Dog Information on Food and Nutrition
We love our pets like members of our families, and want to give them the best to ensure many happy and healthy years of companionship. There is a lot of dog information out there, much of it comes from conflicting and biased sources, and does not always give us the knowledge we really need. What can do in order to give our pets the happiest, healthiest lives we possibly can?
Many commercial dog foods are composed of filler ingredients, or by-products, which provde for very little of our pets’ nutritional needs. These would be the doggy equivalent of feeding your pets fast food twice a day, ever day. Is it any wonder then, that canine diseases like diabetes are on the rise?
For the benefit of our beloved pets, we should be educated on their health and nutrition. Cats and dogs are carnivores, and therefore they require protein in the form of meat. A good dog food should ideally contain more than one meat source in its contents. Lamb, beef, turkey meal or other ingredients like these are ideal sources of protein, and even more so if they are among the first five ingredients of the list, which signifies that they compose a high percentage of the total food.
When we look at dog food labels, we should check for the presence of these ingredients, which should generally be avoided. Corn, corn gluten and other grain products are not necessary for dogs, and provide only empty carbohydrates. These are often used to “bulk up” a dog food by a pet food company in order to save money. Ingredients containing the word “by-products” should also be avoided as they can contain pet food plant waste and inedible animal parts.
Vitamins and minerals are also necessary for a good canine diet, and many foods list nutritional supplements in their ingredients. Dog information sources say that chelated minerals have the advantage of being easier for dogs to process. Chelated minerals are included in many quality foods such as lifes abundance dog food.
Additionally, a pet owner might consider other ways of feeding for optimum dog health. Many owners not choose to feed their pets raw food, as this mimics what a dog or cat would eat in the wild. But for the more squeamish, it is easy to find recipes online that tell us how to make your own dog food.
No matter the brand or style of feeding you decide on, be sure to keep up to date on dog information on health and nutrition. Information sources can be found on the internet and libraries, but of you have any doubts or questions, please contact your veterinarian as the best source of dog information.
If we love a pet like a family member, we should feed them accordingly. Learn about nutrition and other dog information in order to choose the best food, which should contain real meats and chelated minerals. Lifes abundance dog food is one good example. Some owners also feed raw or recommend that you make your own dog food. Always consult a veterinarian for issues on dog health.