Hi friends…we have a little something special for all of our readers that just LOVE their Doggies! Richard from Dog Food Genius is here to share How To Find The Best Dog Food — A Guide To Healthy Canines with us. If you ever have a question about what to feed your pet or if they can eat something this is the place to go!!! So be sure to check out his blog for tons more Dog info…it’s a treasure trove of info…now here is Richard…
We all love our pets. In fact, most owners treat their dogs as part of the family. And with this love comes the responsibility of making sure they are eating healthy, exercising regularly, and getting the best care possible. But aside from taking your canine to the vet regularly and making sure she stays active, how can owners provide the right nutrition? Simply put – what makes a good dog food and how can we find the best brands or products on the market? Below, we’ll discuss what dogs need to eat, detail good and bad ingredients, and explain how to compare different types of dog food.
What To Look For In A Dog Food
Like any other purchase, consumers can’t always rely on companies to tell the truth about their products. Industry jargon can be misleading, and promises of “good ingredients” can be nothing but marketing. After all, the pet food industry generates $30 billion in sales per year.
Even a quick glance at the ingredient list on the packaging can be challenging to decipher. For example, what’s the difference between “chicken”, “chicken dinner”, “with chicken”, and “chicken flavor”? And what about grains like corn, wheat, and soy – is grain-free kibble worth the extra expense?
While all dogs require the same general nutritional requirements, the type of food and amount of calories your pup needs to consume can depend on his breed, age, size, activity level, and allergies.
Fortunately for you, the dog experts at Dog Food Genius have put together this comprehensive graphic detailing every aspect of buying the best dog foods. You can find it below for your review and reference, but here are the highlights:
- Ingredients to look for on the food label include whole proteins (e.g. chicken, beef, fish, duck and eggs), whole grains (e.g. oats and quinoa), healthy supplements (e.g. Omega-3 fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin) and good vegetables (e.g. sweet potatoes, peas and carrots).
- Avoid unspecified ingredients, by-products, fillers, artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners
- Avoid chemical preservatives – primarily BHA, BHT, PG, and Ethoxyquin
- Your dog absolutely does need a good mix of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Choosing a protein-only diet is not the right approach.
- Regulations don’t cover the phrases “organic”, “all-natural” and “holistic”, so companies may use the terms as marketing gimmicks
- How much you feed your pup is just as important as the quality of the dog food you buy
Check out the awesome infographic below for more information on how to choose the healthiest dog food! And if you do choose to change your pup’s food or brand, be sure to gradually introduce the new product mix over the course of two weeks.
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nancy says
My younger poodle is prone to yeast infections on his skin, which, if untreated, is the perfect medium for staph infection. My vet has taken him off anything that contains chicken or beef to ascertain if he has a food allergy. He’s now on Hills Diet Salmon/Potato wet food and Hills Venison kibble and doing better. But I have to be so very careful when reading ingredients for chewable treats. I found that even treats that are labeled vegetable, like Sweet Potato chews, will have some form of chicken in the list. I’ve ordered a strictly vegetarian treat from Amazon (which my dog will probably hate!)
Andrea says
Hi there Nancy! How are you! So glad to hear from you…we must talk about soon. I am happy that you have found what to do for your little pup…our dogs eat a lot of veggie treats too. I am going to be putting up a String Bean Treat soon. The treats that I have on the site are all veggie too : ) The one that even my dogs eat are the Pops Pizza Poppers…give them a try…mine are so fussy it’s crazy lol! Let me know if he eats the new treats that you got for him : ) Can always hope right! I am sure that with all that you are doing…the skit problems are going to get better! So lucky to have such a great Mommy and Daddy : ) Sending tons of hugs and love!!!
Ellen Seagren says
Very timely article. Our dog has been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Currently we are feeding him a homemade diet of rice, turkey, veggies and pumpkin but hope to transition to kibble once he finishes his meds. Thanks for the link to Dog Food Genius. The hoops we jump through for our babies!
Andrea says
Hi there Ellen! How are you. Sure hope you pup is feeling better with his new diet. Poor little guy…thank God he has your family to make him feel so much better. We give our pups Pumpkin every single night and wow does it help the tummy! Yes…we do jump through many hoops for our little pups…they have US trained well : ) Good luck with the diet and I am thrilled that you can use this information! You take care and sending tons of hugs to your pup and of course you too : )
Martha says
Thank you for all this information. My dog recently died of cancer and it was heartbreaking. I keep thinking of what I could have done better. I do plan on getting another dog. Having a little being to love and be unconditionally loved by is so important to me. This information is a great start. Knowing what to look for in their food will help me make a better choice. Thank you.
Andrea says
Hi there Martha. I am sorry about your dog. I am sure he roams free at The Rainbow Bridge with all the other angels waiting for the day that you are together again. I know what you mean about the right foods giving them more longevity. I am sure you gave your pup the world…when the time comes that you want to add another pup to love and adore we have to take what we have learned and apply it. There are NEVER replacements…only more doggies to love. I hope this helps you in your decision making. I found it to be very informative : ) The ingredients are so important and you can tell almost immediately what is good when you read them. I wish you all the best in the world and I will light a candle in honor of your pup this evening. Sending many hugs…Take care…andrea