Archive for the ‘Pets’ Category

 

Discover Why You Need to Prepare Homemade Recipe Dog Food

Thursday, March 25th, 2010
Gerry Restrivera asked:


Dogs are not just a companion but most of the time they are treated as part of the family. If they are treated this way, would you trust anybody you do not know to prepare food for your dog especially now that there are a lot of issues regarding contaminated commercial dog food products? It is scary to risk the safety of your pet that is why more and more pet owners are shifting to homemade recipe dog food.

Your dog?s health and life are linked on the kind of food that he eats. You need to be careful in feeding your dog. Aside from old age and various diseases, food poisoning is another source of fatality in dogs. There is nothing more devastating for any pet owner than the sudden death of his pet due to contaminated dog food.

Here are the reasons why it is important to prepare homemade recipe dog food.

Prevent food poisoning. With a lot of deaths associated with commercial dog food products, it is wise to prepare homemade recipe dog food. By preparing your own healthy homemade recipe dog food, you are sure that you are feeding your dog with foods free of any toxic chemicals and contamination. Your dog will live longer and you will enjoy more years with your loving pet.

Prevent diseases. If improper or unhealthy dog food will not cause poisoning or sudden death, it may lead to a lot of diseases that will also put your dog?s life in danger. Research shows that commercial dog food contains chemicals that can cause diseases like kidney cancer, stomach cancer, liver dysfunction, severe allergic reactions, chronic diarrhea and other fatal diseases. By preparing a homemade recipe dog food, you can prevent these serious dog diseases from happening.

Your dog will feel better, healthier and happier. Preparing homemade recipe dog food will give you an opportunity to feed your dog with the complete nutrients and vitamins that he needs making him healthier. Another benefit is that homemade dog foods do not have preservatives or chemicals that can affect your dog?s behavior. A healthy dog is a happy well behaved dog. You and your family will enjoy more memorable and happy times with a well behaved and happy dog.

Cheaper. Preparing homemade recipe dog food is a lot cheaper than branded dog foods. You do not have to spend more to give your dog quality healthy dog food.

To ensure the safety and health of your beloved pet it is best to prepare homemade recipe dog food. Discover the survival-guide to a healthier and happier dog that lives longer than dogs whose owners feed them commercial dog food visit Dogs’ Corner



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Make Your Own Dog Food & Eliminate the Deadly Toxin Build-up in Your Dog

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
K. C. Jones asked:


But you don?t give your dog toxins! Or do you? You probably do without even knowing it.

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Do you make your own dog food or use commercial dog food? If you use commercial dog food, then there is a good chance you are feeding your dog toxins.

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There are some preservatives that are used in dog food which are not healthy if consumed on a daily basis (the way we feed our dogs the dog food!), such as BHA & BHT. Both have been shown to cause liver and kidney failure. Another preservative, Ethoxyquin, has been banned for human use. These preservative are used as a fat stabilizer to prevent the dog food from going rancid.

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But here is the most deceitful part of the toxin issue ? these preservatives don?t always have to be listed on the dog food ingredient label! If the manufacturer did not add the preservative itself, they don?t have to list it - legally. However, the processing plant that provides the ingredients to the dog food plant may very well have used any of these preservatives!

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A good way to check to see if your dog food has preservatives is to check the expiration label. If the shelf-life of your dog food is greater than 1 year, it?s got some kind of preservatives ? probably the kind you don?t want your pet to have!

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One of the advantages when you make your own dog food is that you know exactly what is in the food you feed your dog. You have complete control over what your dog eats. When you make your own dog food, you use human-grade ingredients ? none of those extremely harmful preservatives are in our food. When you make homemade healthy dog food you are stopping the build-up of toxins in your dog’s body.

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Of course there are a handful of companies out there that do care about your dog and provide nutritious, harmful-preservative-free food. Some provide kibble to which you add your own fresh meat and/or vegetables. This is a great way to feed your dogs when you do not have the time, or the energy, to make your own dog food from scratch.

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The most important thing you can do if you don?t make your own dog food is to learn how to read the ingredient label. Although harmful preservatives may not always show up, the rest of the ingredient list should be a tell-tale sign as to whether the dog food company cares about your dog or its profits.

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All Natural Dog Food

Sunday, March 21st, 2010
Laurie Lindsay asked:


Many pet owners these days are opting to shift away from commercial dog foods and towards all natural dog food, often of the homemade variety. It’s not as hard as many think to move to a natural homemade alternative diet for your pet. You should consult your veterinarian prior to making changes in your dog’s diet. Your vet is a good source for your pet’s specific nutritional needs; they are familiar with your dog’s medical history and can make you aware of any special needs your dog may have for supplements, and inform you if there’s anything that should be avoided.

