How to Understand Dog Nutrition

Ever noticed your dog chewing constantly on his paws? Or maybe he sheds - a lot! Has dry skin? A running nose or eyes? Bad breath? Believe it or not, these conditions can be a sign of allergies - and what's the main culprit of these allergies? Food. Obviously, a dog can be allergic to other things such as pollen, grass, etc... just like people, but if you want to try to give your pooch some relief, a great place to start is with their food. The first thing that a dog owner should come to terms with is that no matter how big or small your dog is - they are carnivores! Dogs like protein, they like meat! You will never see a pack of dogs grazing in a field of wheat. Back in the day when people didn't know much about dog nutrition, someone decided that making a food for dogs made up mostly of grains, was a good idea. I suspect because it was cheap. And man's best friend has been suffering for it ever since! So, here are some good, CURRENT, steps to finding the right food for your dog.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

How to Buy A Great Dog Food for Your Best Friend

1. First of all - check out the ingredients of the bag. This is the tell. And pay very close attention to the order of ingredients because the higher on the list they are, they more the dog food has of that ingredient (or doesn't have, whatever the case may be).
2. Stay away from dog foods that have any of the following ingredients:
   - Wheat or wheat by-products
   - Corn
   - Soy products
   - Sorghum/Molasses
   
   These ingredients are fillers and not only that, a large percentage of dogs are allergic to one or more of them! Because they are fillers, dogs will eat more food and gain weight. These ingredients additionally cause havoc with a dogs digestive system. If they are allergic, this will cause additional bloating and other conditions such as hair loss, lackluster coat and, of course, constant chewing on their paws and body.
3. Check for 'meal,' such as lamb meal, chicken meal, etc. Here's a quick lesson on what meal is...this is the ground up bone of an animal. It does have a great benefit in that it contains natural glucosomine and chondrotine, which are great for your dogs bones.
   
   However, this should not be used as the sole 'source of protein' for the dog food. It doesn't have much meat protein at all. Look for an accompanying protein ingredient.
4. The protein percentage of the dog food should be at least 20-30%. But the percentage alone is not enough, again, check the ingredients to see what the source of protein is and WHERE the source is listed on the ingredient list (the higher up the better); if it's hidden way done on the list - beware.

What to Look For in a Dog Food

5. First, head to a local pet food store or health food store. This is where you will find the higher-end, better quality dog (and cat) foods. There are a couple of larger 'super pet stores' that have a selection of better foods as well, including PetCo, so check those locations as well. If you still can't find something, go to the websites of some of the brands listed in the below tips section; the site should have a store locator service.
6. Look for types of food that name a protein and single carbohydrate as their main ingredient (such as duck and potato, salmon and sweet potato, chicken and rice, venison and brown rice).
   
   Acceptable carbohydrates include brown rice, potatoes and sweet potatoes to name a few.
7. The ingredient list should contain a good meat protein as the first or second ingredient and a simple, single carb along with the protein. The next thing on the list should be a 'meal.' Here's an example:
   Ingredients: Sweet potato, salmon, salmon meal, whitefish meal, etc.
   
   This list indicates that the food has a meat protein AND a protein meal as well, plus the simple carbohydrate.
8. Better foods will also have vegetables and even fruits included in their ingredients including broccoli, green beans, peas and apples. (sounds good doesn't it?)
9. An exceptional dog food will have oils that are great for digestion and for a dogs skin and coat. Look for salmon oil, flax seed oil and grape seed oil.
10. A great dog food will also use herbs and spices to give your dog a special treat - you might see basil, parsley, etc. And guess what - those ingredients will help your dogs breath get better! What a bonus!
11. You might pay a bit more for a better food - but it's worth if for the long-term health of your dog. Also, they will not be eating as much food, so it all evens out in the end.
12. You will find your dog excited about dinner time! Ever had a pooch that was a finicky eater --- by feeding a better quality food with higher protein and no fillers, you may find your trouble eater isn't any trouble at all.

Tips & Warnings

• Most mass-produced dog food readily available in large supermarkets and discount stores is cheaper than higher-quality foods. Cheaper price means cheap ingredients (such as wheat, corn, soy, etc), additionally, your dog will eat more.
• By getting your dog on a high-protein, single carbohydrate diet - they will eat less, so even if you might pay more for a bag of food, it will even itself out in quantity eaten.
• When switching your dog from a low-protein diet to a high-protein/simple carb diet, introduce the new food slowly by adding it to their current food. Your dog might experience some digestive issues while adjusting, but this will only last a couple of days.
• Pay attention to your dogs coat - you will see a shinier, more beautiful coat within 4-6 weeks.
• Does your dog stop chewing their paws and scratching all the time? If not, they may have additional environmental allergies which you'll need to speak with your veterinarian about.
• Some brands to look for include: Breeder's Choice, Natural Balance, Innova, Wellness and Eagle Pack, to name a few.