How to Choose Dog Food Correctly

When selecting dog food for your furry friend, you must be always confused what you need to feed him, which brand is best for him, how much you need to feed him, whether dry food is good or wet food and so and so questions come. Moreover, whenever buying a dog food, have you ever noticed the ingredients found in commercial dog food?

Some pet parents are very serious about their dog food. They may think that the commercial dog food available in the pet store is good for nothing without any nutritional value. However, this is just a myth that few of them have. Most pet food especially nutritional dog food is rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutritional elements.

To help you explore the best dog food and select the best nutrition for your dog, we have penned down certain important tips for you.

• Firstly, it is crucial to know that dog food should contain 50% meat and 50% vegetables, grain-free, wheat-free and no fillers. Properly choose pet food on which all the ingredients are displayed along with its nutritional value.
• Before purchasing a pack, check that it contains high amount of proteins, which is required for healthy growth of a dog. The meat food you purchase is pre-cooked, which ascertains that its nutritional value will be intact even when cooked. On a dog food package, you can notice proteins present in form of lamb meal, chicken meal and venison meal.
• Some dog food comes in grain form. Grains are rich source of energy and energy storage for dogs. Nevertheless, many manufacturers use them as cheap fillers to boost protein percentage in dog food. When purchasing, check for whole grains as they contain more amount of vitamins, fiber and minerals. When different grains are used in proper ratio, it will be good for your dog’s health. The best combination of grains is barley, rolled oats, brown rice and millets.
• Usually, low quality dog food pack displays meat ingredient first, which is followed by various by-products and fillers. Though meat ingredient is listed first, more filler changes the ratio above.
• If you are thinking to switch your dog totally on veggies, think twice. Canines need high amount of proteins due to their body structure, which is mainly obtained from meat. By nature, dogs are not vegetarian. However, vets and practitioners claim that dogs can survive on a vegetarian diet; they may not able to lead a healthy and active life.
• To preserve quality of a dog food, almost all packed or canned food contains preservatives. But, it’s not necessary that they should be chemicals only as they can adversely affect your dog’s health. Check to avoid chemical preservatives like BHT, BHA and Ethoxyquin. Feeds with preservatives such as vitamin E and vitamin C are best to buy.
• Being a responsible pet parent, it’s your duty to keep your lovable companion in a good health. Low quality or economical brand food does not supply the required nutrients, which is necessary for your dog’s well-being. Always look for brand dog foods, which are rich in all the nutrients for growth and maintaining health.
• Another category of dog food is also available in the market - Holistic food! Go for it, as it is 100% natural and 100% nutritious. The best part of this food is that it contains human-grade ingredients. 

Healthy Diet

As a balanced diet void of extra fats, gluten and sugar is necessary for you, it applies true for your pet also. Be careful that you do not provide sweets, chocolates, wine, raisins, grapes and onions to your furry friend, as they are too harmful for your pets. Don’t be in an illusion that all human food is good for your pooch. Foods, which may be healthy for you, can turn out to be a disaster for your poor pet.

It is always desirable that you make the best choice for your dog. Before purchasing a dog food, consider your dog’s breed, size, weight and his health requirements, based on which you can make the best selection. If you are not aware of what you need to feed your pet, or what nutrients are essential for your pooch’s proper growth, take help from your vet.

A good food and your abundance of love with proper care will make you and your four-legged companion happy! Just grab that healthy dog food from an online pet store and help your dog stay healthy.