
If you have even a little background about dog nutrition, then consider yourself safe. For others who don't, you may want to take note of the ideal rations for a healthy dog food. A healthy dog food should include 50 percent vegetables, 40 percent meat, and only 10 percent carbohydrates or other grains. Choose a pet food that is closer to this ratio.
Make sure that the first or the first two ingredients listed on the back of the label is a form of protein, like lamb, venison, or chicken and not some meat-by products that can include bones, chicken beaks, or feet. Look for a pet food that excludes fillers like wheat, cornmeal, and corn. They are actually potential allergens.
And lastly, consider the rule of the thumb for all pet foods - if you won't eat it, your dog shouldn't either. However, there are also some things that are better left eaten by man alone like chocolate, onion, grapes, and white flour. These are not good for your dog. Don't make the common mistakes of thinking that all human food can be given to your dogs.
