By M. Bruno
The recent dog food and pet food recall that has claimed the lives of dogs across the United States as a result of eating contaminated commercial dog food tainted with aminopterin, a rat poison, and melamine, a chemical used in making plastics and fertilizer. As a result many dog owners considering homemade dog food as a safe and nutritious alternative for their dog.
In a recent news article, a law professor states that little change is anticipated ( in the dog food industry) after the current onslaught of dog food recall news and attention subsides.
The probable reason for this conclusion is that there are insufficient financial resources and manpower to effectively monitor and regulate the dog food industry. You can't trust the dog food industry to watch out for your dog and the government is not your answer either.
This is unfortunate. The dog food industry was born in postwar America to meet a need....the need of business interests to recycle slaughterhouse and industrial waste. This refuse had potential uses as fertilizer, landfill and such, but a more profitable horizon existed in the packaging and selling this "junk" as food to unsuspecting dog owners. It is now a common misconception that your dog can not maintain a healthy life unless he is fed commercial dog food. Nothing could be further from the truth.
To save your dog's life, you may want to consider making your own homemade dog food. This is one of the best ways to guarantee your dog a healthy and safe diet.
Just glance at some of the regular ingredients delivered by rendering plants to commercial dog food manufacturers in the Unites States, Europe and worldwide.
o Euthanized dogs -Toxic chemicals such as Sodium Phenobarbital, the euthanizing agent injected to kill dogs daily at dog shelters. (This comes with the euthanized dog who is ground up at a rendering plant to be added to dog food. The dog may still be wearing a flea collar and be in a plastic bag when rendered )
o Blood
o Feathers
o Undeveloped eggs
o Downed, dying, diseased and dead animals (Known as the 4Ds)
o Hooves, beaks, feet and hide
And a host of other unsavory, unhealthy and toxic products that will slowly kill or euthanize your dog with every feeding.
So what's the alternative? Well, if you are willing to spend a little time, and maybe even some money, there is a better way to feed your dog. You can halt the daily toxification, provide needed nutrition and increase your dog's lifespan
What You Should Feed Your Dog
A variety of homemade dog food options are available for you to make your own dog food at home.
Some of these include completely natural dog food diets that are currently the rage with certain dog nutrition experts such as The Bones and Raw Food,( BARF) diet also known as the Biologically Appropriate Raw Food diet.
BARF Diets typically include a variety of uncooked foods such as :
o Bones with meat flesh attached
o Organs
o Muscle
o Eggs
o Fruit
o Yogurt
o Enzymes
o Herbs
o Vegetables
o Supplements and herbs
o Cereals
As to the preferred meat, there is none. BARF proponents use beef, chicken, goat, buffalo, whatever is fresh and available.
The same philosophy seems to exist for vegetables. Again the emphasis is on freshness, availability and variety.
While anecdotal tales of remarkable results are reported daily by BARFers, some veterinarians have found that BARF diets can be deficient in certain required nutrients. The inability to qualitatively analyze each prepared meal may account for these research results.
Vegetarian Homemade Dog Food Diets
Dogs, while primarily carnivores are also actually omnivores. In the wild, 10,000 years ago, dogs would take down their prey, and eat not just the meat of the carcass but the contents of the stomach which included undigested grains, berries and grass.
This natural desire for a balanced diet suggests to many dog nutritionists that a vegetarian diet containing sufficient protein sources is desirable. The advantage of a vegetarian diet is that disease and other health related issues can be avoided as well. Additionally, the philosophical objection of vegans to killing any animal as a food source is accomplished.
Homemade Dog Food Vegetarian Diets include
o Bread
o Brown rice
o Sprouting grains
o Carrots
o Apples
o Dog biscuits
o Cottage cheese
o Eggs
o Lentils
o Baked beans
Make a Combo Homemade Dog Food Diet
o A Combo diet is in essence a blend of all philosophies and might include
o Meat
o Vegetables
o Eggs
o Brown Pasta
o Brown Rice
No matter which approach you choose for a homemade dog food diet there are a few pitfalls. One is the difficulty of preparing a properly balanced dog food diet with each batch.
The Whole Dog Journal states that a properly balanced dog food diet should include whole meat, vegetables, fruit, grain and high quality dietary fats.
Others suggest that the best alternative is to use a very high quality dog food that is natural, without preservatives, additives and the toxins that are found in many of the private and major kibble brands sold in retail outlets. These dog foods will typically cost quite a bit more than dog foods of lower quality, but guarantee a balanced diet for your dog .
If you do choose to prepare homemade dog food for your dog be certain to avoid certain foods which can be toxic and potentially fatal to your dog. These include but are not limited to avocado, raisins, grapes, and chocolate.
If the pros and cons, yin and yang, of the various approaches to making homemade dog food for your dog has your head spinning, don't despair. I have been researching this field for years and learn something new daily that confuses me even more.
There is a good way to get some perspective on this.
If you decide on making your own homemade dog food you can do so here!
Don't be afraid to get started making homemade dog food if you don't have access to every recommended ingredient. The improvement in your dog's health by simply removing the toxins of his current commercial dog food and his new and improved healthy, nutritious homemade dog food will be worth getting started today!
My small 8 year old dog suddenly became ill and no vet could determine the cause. She died after enduring 2 weeks of pain and misery on Mother’s Day morning. Her life expectancy was 25 years. Don’t let anything happen to your best friend. Find out what is in the dog food you use at http://www.dogs-4life.com/dog-food-that-kills.html then learn how you can keep your dog healthy, extend her life and save on veterinary bills at http://www.dogs-4life.com/veterinary-secrets.html
This article may be reproduced unedited with the author's link displayed.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Monday, October 25, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
The Truth Behind Commercial Dog Food
Dogs don't get to choose their own diet we do that for them. Our choice of food for our dog depends on our own education of what is best for our dogs, with our information predominantly gathered from TV commercials by pet food companies and vets who recommend certain products because of product alliance. These TV commercials on dog food fill your screen with plump chickens; fresh vegetables and a selection of grains and all show a happy, healthy dog on the advertisements. They are generally beautiful ads, emotional marketed to YOU.
