You dog is completely dependent on you for health and happiness so it is important that you understand you dog’s dietary requirements. As a good dog owner, you will want to consider which type of dog food is the best possible option for your faithful canine companion. Dry dog food offers a highly cost effective method of providing your dog with all of the nutrients and vitamins that are required for good health and a long life.
This kind of food can help to keep your dog’s teeth and gums in excellent working order, because, unlike wet food, it stimulates the mouth when chewing. Dried food can help to clean your dog’s teeth with the chewing action and works well for optimal dental care when combined with a lovely selection of dog bones from the butcher.
It is absolutely essential for the health of your dog that meat is the core ingredient contained within the dry dog food that you select. Dogs are carnivores, this means that they need a primarily meat diet. Dry food should contain a high proportion of meat as its central ingredient. You can check the amount of meat contained in a package by looking at the label. If the label does not indicate how much meat is contained within the food, you can check the protein levels and use this as a comparison point.
The best food includes good quality meat such as chicken, fish, beef or lamb. Some manufacturers will fill the dry dog food with grains. While a little bit of grain is okay, you should avoid food that contains more ‘filler’ than meat. The manufacturer may be simply reducing the meat levels in order to make a greater profit – to the detriment of your pet. Some foods contain soy, wheat and corn and some dogs are allergic to these grains.
You should look for a dry dog food that contains no artificial preservatives or colouring because this will be a sign of high quality dry dog food.
Remember that paying more for a product does not necessarily mean you get the best quality. Similarly, it can be a false economy to buy the cheapest pet food, only to face expensive vet bills when your pet becomes sick further down the track.
You should choose your dry dog food based on the age, and sometimes the breed, of your pet. Dry dog food for puppies is usually specially formulated to keep pace with rapidly growing little bodies. For older dogs, or for working dogs, is similarly designed to cater for the specific nutritional needs of this kind of animal. Also, whilst this kind of food can be very good for your dog you need to make sure that they are given the right quantity based on their weight and that it is introduced gradually.
More Stories
It Really Is the Icing on the Cake – How to Make Great Cake Icing
Gluten Free Chocolate Cake – Simply Good
Restaurants and Food Allergies – A Problem?