How to Pick Out a Good Dog Food

Introduction

Not all dog foods are created equal. There are some really good dog foods on the market and there are some really bad dog foods on the market. In this article you'll discover some simple steps that you can follow to make sure that you are feeding your dog a good quality, nutritious food that will enhance your dog's health.

By: Eric Letendre

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Difficulty: Easy

Tips & Warnings:

Even when you find a good food you should still supplement your dog's food. Some good things to add to your dog's food are Vitamin C, cod liver oil or olive oil. Even the best dog food in the world is going to be deficient in some ways. Certain vitamins and enzymes are sensitive to heat and when cooked are rendered useless.

Step1

The easiest way to determine if the food you are thinking about feeding your dog--is the right food--is to look at the label. The label lists everything that is being used to make the dog food. By taking a few moments to read the label you'll find out just how good or how bad the dog food is.

Step2

The first ingredient on the label should be some form of meat protein. When you look at the first ingredient it should be a chicken, lamb, fish or other meat. It should state that it's not made with by-products. Some dog food labels, for example, will say chicken by-product or lamb by-product. A by-product is any part of the animal. That means if the label says chicken by-product any part of the chicken can be used. That means feathers, beaks or anything else.

Step3

If the label says that it is made with a chicken, lamb or fish meal it means that they can only use the meat of the animal. So the first ingredient should state that it's made with chicken meal.

Step4

The second ingredient is usually some type of grain. The grain source that is used is important. Corn is not a good grain source. It is often used because it is cheap. The problem with corn is that it is very hard to digest and dogs have a very short digestive tract. Humans have about 26 feet of intestines and we have a difficult time digesting corn.

Step5

An easier grain for a dog to digest is rice or oatmeal. Some dogs have a difficult time with any type of grain and some are very sensitive to them. There are dog foods that are made with no grain. If your dog has chronic ear problems or hot spots your dog may be sensitive to grains.

Step6

Once you have found a food that is made with a meat meal and has a good grain source you should look to see how it is preserved. Some foods are preserved with Ethoxyquine, dyes, BHA or BHT. These are very toxic chemicals that have been linked to cancer and other problems. Dog food can be preserved with Vitamin E which is much better for your dog.

Step7

Spend a little time learning about what you're feeding your dog. What you feed your dog has a direct result on your dog's health and behavior. By feeding a good quality food your dog can live longer, make less trips to the vet and have an overall better life.