Making Sure You’re Giving your Dog Quality Food

Consumers who love their pets rarely evaluate the dog food that they buy. They make choices based on advertising like mentioned above; they choose the food based on price, what the outside of the bag says, or where they purchase it from. Mainly, though, an owner is typically going to continue the type of dog food that their pet seems to like the best, not what it does nutritionally for them. It’s important that a dog owner do the proper research needed to determine what the best type of food is for their pet. Forget about the food’s packaging and the branding done to sell more of it.

There are three categories of dogs, and by putting your pet in the proper one, you’ll be able to establish a starting point to decide which type of diet to give your dog. The categories are related to where the dog lives: exclusively outdoors, outdoors/indoors, or exclusively indoors. A dog that is mainly outdoors will experience different physical conditions than the dog that is confined indoors to a smaller space. A dog living outdoors will run more distance in a day than the dog that only lays on the couch all day.

Don’t make your dog food purchasing decisions solely based on the advertising around you. What is it about those TV commercials that make you decide what is the best kind of dog food for your friend? The scene will show dogs that come running when the owner pours them a bowl of gravy-laden food. Another dog shows you his shiny white teeth – and shiny coat, of course – because of the treats he is given.

How do you know that your dog likes gravy? And is one brand of food necessarily going to make his teeth stronger than Brand X? Other than just going on fancy packaging and what the ad is telling you, there are more specific ways to make an educated choice of what to feed your dog.

Look at the dog food label. Consider whether it has all the necessary vitamins and minerals that your dog needs. If confused about these, talk with your veterinarian the next time you have an appointment. Your doctor will be able to explain it to you. Perhaps your dog’s general health needs to be considered when planning his or her diet.

The age of your dog should be considered when deciding which dog food to purchase. Puppies need different things to help their bones develop; whereas an aging dog may need extra supplements to keep their bones and teeth healthy.

Look at the additives put into the dog food you’re buying. Just like the food a human eats, food that is whole – or absent of chemicals and processed fillers – is more healthy.

In addition to talking to your vet, you’ll want to use resources like the internet and other pet owners to determine which dog food to feed your pet. Specialized breeders may have some good insight into brands and nutritional requirements for their special breed of dog. And they’ll have had the experience you can typically trust in order to help you make a good decision.

(c) Kelly Marshall, Oh My Dog Supplies