Choosing Gain Dog Food A Decision in Your Dog s Best Interest
5 factors to consider when choosing dog food for your furry friend
5 factors to consider when choosing dog food for your furry friend
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For most of us, our dogs are like children. They are part of the family, and as such, its natural that wed want whats best for them in all aspects of life. Just like with human beings, health is a crucial pillar of your puppys happiness. And in turn, food is a central element of maintaining your pets health.
Deciding on the best option for your poochs diet is certainly not a straightforward decision. With so many options available on the market and with conflicting advice coming at you from every angle, the decision can be overwhelming.
To assist you in making an informed decision, here are a few factors youll need to consider when deciding on what to feed your little buddy:
Your budget
Its no secret that having a dog can be expensive when you factor in the cost of vet bills, toys, and doggy daycare. Naturally, food and treats are an essential expense youll need to factor into your monthly budget.
There are loads of options available that suit a range of budgets, but its important to remember that a higher price doesnt necessarily equate to your pets healthy option.
So before you start exploring your options and investing in the latest dog food trend, start by setting yourself a realistic budget and exploring your options.
Allergies
Despite the wealth of options available on the market today, they might not all be appropriate for your pup. Establishing whether your dog suffers from any particular allergies will be important when weighing suitable options.
You may not know if your dog has an allergy right away, but it is worth keeping an eye out for their reaction to new types of food. If you notice them showing any symptoms of being unwell or acting out of sorts following a diet change, you may discover they have an allergy. If this is the case, you may need to investigate hypoallergenic dog food options.
Your dogs preferences
Before you run out and buy dog food on a special promotion, be sure that your dog will eat it.
While some puppies will quite happily eat anything (including human food), many will be quite fussy. Doing a little taste test is an excellent way to allow your furry friend to sample the food and see whether they agree to it. It will also let you see how a particular type of food agrees with the pups system.
Availability
The next thing youll need to consider is the availability of your dogs food of choice.
The benefit of opting for a well-established brand is that it will likely be available in most reputable pet shops. Some of the more specialist products may only be available online, in which case youll need to be organized enough to order your puppys grub well in advance.
Special requirements
Lastly, youll need to consider whether your dog has any special dietary needs. Whether your pup has sensitive skin, needs to lose a few pounds, or has dental issues, youll have to factor these situations in when looking for the best food option. Exploring advanced alternative nutrition formulas offered by reputable brands like Earthborn Holistic Dog Food often presents excellent options for dogs with more complex dietary needs.
Remember, the process of choosing the right food for your furry friend may involve an element of trial and error. Understand that this certainly presents a learning curve for you as a dog owner, so dont be too hard on yourself if you dont get it right the first time around.
Also, be aware that as your pooch grows up their requirements, preferences and tastes may change, the same way a human child would so be pragmatic.
But ultimately, with a bit of forethought and research, you will find a nutritional solution thatll meet the needs of each pet. Good luck!
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Why Are Non GMO Ingredients in Your Dog's Food So Critically Important?Watch the Videos below and Learn from Expert Veterinarians
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Email Received August 17, 2020NameTim OlsonCommentMy German Shepherd, Big Rig, lived to be 23 years old thanks to your wonderful dog food.And he never had any health problems.Thanks, Burt!