Dog food commercials are not for your dog, they are produced and marketed for you. Dogs are colour blind, so pet food manufacturers only change the colour and texture of dog food to make it look better to YOU, not your dog. I hope that in this article you discover some interesting pieces of information that you can put into play in the way you select the food for your dog and enlighten you as to how the pet food companies cater to you, alone, and not your dog.
Dog food labels are intentionally made confusing so that pet owners don't realise that they're feeding their dog some awful, terrible, disgusting ingredients. Dog food companies heartlessly exploit loopholes which allows them to add a very cheap form of protein that has almost zero nutritional value to a dog instead of essential animal protein your dog needs to survive. Did you know that dog foods that claim to be come from bone, blood and animal fat are often derived from animals suffering from various ailments, and probably not the best choice for your dog. These multi-billion dollar companies are actually allowed to mix in euthanized bodies of various animals into the food you might be buying for your dog. Would you eat meat that came from a euthanized animal? Didn't think so! So why should your dog be subjected to this? Dogs can have food allergies from commercial dog food which long term for your dog can make them very uncomfortable, sick and weak. These euthanized various animals found in dog food and the animal by-products commonly found can include feathers, hair, leather, gristle and fecal waste. Pretty disgusting isn't it?
Dogs, being scavengers, also thrive on eggs, berries, fruit and the food that they might find in the preys stomach, such as grains and vegetable matter. But, in saying this, dog's bodies are unable to process whole vegetables. So with pet food companies ads showing plump chickens and whole vegetables it makes you wonder if they really know that much about a dogs nutritional needs and digestive system. Manufacturers are masters at getting a dog to eat something it would normally turn up its nose too. Do you know how they do this? Fat is sprayed directly on the morsels of food, and that is what you and your dog smell and think would taste wonderful - It's just an illusion. And those wonderfully shaped and coloured treats and morsels are not for your dogs benefit, they are for yours. Don't be fooled by pretty shapes and rainbow colours and smiling dogs on the packets - Its emotional marketing at its best. All your dog cares about is the way the food smells, tastes and all you should care about is that it is getting its nutritional needs.
Dogs, just like everyone else, have specific nutritional needs and they need proper vitamins and minerals every day. Low quality ingredients, excessive chemical additives, and poor labelling standards all result in problems for your companion pet, from skin allergies to cancer. Commercial pet foods and some pet food ingredients have been implicated in a number of diseases in companion animals. One potential problem with commercial pet food is pesticide residues, antibiotics, and mould contained in pet food ingredients and manufacturers will not disclose very much information about the sources of ingredients, how they are processed, their quality control standards, or, in some cases, even where the food is made. Doesn't that make you have some doubt as to how trustworthy a company is if it cannot even tell you those things? It makes me very doubtful!
Quality dog food is crucial for your dogs well being as it is their one source of nutrition. Nutrition is defined as the organic process of nourishing or being nourished, the processes by which an organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and nutriment: a source of materials to nourish the body. The food your animal eats should provide all of the nutritional components that are necessary for all organs and systems of a healthy body to perform in harmonious unison. So, please when your searching through all the dog food at the supermarket, forget the ads and ignore the glossy pictures and fancy titles on the cans and packages and always look for natural organic dog food with" natural" preservatives. Given the high possibility that your favourite pet foods may be slowly poisoning your dog, it's crucial that you find brands you can trust to be animal friendly and have natural ingredients and low additives and colouring. Many listed ingredients don't provide a significant health benefit and are really a marketing gimmick. Remember you are looking for ingredients that you recognize and you would eat. In fact, just as is true for humans, fresh foods can provide much better nutrition for pets than highly processed "fast foods. "
The reality is that there are only two nutritional standards against which all pet foods are measured (adult and growth/gestation/lactation)-everything else is marketing. Don't fall into the marketing trap and a side note, generally, the purchase price of pet food does not always determine whether a pet food is good or bad, the price is often a good indicator of quality. Dogs may not need the most expensive foods out there to survive... but they do need the correct nutritional value in their diet everyday.
By Wilhelmina Ford
Want to know more about Commercial Dog Food, Check it Out here.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
7 Dog Food Ingredients that could be Hurting Your Dog!
By Justin Bryce
What ingredients make for good and bad dog food?
With so many dog foods available on today's market that are commercially prepared, it is often quite difficult as only a dog owner to tell which ones are better than others and why.
First of all, many of the big companies are paying really slick marketers and advertisers millions of dollars per year to advertise their dog food. The amount of money they are spending on marketing has no relationship to the quality of the dog food. This is unfortunate for you as some of the best advertised dog food is inferior.
There is one way for you to guess the quality of dog food however it is not fool proof. You can normally use the price of the food as an indicator as to the quality. Low priced foods are not always, but most often, the lowest quality foods on the market and likewise the more expensive are normally better quality.
When feeding your dog you want to make sure that the adult dog food you are feeding is 22-25% protein and 15-19% fat. The protein should come from a good quality source. Some dogs such as puppies, large breeds, and active breeds have different protein and fat requirements so make sure to discuss this with your vet to ensure proper feeding of your dog.
