TIPS FOR BUYING DOG FOOD

Commercial dog food falls into three types, kibble, canned and tubed.

Kibble is dry or moist pellets and biscuits with a cereal or meat base, ground meat by-products and various additives, eg. mineral supplements and vitamins.

Canned food is usually based on meat, "meat by-products" and vegetables, pre-cooked and ready to serve. It is almost always very soft in consistency and must be refrigerated if unused. As with kibble, canned food usually contains additives to make up for perceived and real deficiencies in the food sources. One example is taurine which is added after cooking.

Tubed food is a recent addition to the K-9 raw diet. Human quality tubed raw dog food contains all natural pre-ground ground bone and meat.

It is not enough for dogs to have a full stomach after every meal. Besides a non-sedentary lifestyle, pets need proper nutrition in order to be healthy, happy and their coats soft and glossy. The cost of dog food and its brand is only important if dogs can read or pay for his meal. The easiest and best way to find out which food is best for man's best friend is to observe how their response is to the chow they take in.

The following are tips that one should remember in feeding dog any kibbles, nibbles or whatever kinds of treats.

• Chocolate is lethal to dogs.

Specifically, the dark chocolate kind. The major components methylxanthine alkaloids and theobromine in regular chocolate is digested & excreted by humans in as little as 3 hours but the same compounds when ingested by dogs stays inside them for 18 hours. This has been proven to be fatal. Symptoms of chocolate dog poisoning include vomiting, excessive urination, hyperactivity, diarrhea, followed by seizure, coma, and death.

• Read the label.

Dogs should have a diet rich in meat protein. When purchasing canned foods, look for chicken, turkey meat, pork or other animal by products as these keep the dog's coat smooth and healthy. Dogs prefer foods which contain high vegetable protein levels because these are easily digestible and are a great source of energy.

• Don’t give a dog a bone!

Contrary to the popular nursery song, feeding bones to dogs is not a good idea. Small soft bones gnawed and eaten by dogs feel like splinters inside their throat causing them to choke. Remember, dogs have short digestive tracts. They also have no saliva amylase, an enzyme that is used to pre-digest starch.

• Dog food supplements are unnecessary…

...only if one is sure that their dog receives a regular intake of complete and balanced food nutrients. Good sources of carbohydrates include rice, corn, oatmeal, wheat. However, a highly specialized nutrition is only necessary if dogs do not get enough physical activity or are currently undergoing a stressful routine change.

• Raw fish and eggs are a no-no.

Consistent consumption of raw eggs make a dog’s skin breakout. In canine terms - since eggs diminish the biotin available in their body – dermatitis and hair loss are its usual effects. Raw fish meanwhile results in thiamine-deficiency in a dog. Its effects usually are loss of appetite, abnormal posture, weakness and in some cases death.

• Vegetarian diet

A well-planned vegetarian diet works well for dogs. In fact, there are several commercial vegetarian dog foods available on the market (We feed Natural Balance Vegetarian Formula). (This edit comes from someone who has a vegetarian dog with optimum health, a shiny coat, a trim, muscular figure, and tons of energy). Dogs need PROTEIN, but not necessarily *animal* protein. Would a dog naturally be vegetarian? No. He also wouldn't naturally eat dog cookies or live in your home with you or do tricks either

If switching to homemade dog food, try mixing commercial dog food to the food you have prepared to help your dog make the transition. Try giving your dog some bacon mixed in with this mix. They love bacon. Although it doesn't have a lot of nutritional benefits, it makes the dog happy. Understand that dogs need a diet that consists of 40 percent meat, 30 percent vegetables and 30 percent starch. Follow this formula to ensure that your dog has a well-balanced diet.

Feed your dog a healthy diet and he will return the favor with a beautiful coat and many years of companionship!




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DogSecrets.com