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We hope you have taken the time to read Buck's Full Recovery Story above and we would love if youandallmembers of our big Batman Family and Gentle Giants Family would send us your own letters with photosandvideosabout how Great your Canine Kids and Feline Furbabies are doing eating our Natural Non GMOIngredientsGentle Giants Dog and Puppy Food and our Natural Non GMO Ingredients Gentle Giants Cat and Kitten Food.We would love to share your testimonials and heartwarming stories on our websites and social media pages aswell as in our upcoming newsletters and on our Pet Food bags.Also keep a look out for our upcoming Newsletters that will have more of your Heartwarming Stones andTestimonials as well as more exciting newsand information about Why Gentle Giants Natural Non GMOIngredients Pet Foods are making a dramatic Difference in helping our Precious Pets live the longest, healthiest,life possible with a wonderful Quality of Life.We hope you, as a member of our Big Batman Family and our Gentle Giants Family, will go to your local Petco, Stater Bros. Market, H-E-B, Target, Food City, Ralphsstore and many other local stores near you and pick up our Natural Non GMO Ingredients Gentle Giants Dog and Puppy Food and our Natural NonGMO Ingredients Gentle Giants Cat and Kitten Food so your precious pets can benefit. Write to us and let usknow how great your pets are doing eating our Gentle Giants Pet Foods. We would love to hear from you. And ofcourse, pleasegive your Canine Kids and Feline Fur Family Members Big Sweet Nose and Whisker Kisses from us.We want to thank all of our Big Batman Family and Gentle Giants Family for being Superheroes to helptheirCanine Kidsand Feline Fur Babies live the longest, healthiest happiest lives possible with a wonderful Quality of Life. Our best friends deserve the best food in the world. Pets who eat foods with no GMO Ingredients and no pesticides can live longer and healthier.Sincerely, Burt and Tracy
Our store is GentleGiantsPetProducts.comwhere you can order our freshly made Dry and CannedGentle Giants Natural Non GMO Ingredients Cat and Kitten Food NOW!Available at your local Stater Bros Market, H-E-B Store, Food City Store, and online atPetco.com,Chewy.com,HEB.com,Target.com, andTractorSupply.com.Online orders at TractorSupply.com can also be picked up at your local Tractor Supply Store.Gentle Giants Natural Non GMO Ingredients Pet Foods are also delivered by Instacart.The above retailershave Gentle Giants Cat and Kitten Foodavailable for purchase -Order Today NOW!Burt and Tracy show dogs living extraordinarily long, healthy lives who eat Gentle Giants Dog and Puppy Foodand follow their Special Feeding and Care Program on TV Shows and News Programs
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How to Choose the Best Dog Food
In an ideal world, all dog food would be created equal. Instead, dog owners are presented with an overwhelming array of options, all claiming to be the best dog food on the market. Wading through these choices to find a dog food brand that is healthy, affordable, and appealing to your pet is often frustrating. Weve compiled expert advice to help you narrow down your options.
What Makes a Dog Food Good?
Most people feed their dogs dry kibble or canned wet food. These processed foods might not be appealing to us, but they contain all of the nutrients dogs need to stay healthy. Quality commercial dog foods are highly regulated and have undergone rigorous testing by veterinary specialists. So what exactly is in these dog foods?
Dogs, unlike cats, are not strict carnivores. While meat makes up the majority of their diet, domestic dogs can also derive nutrients from grains, fruits, and vegetables. These non-meat foods are not simply fillers, but can be a valuable source of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A good dog food will contain meat, vegetables, grains, and fruits. The best dog foods contain high-quality versions of these ingredients that are appropriate for your dogs digestive system.
Dog Food Nutrition
The best dog food for your canine companion should meet his nutritional needs. While most commercial dog food brands are specially formulated with at least the minimum nutritional requirements for dogs, it is important to remember that not every dog has exactly the same nutritional needs.
Dogs require a wide range of nutrients in different quantities over the course of their lives. The nutritional needs of a puppy are different from an adult dog, which is why it is a good idea to feed a puppy formula or an all life stages food to your young dog. If you are unsure about the differences in nutritional requirements between puppies and adults, the Merck Veterinary Manual lists the recommended nutrients for dogs, along with the recommended amount by weight and age. Large breed dogs and puppies have different nutritional requirements than small breed dogs and puppies.