Vegetables may be added to your pets diet if you are making homemade food for your dog. This is not only economical, but healthy. Crush or blend vegetables before adding however, otherwise your dog will be unable to reap the nutrients of the vegetables. The reason for this is that unlike humans, dogs are unable to break down cellulose and thusly need their veggies pre-pulped.

Fresh meats should be a major ingredient in a homemade all natural dog food program. Start your dog with lean meats such as chicken. Organ meats may be added later in moderation; a high fat diet is no better for your dog than for you. Be sure to cook meats before giving them to your pet. Although your dog will certainly be willing to eat raw meat, cooking it will destroy potentially harmful bacteria that could cause health problems.

Keep your dog’s diet balanced. This is key to any diet plan, whether for a human or for the family dog. Typically, a dog’s diet should be comprised of a ratio of 40% protein, 30% starch and 30% fiber. Again, consult with your veterinarian. They can help you figure out a plan for an all natural dog food plan that works optimally for your dog. Your veterinarian may also be able to point you towards resources to help you plan a healthy diet for your dog, as well as having valuable advice about what supplements your dog may require.

One good piece of preparation for switching your dog to a homemade diet is to look through websites on the topic (and there are many to be found). These sites often feature recipes for your pet, as well as containing a wealth of information from other dog owners who have already made the switch to all natural dog food.

Feeding all natural will greatly reduce the physical and mental speed of premature aging in our pets, associated with a lifetime of poor nutrition. Several degenerative diseases, such as cancer, kidney disease, heart disease, arthritis, skin problems, bowel problems (such as Pancreatitis), and even diabetes have been found to either be hurried up or slowed down very much by what is eaten. Please keep in mind that by also feeding a properly put-together home-made or raw diet will provide these same benefits, and more!

You should also be aware that feeding an all natural or holistic diet can actually save you money in the long run. So your dog benefits and so do you.



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Best Ingredients For All Natural Dog Foods Using This Simple Homemade Dog Food Recipe

Friday, March 19th, 2010
Sherrie Chastain asked:


Making your own homemade dog food with this recipe is easy and will give your dog the best all natural dog foods available. Just remember that in the wild your dog would catch small prey and eat the whole thing. This consisted of the meat, bones, organs, even the heart, brain and eyes (which are high in taurine). The vegetables they would get were in the stomach and digestive tract of the animals already partially digested. If you make your all natural dog foods to imitate your dogs prey hey will enjoy optimum health and love you for it.

Meats need to be fed one animal at a time. In the wild your dog would not eat more than one kind of meat at once. The meat should be ground or served in chunks which are easier to eat. Larger pieces will cause your dog to hold them with their feet to rip the meat apart, which can get messy.

Do not feed any fat that has been cooked which can lead to problems with your dog’s pancreas. Remember in the wild your dog would only get the fat that was on the animal and eaten raw. Use the skin that comes on the meat of in the case of beef the fat riddled throughout the meat.

Meats that cause trichinosis should never be fed like pork, bear, seal, ground squirrels, etc. However specialty meats like moose, ox, venison or bison are very pure and nutrient dense and can be fed in smaller quantities occasionally. Soft boiled eggs are also a good protein source, feed shells and all.

Organ meats are also very nutrient dense so use organ meat sparingly in your homemade dog food recipe. Either feed organ meats a couple of times a week for the meat portion or feed small amounts daily. Brains, heart and eyes are very high in taurine which is an essential amino acid for a healthy dog.

Vegetables are also essential in the best all natural dog foods. Remember to shred vegetables in a blender or food processor, your dog was used to getting them predigested in the wild. Use 3 or four different kinds of vegetables, preferably different colors to receive a wide variety of nutrients. The darker the vegetable, the more nutritious it will be in your all natural dog foods homemade dog food recipe.

It is best to avoid vegetables from the nightshade family like eggplants, green peppers, potatoes, onions, chives, garlic and tomatoes. These vegetables are associated with arthritis problems. Spinach also has a high oxalic content which can lead to kidney stones.

The best ingredients for the best all natural dog foods in your homemade dog food recipe are free range or organic meat because of the amount of toxins in meat and organic vegetables or peel the skin or wash with a spray to remove pesticides. Organic is always the best choice for all natural dog foods. Warm purified water is also an essential element in the best homemade dog food recipe. If these ingredients are not available use what you have, because it will make better all natural dog foods than you can purchase. Do not make your homemade dog food recipe because you cannot get all organic, what you make will be much more nutritious than any all natural dog foods you can buy.

