How to Choose the Right Kind of Pet Food

Species, age, activity level, environment and physiological conditions such as growth, pregnancy or nursing affect the nutritional needs of animals.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dog Bones
• Dog Dishes
• Dog Food
• Dog Treats
• Goldfish Food Packages
• Rabbit Pellets
• Reduced-calorie Dog Food
• Weekend/holiday Fish Food
• Cat Foods

1. Choose food that mentions both the AAFCO (Association of American Feeding Control Officials) and Animal Feeding Trials on its label.

2. Pick food that provides all nutrients for your pet, including water, energy, protein (essential amino acids and nitrogen), essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins.

3. Select pet food that's balanced. Nutrients must be present in the proper proportions.

4. Choose food that's digestible. Nutrients must be easily broken down and made available to the animal.

5. Recognize that feeding directions on labels can only be estimated and must be modified to fit individual pet needs. Check with your veterinarian.

6. Consider the manufacturer's reputation when selecting brands. Generally, you should purchase brands that are priced higher.

Tips & Warnings

• Preserving food makes water unavailable for bacterial growth. Methods of preserving dog food include drying, salting and canning.
• Because of specific differences between dogs and cats, dog food (particularly vegetable-based) should not be fed to cats because of nutritional deficiencies.
• Your pet may not be receiving a balanced diet if more than 50 percent of it is made up of treats or human food.
• "Palatable" means food is appealing to eat but does not mean food is healthful.

[Ponkin]

on 12/4/2008 Good advice!

[shurepetsrock]

on 10/1/2007 With the pet food recalls and Thank goodness for Blue Buffalo ,It has Meat as # 1,No Corn ,No Wheat and No Soy,or by products as most pets are allergic to those ingredients,It also has Life Source Bits which are freeze dried and ad back into the food for vitamins ,minerals and nutrient's, That your pets deserve,

[Renee66]

on 5/10/2007 My 3 dogs eat "people" food. With all the pet food recalls I feel comfortable knowing that they are eating quality food with governmental regulations. They are not being fed fillers and byproducts, the same stuff they give farm animals to make them fat to feed us. My dogs eat the appropriate balance of protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates, with nutritional supplements. I got my recipes from Wendy Rees at www.wendynanrees.com

[Renee66]

on 5/10/2007 I now feed my dogs "people" food. With all the pet food recalls, I am confident my dogs are eating quality food, the same grade of meat, vegetables, and carbohydrates that I eat. They are not being fed fillers and byproducts, the same stuff they give farm animals to make them fat, that has minimal governmental regulation. My dogs, in addition to their meals, are provided with supplements to ensure they get all their dietary needs met. I got my recipes from Wendy Rees, at www.thewildliferadio.com. She's great to deal with.

[JoanneG]

on 4/24/2007 We all used to be able to rely on brands to be safe and healthy for our pets, now that proctor& gamble, colgate-palmolive and others bought out Iams and Eukanuba, etc, that is NO LONGER TRUE. They changed the formulations to save money! Dr Jane Bicks, who originally worked to formulate those brands now has her own brand, so that she could control the quality. Go to http://familypetfood.com to check the ingredients and read more.