Secure Website
Why Shop with Us?
Popular Sections
Win an Aquarium
Aquarium
Cat
Dog
Pond
Pet Forum
Suggestion Box
The Best Food for Your Dog Is Healthful Food
When choosing a diet for your dog, keep in mind several factors: the age/life stage of your dog - puppies and seniors have different requirements, including activity levels; the weight of your dog; whether your dog has allergies or other dietary needs; and how much you can spend - generally, the better the product, the higher the cost. Each dog has his or her own tastes for you to consider as well.
First, decide what quality of food to purchase. Grocery store foods or mass-market retailer foods are lower in digestible ingredients and less expensive. Premium foods, from grocery stores, pet stores, and veterinarians' offices, are better but may still contain "filler" elements and artificial ingredients. Finally, healthy foods, from the manufacturer direct or available online, contain the most nutrient-dense ingredients that can be consumed in smaller portions and fully utilized by your dog. These will be the highest quality and therefore the most expensive food products.
Look for one of two Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) labels on food packages, which set the standard for the production, labeling, and sale of animal foods. The first standard states that the food is formulated to meet AAFCO's nutrient requirements, or that the food was laboratory tested and found to have the recommended amounts of required nutrients. The second standard states that animal-feeding tests using their procedures prove that the product provides complete and balanced nutrition. This label shows feeding trials were performed with a controlled population of animals for six months. However, this label may be applied to a whole family of foods, whether or not the particular product has been tested. So make sure to read nutritional labels. The AAFCO label, nevertheless, demonstrates the manufacturer's willingness to create a quality pet food product.
Always check labels on food packages. All pet foods must list their ingredients in order of weight. Look for real, not necessarily more, protein in the first two ingredients: meat, fish, or eggs, and not protein fillers like ground chicken feathers and corn. These should be followed by whole grain carbohydrates: brown rice, potatoes or barley; high fiber: beet pulp, pea powder, and bran; natural fat: chicken fat and fish oil; and natural preservatives: vitamin E, citric acid, and rosemary. Make sure there are no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Also look for added vitamins and minerals to keep your pet healthy, active, and strong.
Don't give more high-protein foods to senior dogs. They will not use it up and it will get stored as excess fat. Puppies require the most, then active adults, and seniors require the least in utilizable proteins. Metabolizable energy or ME is the amount of energy available from pet food once animal waste has been eliminated after digestion. ME on pet food packages shows the amount of calories your pet will get from the food. It will give a number followed by kcal/kg per package and per cup if dry or per can if canned. Give your dog foods with higher ME depending on nutritional needs and level of activity. Check the food package instructions for recommended portions based on growth level and weight. Bear in mind that your dog will have individual differences according to age, life stage, and activity levels.
If you are starting a new food, introduce it slowly. You do not want to upset your dog's stomach by changing the intestinal bacteria too suddenly. During the course of 10 days, add a new food as follows: Days 1-3 - add 25% new food to 75% old food; Days 4-6 - add 50% new food; Days 7-9 - add 75% new food; and if all goes well, by Day 10 - add 100% new food.
To aid in digestion, add probiotic supplementation to your dog's diet to restore beneficial bacteria that may have been compromised by antibiotics or other medications. Acidophilus is an example of a probiotic that may be added to your puppy's food to aid in digestion and to help absorb nutrients for healthy growth.
Vitamins and minerals aid in digestion, boost immunity and energy, and give a healthy, glowing appearance. Depending on your dog's nutritional and developmental needs, you may need to add a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement. If you are using top-quality foods, however, and your dog's eyes are bright, the skin and undercoat are shiny, and he or she is displaying good energy levels, you may have all that you need. Consult with your veterinarian for the kinds and amounts of supplementation needed, if any. Again, the type and amount will depend on your dog's age and life stage, activity level, and health and condition. It is necessary to check with your vet to make sure you are not over-supplementing, which also can have a toxic effect on your dog's health. Always check labels to make sure your dog is getting a balance of vitamins and minerals and that they include fatty acids for good skin and haircoat, and essential vitamins A, B-Complex, D, and E. Vitamins A and E are antioxidants that help to maintain a healthy immune system. Also make sure the sources of these vitamins and minerals are natural products.
Finally, if you see your dog scratching, it may indicate a food allergy. This may show up at any time in your dog's development. The most allergenic foods are also the ones that are most common in commercial dog food products and are highest in this order: beef, dairy products, chicken, wheat, chicken eggs, corn, and soy. It is necessary to first determine that your dog's allergic reaction is to food and not to airborne elements, flea-bites, or intestinal parasites.
Next, a food trial is used to test to which foods your dog may be reacting. This can take anywhere from two to 12 weeks. A novel source of protein and carbohydrate is introduced for this period. You must keep your dog on this exact diet and water at this time, not even giving him a treat or rawhide or flavored medication to chew while the trial is being performed. If there are no symptoms, the dog is placed back on the original food for "provocative testing." If the symptoms return, it confirms the diagnosis and that food must be eliminated permanently from the diet. If no symptoms are seen, then a new trial may be performed with another food until the offending product is weeded out.