Mix the meat at about 75% with the vegetables about 25% of the homemade dog food recipe. Puppies need a little more meat to vegetables since they are growing. Mix enough warm water to make a stew consistency. Meat and vegetables should be raw with the vegetables shredded finely. If you see vegetables in your dogs stool they are not chopped fine enough.

Your dog will eat until he is full. A good rule of thumb is about a pound of all natural dog foods per fifty pounds of your dog’s body weight. Do not feed your dog again until he has eliminated the previous meal or this can cause digestive problems for your dog. Always introduce any change in your dog’s diet slowly, increasing the new food daily until you have switched your dog over to the new all natural dog foods.

Using these simple guidelines you can make your dog the best all natural dog foods from your own homemade dog food recipe so your dog can enjoy optimum health. Your dog will love you for it.



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Do You Look at Dog Food Ingredients?

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010
Lizzie Novotny asked:


Get a better understanding of dog food nutrition and what’s in your dog’s bowl.

We all want the best for our pets, so dog food ingredients would be near the top of the list. But what is actually in commercially prepared dog food?

The recent pet food recall added to our concerns. It’s important to understand what goes into that big bag of dog food. While reading the label can be confusing, with a little detective work you can decipher much of the hidden content of your dog’s food. Nutrition is the key.

What’s In A Name?

The first clue as to the content of your dog food is in the title. If the food is named for the main ingredient, such as “Lamb Dog Food”, then the named ingredient, i.e. lamb, must make up at least 70% of the food. But if the name of the food is called a “dinner” or “formula” such as “Beef Formula” or “Chicken Dinner”, that ingredient may only make up 25% of the food. Empty fillers make up the difference in content in those types of food.

Looking For The Best Dog Food

puppies eating Often the dog food ingredients list will be accompanied by words such as “meal” “by-products”, “crude proteins”.

By-products are dog food ingredients that make up much of poorer dog foods. Meat by-products are the left over parts of the animal unfit for human consumption, such as the intestines, organs, and diseased animals.

Crude Protein is often made from the hooves and hair of animals, as well as the feathers and beaks of poultry. Although this protein source may make up a strong percentage of a given dog food, very little of it can actually be absorbed by the dog.

Meal refers to cereal grains, the leftover hulls and husks of wheat and corn, after being processed for human use. These have very little nutritional value.

Get Out the Reading Glasses!

food label Take a look at the ingredients label of your dogs’ food often there can be twenty or more ingredients listed!

The dog food ingredients are listed on the label in order of total volume, with the first few ingredients making up the main content of the food.

A dog food with ingredients listed as “beef, chicken meal, barley, brown rice” is therefore made with true beef as it’s main ingredient, an important animal-protein source.

Another label may read, “Ground wheat, corn meal, meat meal, chicken fat, wheat gluten”. In this example, a meat product is not the largest component of the food or even the second! The meat products that are being used are the by-products, and do not supply an adequate source of meat based protein to the dog.

What’s In Your Dog’s Dish? Do You Know About Dog Food Nutrition?

Once you have the knowledge to decipher a dog food label, it’s time to take a look at what you have been feeding your hunting dog. If that bag of food suddenly isn’t looking like it’s worth the money you paid for it, keep in mind a few other things before you start looking for an alternative brand.

So-called “organic” dog food ingredients can fall into two groups. Foods labeled “organic” contain at least 95% true organic ingredients. However, foods advertised as “made with organic ingredients” may only contain 70% organic ingredients. With the price of these specialty diets on the rise, make sure he’s getting the best dog food.

How About Some Homemade Dog Food?

Home cooked diets have become increasingly popular recently, and that popularity has grown exponentially since the dog food recall. Home made dog food can be cooked, or served raw.

While there are a variety of recipes available for making the perfect home cooked meal, most follow a standard pattern of 50% human grade meat, with vegetables, oats, rice or potatoes.

In addition, vitamin and mineral supplements may be necessary to fully attend to your dogs nutritional demands. Homemade dog food allows you to give back to your hard working hunting buddy.

The food for hunting and performance dogs requires more attention to detail. They have a greater need for fats and calories in their diet, along with a careful balance of vitamins and minerals for optimum performance ability. Proper dog food nutrition is essential in the working dog.