When making an informed decision, you must know which ingredients are better than others. When you look at the dog food label, the following are the kinds of ingredients that you are looking for:
- Human Grade Ingredients Chicken meal
- Turkey meal
- Fish meal
- Rice
- Potatoes
- Lamb meal
- Potatoes
- Rice
- Sunflower Oil
- Vegetables and others.
For a good dog food, the first four ingredients on the dog food label should not be grains. Instead they should consist of things like meat and proteins.
You also want to make sure it says chicken meal and not chicken as the primary ingredient. If it says chicken only, this means that the manufacturers are counting the entire chicken toward protein value. This includes all of the pieces they have probably scraped of the ground such as beaks, feathers, and feet. With chicken meal, they are only counting the cooked down version of the protein. This will ensure that your dog is getting the appropriate kind of protein and not by products.
Vitamins and fatty acids are also good ingredients in dog foods. Some examples include Vitamin E, Omega 3 and 6, etc. These are very important for a healthy looking skin and coat.
Make sure your dog food is not laden with preservatives. Some of the ingredients that you don't want to see on your dog food label are the inferior protein's which consists of but are not limited to variations of the following: Wheat, Corn, Chicken by-products, Soy, Gluten.
These ingredients are hard to digest and can cause health problems later on if used for a long period of time. Sugar is another ingredient that you want to stay away from.
You are always better off making your own dog food and dog treats from recipes such as those you can find at http://www.dogtreatrecipes.com.au, however if you are purchasing dog food you really should only purchase from a company that spends time and money field testing their products.
You can always be sure that companies such as Purina, the Iams Company (which also includes Eukanuba), Royal Canin, Nutro, Diamond, and Hill's Science Diet are constantly testing their foods to provide the optimum quality ingredients. These companies offer different grades of food, however, from lower quality to premium quality so make sure that you always read the labels.
These are not the only companies by any means who make good quality dog food. The important thing is to read the label, do your research, ask questions of your veterinarians and pet professionals and always be informed. People who work at feed stores are usually a good resource and can help you find good quality pet food. Breeders can also be a good source for finding a quality food for your dog. Dog trainers will also often have a good knowledge of proper nutrition.
You should always follow your veterinarian's recommendation on food as well. Many times dogs of certain ages or with certain health conditions need to be on a prescription diet. While these diets are often expensive, they do contain the proper nutrients that dogs in these categories need. Many times owners will switch to a commercial food because of cost or palatability concerns and the dog's health will go in to a decline. Your veterinary staff know what is best for your particular dog.
While it is often confusing, proper dog nutrition is vital to the health and longevity of your dog. By knowing what consists of good quality ingredients and which ingredients to avoid, you can be assured that you will choose the proper food for your dog. As always, if you have questions, ask your veterinary staff for more information.
If you are looking for quality dog food ingredients that will not hurt your dog you can get it here.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
What ingredients make for good and bad dog food?
With so many dog foods available on today's market that are commercially prepared, it is often quite difficult as only a dog owner to tell which ones are better than others and why.
First of all, many of the big companies are paying really slick marketers and advertisers millions of dollars per year to advertise their dog food. The amount of money they are spending on marketing has no relationship to the quality of the dog food. This is unfortunate for you as some of the best advertised dog food is inferior.
There is one way for you to guess the quality of dog food however it is not fool proof. You can normally use the price of the food as an indicator as to the quality. Low priced foods are not always, but most often, the lowest quality foods on the market and likewise the more expensive are normally better quality.
When feeding your dog you want to make sure that the adult dog food you are feeding is 22-25% protein and 15-19% fat. The protein should come from a good quality source. Some dogs such as puppies, large breeds, and active breeds have different protein and fat requirements so make sure to discuss this with your vet to ensure proper feeding of your dog.
When making an informed decision, you must know which ingredients are better than others. When you look at the dog food label, the following are the kinds of ingredients that you are looking for:
- Human Grade Ingredients Chicken meal
- Turkey meal
- Fish meal
- Rice
- Potatoes
- Lamb meal
- Potatoes
- Rice
- Sunflower Oil
- Vegetables and others.
For a good dog food, the first four ingredients on the dog food label should not be grains. Instead they should consist of things like meat and proteins.
You also want to make sure it says chicken meal and not chicken as the primary ingredient. If it says chicken only, this means that the manufacturers are counting the entire chicken toward protein value. This includes all of the pieces they have probably scraped of the ground such as beaks, feathers, and feet. With chicken meal, they are only counting the cooked down version of the protein. This will ensure that your dog is getting the appropriate kind of protein and not by products.
Vitamins and fatty acids are also good ingredients in dog foods. Some examples include Vitamin E, Omega 3 and 6, etc. These are very important for a healthy looking skin and coat.
Make sure your dog food is not laden with preservatives. Some of the ingredients that you don't want to see on your dog food label are the inferior protein's which consists of but are not limited to variations of the following: Wheat, Corn, Chicken by-products, Soy, Gluten.
These ingredients are hard to digest and can cause health problems later on if used for a long period of time. Sugar is another ingredient that you want to stay away from.
You are always better off making your own dog food and dog treats from recipes such as those you can find at http://www.dogtreatrecipes.com.au, however if you are purchasing dog food you really should only purchase from a company that spends time and money field testing their products.
You can always be sure that companies such as Purina, the Iams Company (which also includes Eukanuba), Royal Canin, Nutro, Diamond, and Hill's Science Diet are constantly testing their foods to provide the optimum quality ingredients. These companies offer different grades of food, however, from lower quality to premium quality so make sure that you always read the labels.
These are not the only companies by any means who make good quality dog food. The important thing is to read the label, do your research, ask questions of your veterinarians and pet professionals and always be informed. People who work at feed stores are usually a good resource and can help you find good quality pet food. Breeders can also be a good source for finding a quality food for your dog. Dog trainers will also often have a good knowledge of proper nutrition.
