Letting Your Dog Choose His Own Food
Spend time at any pet store and the choice of dog foods to feed your dog is in abundance. How do you know which to choose and which is good for your dog? The answer to that is simply, you do not, let your dog choose. Although there are some basics that are recommended.
If you have purchased your dog from a breeder, ask the breeder what they recommend to feed your new pet. A good breeder should be able to tell you what has worked best for their dogs. This is a good place to start. However, if you have adopted your new dog, then it will be up to you to figure out what is good for your dog and what is not. The dog will certainly help you in determining the right food for him.
Always read the labels on a dog food package. What you want to look at is the first ingredient. You do not want to see meat meal, this can be anything within the food including road kill. Chicken Meal or Lamb Meal is a good start. You also always want to see the word meal; whole meat without the Meal is mostly water. Most nutritionists prefer chicken based dog foods as they are easier to digest.
You may see corn or a type of corn product in the dog food. Corn is a protein source the dog food makers use to keep the price reasonable. Some dogs like corn and others do not. If you see your dog start itching, licking his feet, scooting his butt, or getting frequent ear infections, this could indicate a lack of tolerance for corn. Beware of wheat in a food. Wheat tends to be more of an irritant in dogs than corn is.
You need to inspect the label for the sentence "AAFCO feeding trials confirm that (dog food brand) is complete and balanced for adult dogs or all life stages". This sentence alone will tell you that the dog food was fed to any number of dogs and was determined to meet the nutritional needs for all life stages of a dog.
When it comes to feeding your dog there are certain guidelines that should be followed depending on the age of your dog. For instance, puppies should be fed more regularly than adult dogs. Puppies should be fed as often as four times per day and with a quality dog food geared towards puppies specifically. Adult dogs should be fed twice a day.
In general, feed puppies and adult dogs separately so you can be sure the amount they are eating each time and to prevent fighting. Set a feeding schedule for your dog, but not one to where they become anxious if you happen to be late. It is a good idea to teach your dog to sit before placing the dog food in the bowl; this will prevent them from jumping to get the food.
Nutritionists suggest only allowing your dog 15 to 20 minutes to eat then removing and disposing of the remainder.
Author Bio
Ethan K. Roberts writes about several different subjects not limited to Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Organic Dog Food and Making the Right Choice
So what's the deal with Organic dog food?
As you know, dog food is available in a wide variety of colours, sizes, flavors, and shapes. The real distinction is obviously the ingredients contained in the products. You may be surprised to know that the ingredient list on dog food labels reads very much like human junk food. Some ingredients are even difficult to pronounce and are borrowed from medical encyclopedias. Then of course there are dog foods that are teeming with artificial ingredients, additives and preservatives that can be harmful to pets. So just what is "Spot" to do when it comes to healthy eating?
Many pet owners are discovering organic dog foods to feed their pets. Just as we humans are conscious of what we put into our bodies, these pet owners take that same consciousness and use it to make wiser decisions about not including chemicals in their dogs' diets. Organic dog treats are the next best thing to all natural dog food, as they are free of the pesticides and insecticides that are present in many foods.
Be aware of food labels however, as they can be very confusing. Natural dog food is not the same as "organic"dog food and this can be quite misleading for many. The fact is, "natural" foods are not held to the same higher standard as "organic" foods. The USDA must certify a food as organic, in order for the food to be labelled as such. Natural dog treats are considerably less costly than their organic counterparts, and as such are not deemed as reliable. Natural foods do however guarantee the absence of food colouring and additives such as sodium metabisulfite or ethoxyquin, which are allergens linked to allergies, cancer and even brain damage.
Even though organic food servings are pricier and contain about half the amount of food in volume compared to non-organic food, dogs are reportedly more satisfied with the lesser amount due to the purity of the healthier ingredients contained. This makes the organic and non-organic dog foods very comparable in price.
The bottom line is that choosing to feed your dog organic food instead of the preservative and chemically rich non-organic food can definitely go a long way in helping your dog live a more healthy and troublefree life free of allergies, skin ailments, diabetes and cancer. An added benefit may be the lower veterinary bills brought on by your healthier dog.
For further information on this topic, be sure to consult the many resources available to you online. Enjoy your dog in good health!
Author Bio
Hanif Khaki is the acclaimed author of numerous health related articles and the founder of the popular pet resource site www.dog-treats.inform-about.com
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