Despite the advantage of control over the quality of ingredients in a homemade dog food diet, the added investment of time, money and research necessary to create a balanced diet is often not feasible.

By arming yourself with knowledge, and doing research on dog food ingredients, you can find a commercially available dog food that gives you both peace of mind, and will help your dog to get the nutrition he needs to live a long and happy life.

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Want a Safe, Healthy Dog Food you Can Trust

Monday, March 15th, 2010
peter john asked:


If the current dog food recall has you scurrying about for a healthy and safe dog food for your pooch, look no more. A variety of resources exist to help you select and even prepare a dog food diet that you can trust for your dog. Here’s a few examples.

Davis Veterinary Medical Consulting via BalanceIT offers dog owners the ability to custom design safe dog food recipes by making menu selections much like in a restaurant. They offer ethnic recipes, traditional recipes, and even seasonal options.

An example of some of the healthy dog food menu options includes chicken breast, ground beef, pork, lamb, and salmon.

You’ll make a selection of your preferred meat protein and couple it with your choice of egg, cottage cheese, tofu, rice, potato, sweet potato, spaghetti, oats, barley, couscous and tapioca.

Once you make your menu selection, they will make a custom recipe for your dog that is healthy and safe dog food without all of the fillers and problems associated with commercial dog food. Certainly a better option than trusting the health of your dog to commercial dog food, which continues to be suspect with new brands being recalled almost daily.

The cost for these recipes is not cheap, it’s $20 for 1 recipe, $30 for 2 recipes and $12.50 for 3 or more recipes. So if you order several, the price becomes more affordable.

If this still seems a bit pricey to you there is another option.

Sandra Bailey, author of “Real Dogs Don’t Eat Kibble” tells us that heat used to cook commercial dog food destroys important nutrients that dogs need for immune system support. This contradicts the premise of cooked recipes but is touted by many dog nutritionists as the best option for your dog.

Ms Bailey suggests a home made raw dog food diet to maximize the delivery level of nutrients. This is easy to do and an improvement in your dog’s health can be detected in just a matter of days.

The challenge for many is how to design a healthy dog food recipe. Ms Bailey answers this challenge by including a variety of dog food recipes and tips.

Ultimately, the choice between a raw and cooked dog food diet is up to you. The key is to make sure that only healthy, natural ingredients are included in your best friend’s food. Anything less will contribute to potential health hazards, illness and a shortened life span.

If you’re not convinced that feeding commercial dog food is dangerous just take a look at what is included in many dog food brands at Once you do, you’ll want to do your research and make sure that your dog is not the next victim of tainted, posion commercial dog food

Article written by MR Bruno.



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Healthy Dog Food - How Do You Find One

Saturday, March 13th, 2010
Madeleine Innocent asked:


Most people don?t stop to think about the food they are giving their dog. The colourful packs on the laden supermarket shelves are normally as far as people give dog food a thought. You may be one of them, but are now branching out and looking for something a bit healthier.

Believe me, the packs can look tempting and with smiling veterinarians and dog breeders on the cover, you?re not that hard to convince.

But stop for a moment and consider a wild dog?s diet. Dogs are naturally pack animals and so they hunt in packs. They can bring down a large animal, as large as a cow, with their combined efforts. Then they all gather round, with much growling and snarling and consume most of the carcass, bones and all. Probably the only parts left is the hide and hooves.

Whether or not you can accept this idea, that?s how dogs evolved. And the wild dogs still manage very well. This is the most healthy dog food. There is nothing that can beat it.

Man, with his puny pseudo scientific ideas of improving on the natural diet of dogs is going down a dead end. You can?t.

Period.

There is only one type of healthy dog food. And that is the one which so closely resembles a wild dog?s diet, as to be virtually the same as far as health benefits are concerned.

Lets look at some of the differences between a wild dog?s diet and commercial dog food, a diet most dogs exist on (I won?t say live, as it??s hardly a life).

A wild diet, a healthy dog food, consists of:

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raw food

lots of raw bones

internal organs are consumed, but these are scarce compared with the muscle meat

carbohydrates which are limited to the stomach contents, so is small in the overall content



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A typical commercial dog food consists of:

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cooked food (many vitamins, enzymes and other nutrients are destroyed by cooking)

the meat is of poor (often extremely poor) quality (humans get the good stuff)

carbohydrates, in particular sugar, are a major part of the food - it?s cheap and bulks out the ?meat?

the food is fortified with strong preservatives (not allowed in human food for their dangerous impact on health) - DESPITE WHAT THE LABEL SAYS

to try to redress the nutritional imbalance, isolated and synthetic nutrients are added - nutrients which can?t be properly absorbed and utilised when they are in isolation, or if they are synthetic



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So in your search for a healthy dog food, keep firmly in mind the diet of a wild dog. It?s OK to take your time to get used to the idea. If you find the idea repulsive, just go slowly. Try to replace one thing at a time. Just keep in mind that dogs have evolved over millions of years, on this diet. Humans have only been producing (poor quality) commercial dog food for a few decades.