Dog Food Myths and Misinformation
There are plenty of dog food myths and misinformation about dog nutrition on the Internet. You can sort through it by following one simple rule: check your sources. Many well-meaning individuals make claims about dog nutrition without backing them up with scientific evidence. As you do research, always check to see if the information is supported by a credible source, like a veterinarian, canine nutritionist, or scientific study. It never hurts to be skeptical, either. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Many people have questions about grain-inclusive orgrain-free dog food, pea-free dog food, or dog foods containing animal byproducts. If your dog has been diagnosed with a food allergy caused by grains, you may choose a grain-free diet under the guidance of your veterinarian. For most dogs, grains are actually a source of wholesome nutrients. Quality animal byproducts are also nutritious. These include organ meats and entrails, which often contain more nutrients than the muscle meat consumed by humans. Regulated byproducts do not include hooves, hair, floor sweepings, intestinal contents, or manure. As with any pet-related inquiry, feel free to discuss your concerns about your dogs food with your veterinarian.
How to Read a Dog Food Label
One way to decipher a good dog food from a bad dog food is to read the label. This is easier said than done, as labels can be hard to read, both due to the small print and just plain awkwardness of handling big bags of dog food in the store! But labels can also be misleading, as the Merck Veterinary Manual explains. Dog food labels are required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to tell you eight key pieces of information, and individual states may also have their own labeling requirements:
- Product name
- Net weight of the product
- Name and address of the manufacturer
- Guaranteed analysis
- List of ingredients
- Intended animal species (i.e. dog or cat)
- Statement of nutritional adequacy
- Feeding guidelines
Product Name
The product name alone tells you a lot about whats inside the can or bag. The term beef means that beef must make up at least 70 percent of the entire product. The terms beef dinner, beef entre, or beef platter, on the other hand, only require that beef makes up at least 10 percent of the entire product. With beef only requires that 3 percent of the total product be beef, and beef flavor simply implies that there is enough beef in the product to flavor it (less than 3 percent). The same holds true for other named ingredients like chicken.
Ingredients
The ingredient list on a dog food label will not tell you the quality of the ingredients or where they came from, and some manufacturers split up the ingredients to make the distribution more equal. For instance, different types of corn, such as flaked corn, ground corn, or kibbled corn, can be listed separately. This bumps corn down on the list of ingredients, even though the actual content of corn in the food is high. Meat is another tricky ingredient. Whole meats contain a large percentage of water weight, which means that the overall percentage of meat after processing is lower than it appears. Meat meal, on the other hand, sounds less appealing to people, but actually contains more meat than whole meats, as there is no water weight to throw off the calculation.
While the ingredient list might not tell you the quality of the ingredients, it does tell you what is in the food. This is especially important for dogs with special dietary needs or allergies and is also useful for owners who wish to feed their dogs specific sources of fiber, protein, and carbohydrates.
Complete and Balanced Dog Foods
One of the first things you should look for on a dog food label is the statement (Name of product) is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles. This isnt just an advertising slogan. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has strict requirements to make sure that a product is in fact complete and balanced for dogs (or cats). Complete and balanced diets must contain the minimum amount of all of the nutrients necessary for dogs, which is also indicated in the guaranteed analysis. This analysis gives the minimum amount of crude protein and fat, along with the maximum amounts of water and crude fiber. The analysis does not, however, give the exact amount of these components, which means there is room for considerable variation. The manufacturers average nutrient profile is often a better tool for evaluating a product.
You can always contact the dog food company directly to get more information about its product. A reputable company that has your dogs interests at heart should be happy to answer your questions and in many cases will give you more information than what is available on the website or product label. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association has a helpful sheet with questions you can ask a company representative.
Best Dog Food for Small and Large Breeds
Small breed dogs and large breed dogs have different nutritional needs. Large breed dogs are more prone to musculoskeletal problems than smaller breeds, and so they often require large-breed dog food with different balances of certain nutrients to promote musculoskeletal health, especially as puppies. Small breed dogs, on the other hand, can choke on large-sized kibble and have their own nutritional requirements that can be accommodated with a small-breed dog food. Research your dogs breed to find out if there are any additional nutritional requirements you should be aware of.