Here are foods you should never give your dog:
First, decide what quality of food to purchase. Grocery store foods or mass-market retailer foods are lower in digestible ingredients and less expensive. Premium foods, from grocery stores, pet stores, and veterinarians' offices, are better but may still contain "filler" elements and artificial ingredients. Finally, healthy foods, from the manufacturer direct or available online, contain the most nutrient-dense ingredients that can be consumed in smaller portions and fully utilized by your dog. These will be the highest quality and therefore the most expensive food products.
Look for one of two Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) labels on food packages, which set the standard for the production, labeling, and sale of animal foods. The first standard states that the food is formulated to meet AAFCO's nutrient requirements, or that the food was laboratory tested and found to have the recommended amounts of required nutrients. The second standard states that animal-feeding tests using their procedures prove that the product provides complete and balanced nutrition. This label shows feeding trials were performed with a controlled population of animals for six months. However, this label may be applied to a whole family of foods, whether or not the particular product has been tested. So make sure to read nutritional labels. The AAFCO label, nevertheless, demonstrates the manufacturer's willingness to create a quality pet food product.
Always check labels on food packages. All pet foods must list their ingredients in order of weight. Look for real, not necessarily more, protein in the first two ingredients: meat, fish, or eggs, and not protein fillers like ground chicken feathers and corn. These should be followed by whole grain carbohydrates: brown rice, potatoes or barley; high fiber: beet pulp, pea powder, and bran; natural fat: chicken fat and fish oil; and natural preservatives: vitamin E, citric acid, and rosemary. Make sure there are no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Also look for added vitamins and minerals to keep your pet healthy, active, and strong.
Don't give more high-protein foods to senior dogs. They will not use it up and it will get stored as excess fat. Puppies require the most, then active adults, and seniors require the least in utilizable proteins. Metabolizable energy or ME is the amount of energy available from pet food once animal waste has been eliminated after digestion. ME on pet food packages shows the amount of calories your pet will get from the food. It will give a number followed by kcal/kg per package and per cup if dry or per can if canned. Give your dog foods with higher ME depending on nutritional needs and level of activity. Check the food package instructions for recommended portions based on growth level and weight. Bear in mind that your dog will have individual differences according to age, life stage, and activity levels.
If you are starting a new food, introduce it slowly. You do not want to upset your dog's stomach by changing the intestinal bacteria too suddenly. During the course of 10 days, add a new food as follows: Days 1-3 - add 25% new food to 75% old food; Days 4-6 - add 50% new food; Days 7-9 - add 75% new food; and if all goes well, by Day 10 - add 100% new food.
To aid in digestion, add probiotic supplementation to your dog's diet to restore beneficial bacteria that may have been compromised by antibiotics or other medications. Acidophilus is an example of a probiotic that may be added to your puppy's food to aid in digestion and to help absorb nutrients for healthy growth.
Vitamins and minerals aid in digestion, boost immunity and energy, and give a healthy, glowing appearance. Depending on your dog's nutritional and developmental needs, you may need to add a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement. If you are using top-quality foods, however, and your dog's eyes are bright, the skin and undercoat are shiny, and he or she is displaying good energy levels, you may have all that you need. Consult with your veterinarian for the kinds and amounts of supplementation needed, if any. Again, the type and amount will depend on your dog's age and life stage, activity level, and health and condition. It is necessary to check with your vet to make sure you are not over-supplementing, which also can have a toxic effect on your dog's health. Always check labels to make sure your dog is getting a balance of vitamins and minerals and that they include fatty acids for good skin and haircoat, and essential vitamins A, B-Complex, D, and E. Vitamins A and E are antioxidants that help to maintain a healthy immune system. Also make sure the sources of these vitamins and minerals are natural products.
Finally, if you see your dog scratching, it may indicate a food allergy. This may show up at any time in your dog's development. The most allergenic foods are also the ones that are most common in commercial dog food products and are highest in this order: beef, dairy products, chicken, wheat, chicken eggs, corn, and soy. It is necessary to first determine that your dog's allergic reaction is to food and not to airborne elements, flea-bites, or intestinal parasites.
Next, a food trial is used to test to which foods your dog may be reacting. This can take anywhere from two to 12 weeks. A novel source of protein and carbohydrate is introduced for this period. You must keep your dog on this exact diet and water at this time, not even giving him a treat or rawhide or flavored medication to chew while the trial is being performed. If there are no symptoms, the dog is placed back on the original food for "provocative testing." If the symptoms return, it confirms the diagnosis and that food must be eliminated permanently from the diet. If no symptoms are seen, then a new trial may be performed with another food until the offending product is weeded out.
Here are foods you should never give your dog:
- Chocolate, sugary foods, or any source of caffeine
- Milk or dairy products
- "People foods" in general, including baby food and human vitamins
- Table scraps, including bones and fat, pits, raw food, or spoiled food
- Cat food
- Salt
- Alcohol
- Yeast
- Tobacco or Marijuana
Featured Products
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
We securely accept
 |