You should always follow your veterinarian's recommendation on food as well. Many times dogs of certain ages or with certain health conditions need to be on a prescription diet. While these diets are often expensive, they do contain the proper nutrients that dogs in these categories need. Many times owners will switch to a commercial food because of cost or palatability concerns and the dog's health will go in to a decline. Your veterinary staff know what is best for your particular dog.
While it is often confusing, proper dog nutrition is vital to the health and longevity of your dog. By knowing what consists of good quality ingredients and which ingredients to avoid, you can be assured that you will choose the proper food for your dog. As always, if you have questions, ask your veterinary staff for more information.
If you are looking for quality dog food ingredients that will not hurt your dog you can get it here.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Homemade Dog Treats For a Healthy Dog
By Sadie A Peterson
Homemade dog treats may seem like a lot of work to some people. Others like the thought of making their own dog food or treats but aren't sure about recipes and ingredients. But the dogs in both households would absolutely LOVE some homemade goodies!
Why You Should Make Your Own Dog Treats
So why would you want to take the time to make your own dog treats and snacks? You will have a lot more flexibility in what you feed your dog if you are more in control. You can work around allergies or other dietary concerns. You will have unlimited flavor combinations rather than being limited to what manufacturers choose. You can modify recipes to fit your dog's nutritional needs such as substituting low-fat peanut butter.
How To Save Time When Making Dog Treats
By making large batches or several kinds of homemade dog treats, you will not need to play Doggie Chef as often. Freeze individual treats or single-serving size meals on a cookie tray. Then once they are fully frozen you can transfer them to a plastic freezer bag for storage. Since they were frozen individually, they will not stick to each other and you can just move a few to the refrigerator as needed and let them thaw overnight.
What To Look For In Dog Treat Recipes
There are several key things to consider when choosing a dog treat or dogfood recipes. Depending on your culinary skills, just choose or skip recipes based on the following suggestions. Of course if you feel comfortable in making substitutions, then you have even more options.
Choose recipes that -
focus on ingredients that your dog loves
sound appealing to you (not that you'll be eating them!)
give textures your dog prefers - soft, crunchy, large, small, cold, room temperature, etc.
Avoid recipes containing ingredients that your dog -
doesn't like
is allergic to
When choosing a cookbook or compilation of homemade dog treat recipes you want enough choices without being overwhelmed. Fifty recipes would be the bare minimum while three hundred or more is really too much. Between one hundred and two hundred is a good number because then you have options and lots of variety but not so many that you can't decide which ones to try.
Your dog needs to eat, you are responsible for her health, and you have to pay for both.
So why not do your best to give your dog healthy food and treats that will then help keep her healthy and thus reduce potential veterinary expenses. It is truly a win-win situation for you and your dog! You can get your homemade dogfood treats for a healthy dog now
And the easiest way to do that is with some healthy [http://homemade-dog-treat-recipes.blogspot.com]homemade dog treat recipes. Check out the tips, ideas and resources at [http://homemade-dog-treat-recipes.blogspot.com]http://Homemade-Dog-Treat-Recipes.blogspot.com. Your dog will love you for it!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com
Homemade dog treats may seem like a lot of work to some people. Others like the thought of making their own dog food or treats but aren't sure about recipes and ingredients. But the dogs in both households would absolutely LOVE some homemade goodies!
Why You Should Make Your Own Dog Treats
So why would you want to take the time to make your own dog treats and snacks? You will have a lot more flexibility in what you feed your dog if you are more in control. You can work around allergies or other dietary concerns. You will have unlimited flavor combinations rather than being limited to what manufacturers choose. You can modify recipes to fit your dog's nutritional needs such as substituting low-fat peanut butter.
How To Save Time When Making Dog Treats
By making large batches or several kinds of homemade dog treats, you will not need to play Doggie Chef as often. Freeze individual treats or single-serving size meals on a cookie tray. Then once they are fully frozen you can transfer them to a plastic freezer bag for storage. Since they were frozen individually, they will not stick to each other and you can just move a few to the refrigerator as needed and let them thaw overnight.
What To Look For In Dog Treat Recipes
There are several key things to consider when choosing a dog treat or dogfood recipes. Depending on your culinary skills, just choose or skip recipes based on the following suggestions. Of course if you feel comfortable in making substitutions, then you have even more options.
Choose recipes that -
focus on ingredients that your dog loves
sound appealing to you (not that you'll be eating them!)
give textures your dog prefers - soft, crunchy, large, small, cold, room temperature, etc.
Avoid recipes containing ingredients that your dog -
doesn't like
is allergic to
When choosing a cookbook or compilation of homemade dog treat recipes you want enough choices without being overwhelmed. Fifty recipes would be the bare minimum while three hundred or more is really too much. Between one hundred and two hundred is a good number because then you have options and lots of variety but not so many that you can't decide which ones to try.
Your dog needs to eat, you are responsible for her health, and you have to pay for both.
So why not do your best to give your dog healthy food and treats that will then help keep her healthy and thus reduce potential veterinary expenses. It is truly a win-win situation for you and your dog! You can get your homemade dogfood treats for a healthy dog now
And the easiest way to do that is with some healthy [http://homemade-dog-treat-recipes.blogspot.com]homemade dog treat recipes. Check out the tips, ideas and resources at [http://homemade-dog-treat-recipes.blogspot.com]http://Homemade-Dog-Treat-Recipes.blogspot.com. Your dog will love you for it!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com
How to Choose the Best Canned Dog Food
By M. Mazaru
If you are dog owner you must be very concerned about the best canned dog food that you can give to your pet. There are so many options available in the market that you can easily get puzzled about the right choice.
