Dog Information and Your Vet
There is a strange, little known fact about pet nutrition that many pet owners are not aware of. It is that your vet may not be the best source of dog information (http://HealthierDogs.com) particularly for nutrition. Veterinary schools' nutrition courses tend to be rather short and incomplete, and pet food companies tend to push their products on vets and patients rather aggresively.
A pet owner's best course of action in terms of canine nutrition then, is to seek out reliable dog information to learn what exactly is necessary for their dogs to eat. In this article, we will highlight the most essential pieces of knowledge that every pet owner should have in order to provide the best nutrition to their favorite canine companions.
As carnivorous animals, dogs eat meat in the wild and their food as pets should always contain a good quality, meat-based source of protein. In the ingredients listing of your dog food, look for a named meat source, like beef or turkey, rather an a generic "meat". More than one of these should be listed in the first five ingredients on the list. Animal by-product, is another story and should be avoided, as it can contain meat from dying and diseased animals.
While dogs do require some carbohydrates in their diets, they have no biological need for grain products, and the presence of corn, corn gluten and wheat in a dog food can cause allergies and other health problems in our furry friends. Rice and potatoes do have some nutritional value, but should not comprise the largest part of the food.
There are a lot of labels like premium, organic and human grade that are used on dog foods. Premium and human grade are regulated very little, if at all, and may not be very beneficial for your dog. Organic dog food (http://healthierdogs.com/dog_food/a-natural-diet-improves-your-dogs-health/) should follow the standards for organic food, meaning they should be grown without chemicals. Organic foods are thought to prevent things like cancer by not introducing possibly dangerous chemicals into the body.
Raw feeding is also becoming more popular among pet owners who want to replicate their dogs natural diet in the wild. A wealth of dog information can be found about raw diets, which can also be more cost-effective for the pet owner. There is also the option of home made dog food (http://healthierdogs.com/dog_food/home-made-dog-food-raw-dog-food-recipe/), which, while more time consuming, is also cheaper than commercial food, and a good way to know exactly what your favorite pooch is eating.
Your vet is not always the best source of (http://HealthierDogs.com)dog information (http://HealthierDogs.com) and as a good pet owner, you may want to take matters into your own hands and learn to read pet food labels. (http://healthierdogs.com/dog_food/honest-kitchen-dog-food-review/)Organic dog food (http://healthierdogs.com/dog_food/honest-kitchen-dog-food-review/)s are beneficial but can be expensive. Raw feeding and (http://healthierdogs.com/dog_food/home-made-dog-food-raw-dog-food-recipe/)home made dog food (http://healthierdogs.com/dog_food/home-made-dog-food-raw-dog-food-recipe/) are the best ways to ensure that your dog gets the best nutrition you can provide, though these may be labor intensive.