When it comes to choosing the right kind of healthy dog food, you may find that it is more difficult than you first thought. Certainly most of the dog foods available at your local pet or grocery store are processed as well as containing large amounts of preservatives. So to help you find the healthiest dog food for your beloved pet, we provide you with some suggestions below.
First you need to understand what your dog’s diet should be. It is important that you provide your dog with an adequate amount of protein (40%), fiber (30%) and starch (30%). So only look for dog foods that contain trace amounts of these ingredients within their formula. Also make sure when looking at labels that the first ingredient listed is some form of protein (pork, chicken, etc.) and not made from meat by products. You will often find that some of the cheaper dog foods will have a minimal meat content at first, but will then provide details below of the products and fillers that are also used to make the food they are produced. Be careful as this means you will not be given enough meat (protein) that your dog needs to stay fit and healthy.
Secondly look at what preservatives the dog food manufacturers are producing. Of course they are essential because they help prevent food from moving and therefore remain edible. However they do not need to be made of synthetic materials as these can actually cause serious health problems for your dog in later life. Instead look for foods that use vitamins E and C within them as they are not only good for preserving food but also much better for your dog.
If you can afford it, choose only premium brand foods such as Eukanuba, Iams or Hill’s as these contain some of the healthiest ingredients you are likely to find in dog food today. At the same time they also offer a wide range of foods that are suitable for dogs of all ages and when they reach certain stages in their lives.
However, if you really want to make sure that your dog only eats healthy dog food, you may want to consider making your own. Today if you do a search online you will find that there are lots of sites now offering a huge range of healthy dog food recipes and meal plans that you can try out and see which your dog prefers.
Source by Allison Thompson