Whilst it is always better to give natural food to your dog like a raw diet or a cooked one, you also need to keep canned food handy for times of emergency or when you are traveling with your pet. As the name suggests, these are ready to eat and hence very easy to handle.
In case you are unable to cook food for your dog, or cannot supply a natural diet, canned food is the best option. However it is pretty difficult to choose the best canned dog food from among the myriad options. Here are a few tips that can lead you to an informed choice:
The best canned food for your beloved pet will be one which is made with whole, real and identifiable components. In other words you should be able to understand what exactly it contains once you look at the label.
Since dogs are very fond of meat, you can opt for canned foods that hold a specific meat meal. Check out the label carefully before buying. It should have the ingredients listed in detail, i.e. the kind of meat that has been used to prepare the canned food has to be specified. Some options of good meats are chicken, turkey, beef and duck.
Canned food comprising vegetables and fruits can be nutritious for your dog. If you are buying these make sure that there no added preservatives in the can. These might produce harmful side effects, mainly digestive problems for your pet.
Lastly, you will do well to ensure that the canned food you are buying doesn't contain any by-products. Get the best canned Dog Food right here.
Always remember that health and nutrition are the two most important things that you should consider while buying the best canned dog food. So make a wise choice!
The best [http://naturaldogfoodsreview.com]canned dog food is a matter of good nutrition for your dog. At [http://naturaldogfoodsreview.com]http://NaturalDogFoodsReview.com, you can find information, resources, and more to keep your dog happy and healthy.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com
If you are dog owner you must be very concerned about the best canned dog food that you can give to your pet. There are so many options available in the market that you can easily get puzzled about the right choice.
Whilst it is always better to give natural food to your dog like a raw diet or a cooked one, you also need to keep canned food handy for times of emergency or when you are traveling with your pet. As the name suggests, these are ready to eat and hence very easy to handle.
In case you are unable to cook food for your dog, or cannot supply a natural diet, canned food is the best option. However it is pretty difficult to choose the best canned dog food from among the myriad options. Here are a few tips that can lead you to an informed choice:
The best canned food for your beloved pet will be one which is made with whole, real and identifiable components. In other words you should be able to understand what exactly it contains once you look at the label.
Since dogs are very fond of meat, you can opt for canned foods that hold a specific meat meal. Check out the label carefully before buying. It should have the ingredients listed in detail, i.e. the kind of meat that has been used to prepare the canned food has to be specified. Some options of good meats are chicken, turkey, beef and duck.
Canned food comprising vegetables and fruits can be nutritious for your dog. If you are buying these make sure that there no added preservatives in the can. These might produce harmful side effects, mainly digestive problems for your pet.
Lastly, you will do well to ensure that the canned food you are buying doesn't contain any by-products. Get the best canned Dog Food right here.
Always remember that health and nutrition are the two most important things that you should consider while buying the best canned dog food. So make a wise choice!
The best [http://naturaldogfoodsreview.com]canned dog food is a matter of good nutrition for your dog. At [http://naturaldogfoodsreview.com]http://NaturalDogFoodsReview.com, you can find information, resources, and more to keep your dog happy and healthy.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com
The Right Dog Food Will Keep Your Pet Happy
By Rolf Joho
If you want your dogs to remain happy and content then you have to feed them with the best dog food. This in turn means that you will have to consider a few things that will help you pick the best foods for your pet, especially when you are planning on buying dry food. Though it is quite possible that your animal(s) might not have any preference between dry and wet foods it still pays to see which type your animal loves the most. In case of most dogs they do tend to be picky and so you have to use trial and error methods to establish which kind your pet loves the best.
Regulate His Diet
It is also a good idea to ensure feeding your dog with regulated diet so that you can choose certain foods that the pet will relish and eat happily. It also means avoiding feeding him with human food as this can give rise to numerous health concerns including stomach aches and obesity as too problems with behavior.
Another important consideration related to dog food is that you must ensure feeding him according to his body weight and for more information you must check the animal food label to see how much of a portion is safe for feeding your pet favorite. Even when starting your pet on a new dog food it pays to start off slowly to ensure that the food goes down well with your favorite animal and does not make him feel sick.
If you want your pet to feed on moist food you can add a little water to his dry food and get the desired results though be careful that by adding water to his food, it can spoil the smell of his food. And, after having fed your pet it is also necessary that you ensure that he gets his fair share of exercise so that he remains in shape.
It pays to also select dog food that has enough vitamin content as this will help to create a shinier coat and his nails too will grow stronger. When picking his food, you should check the major animal food brands which are well known for having a lot of nutritious content and which also come in many flavors that will appeal to your dog's senses. Some dog lamb accompanied by rice is OK for your favorite.
Choosing the right dog food can often be confusing because of the different ingredients used as too because of the terminology used. There are also foods that are suited for puppies and those that are suited for larger sized dog breeds and you will also come across foods that help control your pet's weight and there are also wellness foods that suit pets that have allergies or some other kind of health problems.
Times have indeed changed since the beginning of the nineteenth century before which dogs generally subsisted on wheat, bread and barley and rye. Only rarely did pet owners feed their animals with meat. During the nineteenth century feeding dogs with meat was something that signified the pet owner's status - that is until the first dog food was introduced in the year 1860 when in England an American called James Spratt founded his own dog food company.
Since then animal food has become big business and of course many changes have taken place in what we can and cannot feed our pets. The fifties saw the advent of dry food and today there is much variety in the type of commercially produced dog food that is available on the market.
The bottom line is that you should only feed your dog the correct type and amount of food.
