The best practice to decipher your purchase is to read the ingredient list on the dog food, canned or dry. Just like people food, there are regulations that force the dog food industry to place the list of ingredients on the container. Whatever is top on the list is what the food contains the most of (usually 80%), and on down the list it goes in order. Do not listen to the hype of the television commercials for what to feed your pup. The more money a company has the more they can claim how great their product is. Another factor to look at when deciding is where the ingredients originate. As the news has reported, thousands of pets have died from jerky treats produced in China. Reading the package information reveals where the food or treat was produced.
Top of the brand lists found in most grocery stores would be Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, and Purina Pro Plan. However top cost is not top quality. Of these listed brands only Pro Plan begins the food with real turkey, chicken, tuna, or other meat products (there are some specialty stores and vets that carry a better dog food than found in commercial stores such as WalMart). Some dogs must have special diet foods low in sugar, salt, protein or the like and vets offer those under many name brands. But for the common folk shopping on a grocery store list of options, reading the label brings to light some interesting facts.
If the top ingredient says chicken, beef, lamb or the like, followed by the words "by product" you are getting things not rated for human consumption such as feathers, beaks and feet in the case of chicken. Yes your dog is not human, but if that is not something you would feed yourself why give it to your pet? This is not to say that lower priced foods will not allow your companion to thrive but junk in junk out. Meaning you have more waste in the backyard to pick up, your dog must consume more cups of feed per day, and balancing the cost factor shows it may be wise to purchase the higher priced food.
As an example, the lower end choice of Purina Dog Chow is a perfectly fine food, however, one might need to feed double the cups each day, pick up double the yard waste of the dog, and result in a dog with not so shiny coat, itching, summer hot spots, allergies, etc. Once the dog starts itching, one might have to spend more money to see a vet and use supplements along with the dog feed. The cost of vet visits and supplements would be more than the cost of a better quality food.
This is not to say your pet won't have allergies on the better food ; it is merely an example.
If one were to purchase a product whose first ingredient is real meat, is low in ash ( a filler product), and the top five ingredients are something you would not mind eating yourself, the dogs coat would apt to be more shiny and have less shedding. Some farm stores sell dog food from companies such as Diamond, which offers the consumer a lower priced food at a higher quality. Purina sells Dog Chow (low end of spectrum) but also offers Pro Plan (high end food). A quick read of the outside panel of ingredients will reveal the type you want your companion to eat.
From there, the choice is which meat is best for my dog. For dogs with sensitive stomachs, allergies, or picky taste buds, try the salmon, turkey, lamb or venison styles. Trial and error of purchasing small bags of feed will tell you which one your pup likes best. There are some dogs who try to convince their owners they can only eat people food. To those owners, don't be fooled, the dog is playing you. It is important to feed dry kibble of some kind or the dog risks a non balanced diet.
There are those owners who make their own feed. This is a costly endeavor and one that needs many supplements along with time to create and might not be economical for the average pup. If this is the route to take, please read all you can to make sure the dog is getting a proper balanced diet.
Feeding dry vs canned food is another question many owners wonder about. Canned food is 80% water. Used to add palate ability to dry, for the picky eaters, or as a place to hide needed medicines it is a good idea. Feeding only canned food is not usually cost effective and harder to transport than a bag of dry.
When we feed our cherished companions it is important to purchase the best food one can buy. Just like ourselves, Filet Mignon is tastier than sausage and has less fat and fillers. Our pets can greatly benefit from a quick read of a label and making the best choice for the money.
© PawEarFull Legacys
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