Dog food -how to make the right choiceYou've probably noticed by now that there's a dizzying selection of commercially prepared dog food for you to choose from! That's great news for little Fido, but it can be very confusing for new puppy parents and even seasoned dog owners.
Well, you can stop worrying because you'll find the answers you need right here! Learn about the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) regulations, what goes into commercially prepared dog food, what sort of nutritional balance your pup/dog needs, how much you should feed and much more. By the time you're finished reading, you'll be armed with all the information you need to make the right choice of food for your pooch. The Big PictureA healthy, balanced diet is one of the most important things you can do to make sure that your puppy, or dog, stays strong and healthy.Good nutrition will help a dog reach it's full potential both physically and mentally. It fights off diseases, minimizes allergies, prevents obesity and overall helps your pooch to live a longer, healthier and happier life. With all this at stake, doesn't it make sense to be careful when choosing the dog food that little Fido will eat? Now, most puppies will eat anything you put in front of them (and a whole lot of stuff you don't). They seem to operate on the assumption that 'everything is edible until proven otherwise'.
The problem is, a pup has no idea what the words 'nutritionally balanced diet' mean. He'd be perfectly happy with half a roll of toilet paper, the lining from your best slippers and the broken pencil he rescued from the waste-paper basket! As his new parent you know better, and it's up to you to make sure that the food he eats contains everything he needs to grow up healthy and strong. It's important to remember that a growing puppy has different nutritional needs than an adult dog. He, or she, needs a diet that's higher in protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. 'Puppy' formulas meet these needs so it's important to feed only puppy food, not adult dog food, to Fido while he's small. All commercially prepared dog/puppy food contains a blend of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. What varies from brand to brand and formula to formula are the percentages, quality, and sources of these important nutrients. Commercial dog food manufacturers who want to produce food that provides 'a complete and balanced diet' have to make sure their foods meet one of two basic standards - the adult dog food standard or the puppy food standard. These standards are set by the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials). If a dog food says it is suitable 'for all life stages' it is required to meet the puppy food standard, which is the tougher of the two. Read more about commercially prepared dog food regulations here It's also important to pay attention to some of the things you don't want to see in your puppy's food. Things such as artificial colorings, additives and sweeteners. Dog food allergies are more common than many owners realize, and they can make your puppy or dog very uncomfortable indeed. Cheaper, generic dog foods contain more fillers and 'junk' than the Best Dog Food choices, and this can lead to a greater risk of an allergic reaction. If you think your pup or dog may be suffering from food allergies or sensitivities, take a look at this article on Hypoallergenic Dog Food. It gives you a run down of the ingredients most likely to cause problems, and a comprehensive list of the best allergy-free dog foods on the market. Dogs who have a food allergies, or sensitivities can also do better when fed raw dog food as opposed to a commercial diet. This isn't something that all dog owners are willing or able to do, but if you'd like to find out more about this option check out my Raw Food Diet For Dogs page. Another alternative is home made dog food, where you can tailor the ingredients to work around your dogs' individual 'triggers'. As with a raw dog food diet, this can mean a bit more work for you, the owner, but the benefits may well be more than worth it. Commercially Prepared Dog FoodWhen choosing the brand or type of food to give little Fido, all the hype and advertising slogans on those bags, cans and pouches can make it seem a little (or even a LOT) confusing.To make it a bit easier to make the right choice of dog food for your particular puppy or dog, I've tried to simplify the whole process a little bit. Here's what to look for -
Dry kibble v. canned foodBoth these types of food can give your puppy/dog what he needs, but quality can vary hugely and not ANY dog food (even those that meet the AAFCO) is good enough.
Dry puppy kibble This tends to be more carbohydrate based while canned food is often more meat-based. BUT canned food contains a lot more water (some brands can contain up to 70% water) than the dry variety. Dry food is better for your puppy's teeth as it's hard, crunchy texture helps to keep them clean and reduce the build up of tartar. Canned dog foods Overall, the canned v. dry debate is mostly a question of personal preference and budget than nutritional adequacy. If you simply can't decide why not mix a little canned food with a good-quality dry food and get the best of both worlds?
Customized DietsNot so long ago there were far fewer dog food choices, and most dogs and puppies ate basically the same food. Today, the industry is much more specialized as scientists and nutritionists have come to realize that different dogs have different nutritional needs.You'll find puppy and adult food for large breeds, small breeds; giant breeds; senior dogs; active dogs; overweight dogs; dogs with certain medical conditions; breed-specific dog foods and much more. Each group has very unique and individual requirements which need to be met if they're to stay healthy. The following is a brief overview of just a few of those different needs -
See our comprehensive Dog Food Ratings page to find the 'Report Card' for dozens of popular and premium dog foods on the market today. You can find a huge selection of premium dog/puppy food online, and it's a much simpler and quicker way to find exactly the right food. There's also WAY MORE SELECTION than you'll find in most 'bricks and mortar' stores. I personally recommend the great selection at Only Natural Pet Store You'll find many of the top brands, and every one of them is made from all-natural, human-grade ingredients. How much should I feed my dog?
When trying to figure out how much to feed your puppy or dog, to begin with it's best to follow the guidelines on the bag or can of your chosen brand. The amount recommended is usually based on your puppy's age and weight. It's very important to bear in mind that Fido will need less of a good quality, nutrient-dense, complete food than he will of a low quality one which is mostly 'filler'. Because of this, cheaper foods of inferior quality don't work out less expensive in the long term. In addition to needing to feed more food per pound of your dog's weight, you may also find yourself paying higher veterinary bills to treat all sorts of health conditions caused by poor nutrition. Every puppy is different and little Fido may need more or less than the average recommended amount. Use the manufacturers guidelines as a 'jumping off' point and then adjust to suit his individual needs. If you want your puppy to grow up with good eating habits do not free feed (that is, leave his food bowl down and filled at all times). This can lead to all sorts of problems such as obesity, picky eaters, food guarding, housebreaking problems and more. Instead, divide his daily food requirements by the number of meals he's eating per day and put his food bowl down at set times of the day. Leave it down for 10 to 15 minutes and then pick it up even if he hasn't eaten it all. If Fido has gobbled the whole lot down in 2 minutes flat each time, you probably need to go ahead and increase the amount a little. Alternatively, if he's consistently leaving some food uneaten you need to decrease the amount just a bit. You'll soon find out what he needs, but be warned - like children puppies go through growth spurts and these needs will change often. An adult dog is likely to be more consistent about how much food he wants/needs. But dogs of different sizes, ages, breeds and activity levels may vary quite a bit from each other - in terms of nutritional requirements and the amount they eat. You can use this handy dog calorie calculator tool to figure out how much food your puppy/dog needs, depending on his age/weight and activity level..........
If you follow advice above then you know that you're doing your best to give your puppy or dog the nutrition he needs to grow healthy and strong. When you look at him you'll know you've got it right if his eyes are bright, his coat is thick and shiny and he's full of energy and bursting with puppy happiness. Isn't that a great feeling? If you know another puppy owner or dog lover who would find this dog food information useful, please feel free to share it! Feeding A Puppy
|