For a ten pound dog it is necessary that he gets 850 calories on a daily basis; for a twenty pound the number of calories should not exceed 1400 per day while a thirty pound pet must not be fed more than 1800 calories on a daily basis and a fifty pound animal should get at most 2700 calories per day.The Right Dog Food Will Keep Your Pet Happy
Rolf Joho is owner of http://www.internetinfomedia.com and writes on a variety of subjects. For more dog food questions visit: http://agentmon.com/dogfood/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com
If you want your dogs to remain happy and content then you have to feed them with the best dog food. This in turn means that you will have to consider a few things that will help you pick the best foods for your pet, especially when you are planning on buying dry food. Though it is quite possible that your animal(s) might not have any preference between dry and wet foods it still pays to see which type your animal loves the most. In case of most dogs they do tend to be picky and so you have to use trial and error methods to establish which kind your pet loves the best.
Regulate His Diet
It is also a good idea to ensure feeding your dog with regulated diet so that you can choose certain foods that the pet will relish and eat happily. It also means avoiding feeding him with human food as this can give rise to numerous health concerns including stomach aches and obesity as too problems with behavior.
Another important consideration related to dog food is that you must ensure feeding him according to his body weight and for more information you must check the animal food label to see how much of a portion is safe for feeding your pet favorite. Even when starting your pet on a new dog food it pays to start off slowly to ensure that the food goes down well with your favorite animal and does not make him feel sick.
If you want your pet to feed on moist food you can add a little water to his dry food and get the desired results though be careful that by adding water to his food, it can spoil the smell of his food. And, after having fed your pet it is also necessary that you ensure that he gets his fair share of exercise so that he remains in shape.
It pays to also select dog food that has enough vitamin content as this will help to create a shinier coat and his nails too will grow stronger. When picking his food, you should check the major animal food brands which are well known for having a lot of nutritious content and which also come in many flavors that will appeal to your dog's senses. Some dog lamb accompanied by rice is OK for your favorite.
Choosing the right dog food can often be confusing because of the different ingredients used as too because of the terminology used. There are also foods that are suited for puppies and those that are suited for larger sized dog breeds and you will also come across foods that help control your pet's weight and there are also wellness foods that suit pets that have allergies or some other kind of health problems.
Times have indeed changed since the beginning of the nineteenth century before which dogs generally subsisted on wheat, bread and barley and rye. Only rarely did pet owners feed their animals with meat. During the nineteenth century feeding dogs with meat was something that signified the pet owner's status - that is until the first dog food was introduced in the year 1860 when in England an American called James Spratt founded his own dog food company.
Since then animal food has become big business and of course many changes have taken place in what we can and cannot feed our pets. The fifties saw the advent of dry food and today there is much variety in the type of commercially produced dog food that is available on the market.
The bottom line is that you should only feed your dog the correct type and amount of food.
For a ten pound dog it is necessary that he gets 850 calories on a daily basis; for a twenty pound the number of calories should not exceed 1400 per day while a thirty pound pet must not be fed more than 1800 calories on a daily basis and a fifty pound animal should get at most 2700 calories per day.The Right Dog Food Will Keep Your Pet Happy
Rolf Joho is owner of http://www.internetinfomedia.com and writes on a variety of subjects. For more dog food questions visit: http://agentmon.com/dogfood/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Best Quality Dog Foods - What Do You Need to Know
By Michelle Houser
Going on a search for the best quality dog foods has been a much bigger project than I initially imagined. I decided to start trying different dog foods after the ongoing concerns with the quality of dog foods and because our male Border Collie, Rodeo struggles with stomach problems and has joint issues. I wanted to make my own determinations on safety and quality on any dog food I choose to feed my loving pups Rodeo and Maddie and of course they were pretty sure they should have a say too.
It's probably worth mentioning that I have been in the dog business for over twenty years so I did have a pretty good idea of what I was looking for in a dog food. However, I was shocked at the lax regulations within the dog food industry. It is so easy for a food company to manipulate the information they put on the outside of their food package and then call it nutritious.
I was even more surprised to find that some of the so called quality foods that you would pay a hefty price for in the discount stores are actually not what they make themselves out to be! That's what those advertising dollars are paying for. Which leads me to my first big tip, throwing money at a high priced dog food does not make it a best quality dog food.
I started by properly learning how to read a dog food label. There are many tricks and frankly deceptive practices that make it a priority to learn how to read a label. Here is a shortened version of that process to help you get started. The first set of labeling rules comes from the FDA and must list the following information:
The product must be identified as a dog food
The weight, volume or count of the dog food
Name and location of the manufacturer
Listing of all ingredients by their common name
Listing of all ingredients in descending order by weight
The next agency that may be policing your dog food is the AAFCO or the Association of American Feed Control Officials. AAFCO is not a government agency like the FDA, instead its members are made up of state and federal employees from various agencies and employees from pet food companies. They have additional rules and label regulations on top of the FDA regulations for pet foods. However, dog food regulations vary from state to state and not all states agree to AAFCO regulations.
It's noteworthy that AAFCO statements only appear on commercial dog foods, which means the natural diets and homemade diets can not be compared using these standards.
With the dog food companies using adorable packaging with cute and catchy names, it's easy for them to imply that their food is made with good stuff and your dog's will love it. When in truth, they are hiding the poor quality of their food behind fancy advertising techniques. It's natural for us as consumers to gravitate toward the more attractive packaging, which is why it's important to learn how to read the label.
Confused already? Let me explain what I mean when I refer to some companies hiding the poor quality of their dog food. For starters, it's completely possible that you can purchase a beef dog food that may not actually contain any beef! The problem lies with the rules and regulations allowing the companies to hide poor food ingredients behind wording twist and with hidden meanings. Here are a few of the statements that are used on food labels that can be misleading:
With Chicken Flavor - Flavor is detectable but doesn't have to have any actual Chicken meant present in the product.