Best Dog Food for Puppies
The nutritional needs of dogs vary throughout their life. Puppies have different nutritional needs than adult dogs, and senior dogs have their own nutritional considerations. Most dog food companies carry specially formulated puppy foods for each stage of a dogs life, making it easier to narrow down your choices. If you are concerned about which is the best dog food for your dogs life stage, consult your veterinarian to see what stage food is appropriate for your dog.
Your puppy requires a different nutrient balance than an adult dog. This is especially true for large breeds. Feeding a large breed puppy food can help, as their growth needs to be monitored carefully to prevent bone and joint problems. Other puppies do well on both puppy food and food labeled for all life stages. The best food for your puppy depends on your puppys size and breed. Always consult your veterinarian for recommendations on puppy feeding, and advice on how to switch puppies to adult dog food.
Best Dog Food for Senior Dogs
Senior dogs, usually considered 7+, vary in their individual nutritional needs. Younger senior dogs may struggle with being overweight and older senior dogs may struggle with being underweight, which is why there is such a variety.
Choosing the best senior dog food may come down to what your dog finds palatable. Many older dogs prefer wet food while others may need their food warmed up to enhance the aromas. Ultimately, your vet can help choose the best dog food for an older pet.
Best Food for Dogs With Special Dietary Needs
Allergies, sensitive stomachs, and dietary restrictions affect dogs, as well as people. Feeding dogs with special dietary needs can be tricky. Your best course of action is to consult your veterinarian for advice about the dog food that best helps with their condition.
Best Dry Dog Food
The most widely available and affordable dog food is dry dog food. Dry dog food does not require refrigeration, which is its main advantage over wet dog food, as it contains approximately 90 percent dry matter and 10 percent water. This makes it easy to store. Dry dog food is made by combining and cooking ingredients like meat and grains. This process converts the starches in the food into an easily digested form, while also destroying toxins and flash sterilizing the ingredients. There are many different varieties of dry dog food on the shelves. The best dry food for your dog depends on your dogs dietary needs. In general, a higher quality dry dog food that contains the appropriate ingredients for your dogs life stage and breed is the best choice, but talk to your vet or veterinary nutritionist about the healthiest choice for your pet.
Best Wet Dog Food
Wet dog food, or canned dog food, is a perfectly viable alternative to dry dog food. While generally slightly more expensive, wet dog food is more palatable than dry food and can help stimulate the appetite of picky eaters. Wet dog food contains many of the same ingredients as dry dog food, but not in the same quantities. Wet food contains higher amounts of fresh meat, poultry, fish, and animal byproducts, along with more textured proteins derived from grains. Canned dog food has a long shelf life, however it must be refrigerated once opened. The best wet food for your dog, just as with dry dog food, depends on your dogs life stage, breed, and any special dietary needs or allergies. Talk to your vet about the wet dog food that he recommends for your pet.
How Much Should I Feed My Dog?
Dog obesity is a growing concern in the veterinary community and has been linked to many health problems in dogs. Luckily for our pets, we are usually more disciplined about controlling their diets than we are about controlling our own. Knowing how much to feed your dog and what healthy dog weight looks like can be tricky. Many owners accidentally overfeed their pets, which is why it is important to take your dog in for regular checkups and to talk with your vet about appropriate portions. The guidelines on the back of the bag are just that guidelines. Some dogs may require more than the recommended amount, whereas others require much less. Activity level, time of year, nursing, illness, and more factors can all impact how much a dog needs to eat. Dog people will often advise that you should feed the dog thats in front of you instead of strictly adhering to dog food serving size guidelines that may or may not be exactly what your dog needs.
Choosing the Best Dog Food
The best dog food for your dog is ultimately up to you to decide. As an owner, you are the one who sees your dog on a regular basis. If your dog produces firm, healthy stool, is active and fit, and has a healthy appetite, then your dog food is probably working just fine.
Your veterinarian is a valuable resource to you during this process. They know more about pet nutrition than the average owner, and they also have access to research and resources that owners do not have. Your vet can help you narrow down your options and should be more than happy to help you find the answers to your questions about your dogs food.