If you don?t like the idea of raw meat for your dog, that?s your issue, not his.

I also suggest that you keep in mind the concept that most people are lured by price. With the best will in the world, if a commercial pet food manufacturer suddenly started to produce quality pet food, because it would be more expensive, do you think it would be a sell-out?

That would only be possible if people had already started to reject the current commercial dog food and were now looking for a healthy dog food, so were prepared to pay a little more.

However, if you make your own dog food, you won?t need to find the extra cash. Not only is a homemade, healthy dog food economical to produce, it has an enormous impact on the health of your dog, often beyond your wildest dreams.

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Dog Food Comparisons Can Make Healthier Dogs

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
Ted Batron asked:


Dog food comparisons can and should be made concerning brand and type of dog food. There are a lot of factors to think about. The process of selecting the right food involves making sure your pets health is protected. Fortunately there are dog food comparisons that can help you decide what is best for your dog.

What we want to look at are dog food products that contain natural ingredients and no preservatives or additives. Natural dog foods should contain human grade all natural chicken, organic brown rice, organic carrots, probiotics and other high nutrient products. In dog food comparisons we can readily see the advantages of natural balance dog foods. The carbohydrate and organic proteins are easier to digest, and probiotics are more easier absorbed by the body.

Many scientific studies have shown that a meat based diet is best for your dog. Many major commercial brand dog foods contain miscellaneous meat products mixed together with gluten and corn meal. Organic products contain primarily quality meat products.

When we look at dog food comparisons, we find that a dogs fur is healthier and thicker when eating a natural food diet. The dog also looses less fur through shedding. Along with that, your dog will have fewer digestive problems and firmer stools. The kinds of meat-based proteins you should look for in your dogs food is chicken, turkey, and white rice or brown rice.

Some dog food brands claim to be organic but contain only partially organic products. They may include some brown rice but also include the typical commercially produced “mystery meat” combination. Of the serveral organic products available, dog food comparisons show that the Newmans Own brand is high in nutrients and organics. Over 70% of all ingredients in Newmans Own foods are organic and include human grade all natural chicken and high levels of antioxidants. The “Newmans Own” brand carries an average price which is extremely reasonable and the quality of the products is high.

Natures Logic is the first commercially prepared 100% natural pet foods that doesn’t contain chemically synthesized nutrients.

Northwest Naturals makes a raw dog food meal that is rich in protein, vitamins and minerals and are grain-free. They add ground bone as a calcium source. To add flavor to the European style pet food, you can add meat and raw or steamed veges. You can add ingredients to your dogs food to make it a tastier choice. Organically produced vegetables and meats make healthy choices. The best choice is sometimes to make your own dog food. There are several guides available on how to make a healthy and nutritious meal.

There are a lot of choices available when it comes to dog food, the healthiest meals for your dog can be found by reviewing many different dog food comparisons. The higher the percentage of meat protein, the more your dog will enjoy it, and the better the health benefits.

The health and long life of your friend is always the first consideration when choosing a dog food. And you don’t have to make a choice between health and taste. Make sure your friend is with you for a long time, and make healthy choices.

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Dog Dietary Tips - For Healthy Home-Made Dog Food!

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009
Abhishek Agarwal asked:


look and as nicely packed as they are, packaged dog food at the mall with its endless variety of nutritionally balanced dog chow can be a nightmare for regular dog lovers who have a tough time figuring out the real value of all listed ingredients. But, there you are ? these bags of commercially manufactured dog food just seem to be everywhere and so convenient to use, too ? but, if you are a true dog lover and can spare the little time it takes to keep your furry, four-legged friend healthy and happy, you can be sure your home-made doggy chow will pass muster any time ? you only have to know how to put the essential doggy diet together!

Easy to make and filled with natural goodness, the dog food you make at home is a reassuring sight for your eyes after hours of straining to figure out the various scientific names on kibble-packs, so take charge of your doggie’s health now ? make natural dog food at home!

