If you are trying to figure out which one is the best feed for your dog a complicated task that in the end still leaves you too unsure if the right decision can be made.
Using pet food commercials tells you that their food is best to decipher it, which really tells the truth.
If you plan on feeding dry food for your dog then here are 6 tips to follow.
1. Always read the ingredients. This is the most important step that as ingredients can differ from what the front of the package looks or says commercial or says.
2. If the first ingredient is corn or cereal then put it back on the shelf and move on. Cereals and corn will not be needed by our pets for proper nutrition. It is used as a filler in animal feed because it is cheap and – well, filling. So a good rule of thumb would be to buy a dry food with little or no grain or corn in it time.
3. Look for BHA and BHT in the ingredient list. These two are known to cause liver and kidney failure and banned in some European countries. Side note: look for human products that you eat too.
4. Meat should be the number one and two on the list. Dogs need meat. They are carnivores. You just have to know their teeth, which are meant for ripping and shredding meat. You want a meat source that is not a by-product or something. It should just say, beef or game or poultry.
5. Check the expiry date. Because it is a processed food that is conserved to keep it on the shelf, it should have an expiration date. Rancid dog food is not something you should eat.
6. Check the preservative used. If ethoxyquin is used you do not want it. It is suspected to be carcinogenic and you really want a natural preservative. Yes, that shortens your shelf life, but would you rather have a cancer free dog or longer lasting dry food?
This is just really scratched on the surface, what food to look for in your pets, but it’s a really good start.
For a more detailed account of what kind of foods you should buy for your unique dog to give the best nutrition possible please first dogs dogs food hazards.