With Salmon - The product contains at least 3% salmon. So if you buy a product that says "now with real beef" it may only have 3% real beef in it!
Beef Dinner - The product must contain at least 25% Beef.
Liver For Dogs - At least 95% of the product must be liver or 70% including water
Along with the misleading phrases above, there are many other dog label statements that you will need to be wary of: Natural Food, Organic Food, Gourmet Food & Premium Food - A dog food can say "Organic" but it may not necessarily be 100% organic. You should also look for artificial flavors, calories, antioxidants as potential misleading ingredients and all of them vary between manufacturers and product lines.
It's also important to point out that ingredients are listed by weight but they are listed before they go through any processing. This gives manufacturers another way to pad their label. By listing the weight of the meat in it's hydrated state, it's obviously going to make it higher up on the label than the same ingredient after going through the dehydration process. In other words, the label is giving you the amount before processing in it's original form, not what you are actually getting after all of the moisture is removed during processing.
Watch for poor ingredients that have been split. For example, instead of using a whole grain such as rice, the manufacturer separates the grain into a lesser product such as rice bran and rice gluten. These are far inferior products.
So now you have a good idea of what not to include in your best quality dog foods so what rules should you follow when choosing a safe food?
Always read the label and if you have questions, ask them!
Make sure the first ingredient is a whole meat source such as salmon, chicken or lamb.
Absolutely NO protein or meat by-products like bone meal and meat meal.
Never buy anything that has leftover animal products from rendering plants.
Avoid low quality grains like corn or split grains like rice gluten that create an inferior product.
Use human grade foods or organic or natural - remember that these terms are not yet regulated.
Stay away from preservatives - a good rule is - if you can't pronounce it - leave it!
There is no need to choose foods that are too specific such as for a specific breed. They do not offer any great advantage and will likely cost your more money.
When you are searching for your best quality dog foods, make sure you choose more than one. Look for 3-5 quality foods that agree with your dog and offer different flavors and different protein or meat sources. This way your dog gets a change in variety and by feeding multiple food sources you help fill in nutritional gaps.
Once you know what to look for it's time to start sampling foods. There are lots of companies that offer free samples, so if you are interested in particular brands, give the company a call and usually they are glad to send out samples to a new potential customer.
Keep in mind that each dog is unique and no one food is right for every dog. While I think discussing your dog's diet with your vet is always a good idea, I'm a big fan of you, as a pet parent being the one to make those choices together with your dog. Why? Well, you know your dog better than anyone and you are the one to notice those little nuances like when they are not feeling well, or if they are hurt etc. So you will also be the one to know whether or not your dog likes or dislikes a new dog food and whether or not the new food agrees with your dog.
Keep a journal of what you fed your dog and how they liked it and if they had any problems. Make sure you don't mix foods and only feed them one at a time. Wait a few days in between switching foods or you will have a dog with a big tummy ache and you won't get an accurate read on whether or not they liked each food and how it agreed with them.Get the best quality dog food here.
Don't let yourself become intimidated during this process. This is all about you making a life long healthy best quality food choice for your dog that is directly related to their daily health and their lifespan. Use the tips above and good old fashion common sense when making decisions. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Utilize forums, ask a vet online, your personal vet, a friend or you're always welcome to contact me through one of my contact forms.
As a pet parent, I want to emphasize the importance of choosing quality ingredients. Maddie and Rodeo are certain that it absolutely must taste good! Consider any additional personal health needs that your dog may have and start choosing a best quality dog food!
A few months ago I left the business world to pursue my passion of working with animals while trying to improve my health. To do this, I am using my 20+ years experience as a dog breeder and pet owner. I also worked for a well known veterinarian and national vet supply company for several years. I have a B.S. In Agriculture with an emphasis in Animal Science and Ag Business and I worked in the Agriculture Business Industry for over twenty years. So if you are interested in the details of how the right dog food, dog care and just good old fashioned love and affection can help your dog live a healthier and longer life, please join us at: http://www.love-your-dog-food.com
Once you have chosen the best quality dog food for your furry member of the family, make sure you take advantage of the convenience of shopping for your dog food online.
You will save time because we're all busy today, you can shop whenever it's convenient for you not just when the store is open, and you can take advantage of the outstanding online prices and coupons that are regularly available.
Most importantly, you have better things to do with your time - like playing with your dog! http://www.love-your-dog-food.com/best-quality-dog-foods.html
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Going on a search for the best quality dog foods has been a much bigger project than I initially imagined. I decided to start trying different dog foods after the ongoing concerns with the quality of dog foods and because our male Border Collie, Rodeo struggles with stomach problems and has joint issues. I wanted to make my own determinations on safety and quality on any dog food I choose to feed my loving pups Rodeo and Maddie and of course they were pretty sure they should have a say too.
It's probably worth mentioning that I have been in the dog business for over twenty years so I did have a pretty good idea of what I was looking for in a dog food. However, I was shocked at the lax regulations within the dog food industry. It is so easy for a food company to manipulate the information they put on the outside of their food package and then call it nutritious.
I was even more surprised to find that some of the so called quality foods that you would pay a hefty price for in the discount stores are actually not what they make themselves out to be! That's what those advertising dollars are paying for. Which leads me to my first big tip, throwing money at a high priced dog food does not make it a best quality dog food.