Always consult with your vet about the meal options you can have for the breed, size, weight and age of your pet besides the weather conditions where you live; this is the best person to guide you about the various products and ingredients in the market and how to mix the right proportions for your dog’s balanced nutritional meal besides educating you about any supplements the dog may require.

Raw or organic meat diets are preferred by many dog owners; the first consists of various cuts of raw meat, juices of vegetables and assorted grains while the latter has pretty much the same things, except these are organically produced or home-grown, depending on the kind of garden space the dog owner has!

With this natural meal option plan, you can afford the occasional processed food treats for your dog’s tastes too, but it’s preferable to stick with snacks like baby carrots or apple-bits besides ice-cubes in the summer! Frozen vegetable juice and homemade hard doggy biscuits (organic ones) make for good healthy and nourishing treats besides helping to keep the calorie count low for the dog’s daily dietary intake.

Up to 5 baby carrots a day are acceptable treats and you can always subtract any extra treats from the ideal calorie count for your pet anyway; so actually au naturelle is the best way to go for any dog lover with a keen eye to keeping dog-health a priority life-long!



 

How to Analyse Dog Food Ingredients

Friday, March 20th, 2009
Jane Dinunzio asked:


To give your dog, or any pet for that matter, a good foundation for a healthy life it is essential to start with proper nutrtion. There are many really horrible, low quality, chemical laden dog foods on the market still today, even though we have become more aware and educated about what to look for when purchasing dog food.

Cheaper dog food brands are generally sold at your local grocery store, whereas the higher quality premium dog food brands are found in pet stores, or online at specialty pet stores.

Increasing your dog’s life span is easily achieved by feeding a properly balanced healthy organic dog food or high premium diet from puppy hood. An all natural healthy diet is as beneficial for your dog as it is for yourself. Improper or poor nutrition can cause diseases, allergies, obesity, and shortened life spans in your dogs.

There are many commercial grade dog food products available at the grocery store, and care must be taken when choosing one. After the recent pet food contamination scares and recalls because of toxicity and disgusting additives being found in the manufacturing process, many pet owners are becoming much more aware of what they feed their pet.

Here are a few general guidelines to follow when looking at the ingredients on a dog food bag:

Choose a food with high meat content. The first ingredient must be a specified meat. Another one or two meats or meat meal listed in the top 5 ingredients is a bonus, but not necessary. (Meat meal is meat with the moisture removed.)

If the same grain ingredient is used two or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e. “ground brown rice”, brewer’s rice”, “rice flour”, are all the same grain), this is not a well balanced, nutritious product. It is loaded with “filler” and made to look like it is healthy by separating the one ingredient into sub categories, but rice is rice so it should be listed once.

Using high quality grains has become the standard for the premium quality dog food manufacturers, such as barley, brown rice and oatmeal. If the grains are organic, then all the better. Wheat and corn are inferior and useless as a nutritional element in dog food, and used as filler only. Dogs are known to be highly allergic to wheat and corn.

If there are any by-products at all on the ingredient list, pass this dog food by.

There should not be any fillers.

Carcinogenic preservatives do not need to be used, and if they are don’t buy the product. (They will be listed as BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin.)

Artificial colorings are also cancer causing, and completely unnecessary. You’ll be surprised to see how many products still contain this dangerous ingredient. The dyes will be marked as such - e.g. Red, Blue and Yellow dyes.

No added sugars or corn syrup should be in the ingredient list.

The more organic ingredients listed, the better.

Added glucosamine, chondroitin, pro and prebiotics, flax seed oil, barley, oats or oatmeal, and sunflower oil, are a good thing.

Slowly baked, not extruded, retains the minerals, vitamins and essential goodness of the food.

Hormone free, antibiotic free, pesticide and herbicide free, chemical and preservative free would indicate a high quality premium organic dog food.

And finally, no mystery meats should be in the list. Mystery meat will be listed as simply meat or poultry, rather than chicken or venison. The mystery meat will probably be some horrible rotten road kill, old euthanized animals, and parts of animals that are not edible.

Although the higher quality food might seem more expensive initially, it will work itself out and become cheaper in the long run. The savings in vet bills alone over the life of your pet will pay for the food.

I use a lazy homemade dog food tactic of using a high end organic dog food, and add just a few ounces of poached chicken, or broiled venison every day. The best of both worlds is then achieved for my dogs.

Always be aware, educate yourself and know that the big business of dog food manufacturing is in it for the profit, not the health and welfare of our pets. That is up to us. Just do the absolute best you can for your pet and it will be returned with more doggie love, which is never a bad thing.



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