Shopping for the Best Dog Food

When you go shopping for the best dog food there seems to be a lot of things to consider.  It doesn’t matter what kind of dog you have, there seems to be hundreds of dog food options available. We want to provide some simple steps that you can take to help choose a high quality dog food that will best help maintain your dog’s good health.

Some dog food companies will add different preservatives to increase shelf life. Some of these preservatives can be harmful to your dog’s well-being, and might cause serious health conditions. An example of a dangerous preservative for Labrador Retrievers include: Potassium Sorbate, Ethoxyquin, BHA, and BHT. Ethoxyquin in some veterinary studies links it to potentially serious liver damage. Natural preservatives that are not harmful to your dog’s health include Vitamin C and Vitamin E. A good list of formula items for your dog’s nutritional needs should contain 50% vegetables, 40% meat/protein, and 10% (or less) carbohydrates (sugars, grains, starches, etc). This guideline has been modified by some dog nutritional specialists, instead suggesting that a dog food contain 70% meat, 30% vegetables, and no carbohydrate ingredients. Some dog food companies such as Orijen Dog Food, have developed their formula using absolutely no grains or starches. If your dog consumes a diet that is high in carbohydrates, this can cause diabetes, as well as obesity. Because your dog’s digestive system is not fully equipped to handle a high-carbohydrate diet, try not to choose a dog food that has a high carbohydrate content.

Fillers are something that has been added to your dog’s food to help him feel “full” but contains little to no nutritional value. Examples of filler ingredients include: Citrus pulp, Corn and wheat, Seed Hulls, Soy, and Animal Digest. Some of these fillers can actually irritate your dog’s digestive system. So, if you have an older dog or an animal with health problems, feeding a food without fillers may improve his or her health. To avoid fillers, look at the ingredients on your pet food package.

Like humans, dogs like a little variety in their diet. Some veterinary experts recommend that you switch between two or three different dog food brands about once every two months. Be sure and maintain a quality standard for all of your chosen foods, and be sure that each dog food is compatible with your dog’s digestive system (i.e. no regurgitated food!).
We hope this information is helpful in choosing a good food for your dog or puppy.