I started by properly learning how to read a dog food label. There are many tricks and frankly deceptive practices that make it a priority to learn how to read a label. Here is a shortened version of that process to help you get started. The first set of labeling rules comes from the FDA and must list the following information:
The product must be identified as a dog food
The weight, volume or count of the dog food
Name and location of the manufacturer
Listing of all ingredients by their common name
Listing of all ingredients in descending order by weight
The next agency that may be policing your dog food is the AAFCO or the Association of American Feed Control Officials. AAFCO is not a government agency like the FDA, instead its members are made up of state and federal employees from various agencies and employees from pet food companies. They have additional rules and label regulations on top of the FDA regulations for pet foods. However, dog food regulations vary from state to state and not all states agree to AAFCO regulations.
It's noteworthy that AAFCO statements only appear on commercial dog foods, which means the natural diets and homemade diets can not be compared using these standards.
With the dog food companies using adorable packaging with cute and catchy names, it's easy for them to imply that their food is made with good stuff and your dog's will love it. When in truth, they are hiding the poor quality of their food behind fancy advertising techniques. It's natural for us as consumers to gravitate toward the more attractive packaging, which is why it's important to learn how to read the label.
Confused already? Let me explain what I mean when I refer to some companies hiding the poor quality of their dog food. For starters, it's completely possible that you can purchase a beef dog food that may not actually contain any beef! The problem lies with the rules and regulations allowing the companies to hide poor food ingredients behind wording twist and with hidden meanings. Here are a few of the statements that are used on food labels that can be misleading:
With Chicken Flavor - Flavor is detectable but doesn't have to have any actual Chicken meant present in the product.
With Salmon - The product contains at least 3% salmon. So if you buy a product that says "now with real beef" it may only have 3% real beef in it!
Beef Dinner - The product must contain at least 25% Beef.
Liver For Dogs - At least 95% of the product must be liver or 70% including water
Along with the misleading phrases above, there are many other dog label statements that you will need to be wary of: Natural Food, Organic Food, Gourmet Food & Premium Food - A dog food can say "Organic" but it may not necessarily be 100% organic. You should also look for artificial flavors, calories, antioxidants as potential misleading ingredients and all of them vary between manufacturers and product lines.
It's also important to point out that ingredients are listed by weight but they are listed before they go through any processing. This gives manufacturers another way to pad their label. By listing the weight of the meat in it's hydrated state, it's obviously going to make it higher up on the label than the same ingredient after going through the dehydration process. In other words, the label is giving you the amount before processing in it's original form, not what you are actually getting after all of the moisture is removed during processing.
Watch for poor ingredients that have been split. For example, instead of using a whole grain such as rice, the manufacturer separates the grain into a lesser product such as rice bran and rice gluten. These are far inferior products.
So now you have a good idea of what not to include in your best quality dog foods so what rules should you follow when choosing a safe food?
Always read the label and if you have questions, ask them!
Make sure the first ingredient is a whole meat source such as salmon, chicken or lamb.
Absolutely NO protein or meat by-products like bone meal and meat meal.
Never buy anything that has leftover animal products from rendering plants.
Avoid low quality grains like corn or split grains like rice gluten that create an inferior product.
Use human grade foods or organic or natural - remember that these terms are not yet regulated.
Stay away from preservatives - a good rule is - if you can't pronounce it - leave it!
There is no need to choose foods that are too specific such as for a specific breed. They do not offer any great advantage and will likely cost your more money.
When you are searching for your best quality dog foods, make sure you choose more than one. Look for 3-5 quality foods that agree with your dog and offer different flavors and different protein or meat sources. This way your dog gets a change in variety and by feeding multiple food sources you help fill in nutritional gaps.
Once you know what to look for it's time to start sampling foods. There are lots of companies that offer free samples, so if you are interested in particular brands, give the company a call and usually they are glad to send out samples to a new potential customer.
Keep in mind that each dog is unique and no one food is right for every dog. While I think discussing your dog's diet with your vet is always a good idea, I'm a big fan of you, as a pet parent being the one to make those choices together with your dog. Why? Well, you know your dog better than anyone and you are the one to notice those little nuances like when they are not feeling well, or if they are hurt etc. So you will also be the one to know whether or not your dog likes or dislikes a new dog food and whether or not the new food agrees with your dog.
Keep a journal of what you fed your dog and how they liked it and if they had any problems. Make sure you don't mix foods and only feed them one at a time. Wait a few days in between switching foods or you will have a dog with a big tummy ache and you won't get an accurate read on whether or not they liked each food and how it agreed with them.Get the best quality dog food here.
Don't let yourself become intimidated during this process. This is all about you making a life long healthy best quality food choice for your dog that is directly related to their daily health and their lifespan. Use the tips above and good old fashion common sense when making decisions. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Utilize forums, ask a vet online, your personal vet, a friend or you're always welcome to contact me through one of my contact forms.
As a pet parent, I want to emphasize the importance of choosing quality ingredients. Maddie and Rodeo are certain that it absolutely must taste good! Consider any additional personal health needs that your dog may have and start choosing a best quality dog food!
A few months ago I left the business world to pursue my passion of working with animals while trying to improve my health. To do this, I am using my 20+ years experience as a dog breeder and pet owner. I also worked for a well known veterinarian and national vet supply company for several years. I have a B.S. In Agriculture with an emphasis in Animal Science and Ag Business and I worked in the Agriculture Business Industry for over twenty years. So if you are interested in the details of how the right dog food, dog care and just good old fashioned love and affection can help your dog live a healthier and longer life, please join us at: http://www.love-your-dog-food.com
Once you have chosen the best quality dog food for your furry member of the family, make sure you take advantage of the convenience of shopping for your dog food online.
You will save time because we're all busy today, you can shop whenever it's convenient for you not just when the store is open, and you can take advantage of the outstanding online prices and coupons that are regularly available.
Most importantly, you have better things to do with your time - like playing with your dog! http://www.love-your-dog-food.com/best-quality-dog-foods.html
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
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