Remember Me
forgot your password?

Nutrition For Dogs - Dog Food Ingredients

First we need to recognize that nutrients are not the same thing as ingredients. It's not the combination of ingredients that determines the quality of your dog's diet and whether or not the dog's nutritional needs are being met, it's the blend of nutrients. The ingredients in dog food only have to do with digestibility and palatability. A given dog food can contain certain ingredients that have no nutritional value or that can't be digested by your dog. You can find two different dog foods that may both seem to nutritious, but one may have ingredients that are better for your specific breed of dog. You should discuss your dog's nutritional requirements with your vet in order to select a diet that provides everything needed.

Healthy feeding habits should start as soon as you bring your dog home! Your dog's diet influences such things as health status, appearance, development and attitude. The way you feed your dog will affect certain behavioral aspects like, potty training and begging. When your dog is a puppy, it is very important to prevent it from gaining a lot of weight, which may contribute to the likelihood of obesity and its related health problems as they age.

Since dogs come in all sizes and shapes, there are specific foods available that you should consider depending upon if it's a small breed, large breed, puppy or adult. The nutritional needs of dogs will change as they age depending on how active they are. For instance, small dogs tend to require more calories per pound than larger dogs and thus need a dog food that provides a lot of energy.

As of late, many dog owners have become seriously concerned about the safety of commercial pet food. With all the recent pet food recalls, many more dog owners are starting to prepare their own nutritious dog foods. There is more than a little concern about how poorly regulated the pet food industry is concerning preservatives. Commercial dog food makers add all kinds of chemicals to keep their foods from deteriorating while setting on the grocery store shelves. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Official Publications lists 35 known preservatives being used by commercial dog food companies. Some of these have no restriction on amount that can be added to your dog's food. Chemicals such as Butylated Hydroxyanisole and Ethoxyquin have controversial safety reputations at best.

Many of the commercial dog food formulations contain meat and bone meal, which has been shown to contain the remains of euthanized cats and dogs. These dead animal bodies are sent to rendering plants, along with road kill and dead live stock. At the plants they are boiled down to get the fat, which is sold to dog food manufacturers as "animal fat." The leftover animal parts are dried, crushed and sold to the same manufacturers as "meat and bone meal." Knowing this, many dog owners have put their pets a on raw diet or started making their own homemade dog food.

Those who advocate raw diets say it is the most natural because canines in the wild are carnivores and have survived and thrived for millions of years. They indicate that ever since commercial dog food appeared on the scene about 60 years ago, the increase in dysplasia, allergies and other health conditions in dogs has increased dramatically. However, proponents of homemade dog food say that dogs are actually omnivores and they need the nutritional benefits of grain. They intimate that dog owners who use only raw food are depriving their dogs of valuable nutrients. In addition, with homemade foods you can be creative while making your own healthy dog food. Proponents of homemade food report the activity as a fun way to feel even closer to their dogs. Especially if they really like what you make. And the debate goes on.

Garry Neale
Garry Neale is and avid dog enthusiast and creator of the popular e-book, "http://www.dog-lovers-guide.net>The Dog Lovers Guide", a FREE dog owners handbook you can download at no cost from his http://www.dog-lovers-guide.net>Dog Lover Website.
Rate this Article: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)
Print Email Re-Publish

Add new Comment



Captcha

  • Latest Pets Articles
  • More from Garry Neale

Why you should get your dog to stop jumping on people

By: Jon Swinton | 10/11/2009
Not every one is a dog lover. Millions of people are terrified of animals and pets. Some are naturally averse to the smell and overtures of a pet. One must respect the feelings of others. You cannot expect every finger of the hand to be alike. You may have a dog that is over friendly and affectionate. That does not mean you can allow him to shower his affections on people who are mortally afraid of pets

How to Give Your Dog a Pedicure

By: Diana Picchi | 10/11/2009
Most dogs need their nails trimmed once or twice a month. Many people are too intimidated to trim their dog’s nails, but it’s actually a simple procedure that only takes a few minutes, and leaves your dog looking and feeling great!

Beware Otters Attack Dogs. Yes, I Said Otters

By: Betty Bulldog | 10/11/2009
Having your dog attacked by a wild animal is a frightening experience. When two animals are engaged in a fight, it can be difficult to separate them without sustaining injuries yourself. Depending where you live, coyotes, bobcats, bears, foxes, alligators and mountain lions are the animals that most people are concerned...

Why Is Rover Chewing Up The House. Tips To Make Him Stop.

By: Betty Bulldog | 10/11/2009
A dog's normal behavior is chewing. Obviously, you can't allow this behavior. It is not acceptable to permit your dog to chew clothing, furniture, stuffed toys, shoes, or even the remote control. Dogs can even chew a hole in a house large enough for it to escape; an occurrence that...

The Two Reasons Why Dogs Jump Up On People and the answer. House training puppies

By: maxpow01 | 10/11/2009
The jumping dog is a universal problem, but a better understanding of what's motivating the behavior can go a long way toward addressing it.

Stopping Your Dog From Jumping Up with house training puppies

By: maxpow01 | 10/11/2009
Down Spot! Down Princess! Down Rover! Down Peaches! ... Down Comet! Down Cupid! Down Donder and Blitzen! I've heard that command many times, from many desperate dog owners, directed at many determined dogs. The jumping dog is a universal problem, but a better understanding of what's motivating the behavior can go a long way toward addressing it.

Cat Sitters - Searching For A Cat Sitter? Important Tips!

By: Jane Lee | 10/11/2009
Traveling without duke? when searching for a pet sitter on the web, most people haven't a clue how to go about finding the right person for the job. Run right now a pet caretaker matching service!

A Petcare Pet Provider - Find Your Perfect Pet Caretaker Online!

By: Jane Lee | 10/11/2009
It can be stressful planning a trip, and as for lining up a petsitter on the computer, it's rare that a pet owner knows how to track down a good match for their pet. Test right now a pet care matching solution!

Dog Insurance - Is it Worth the Money?

By: Garry Neale | 28/07/2008 | Pets
Pet health insurance is becoming much more common these days due to fact that its availability is becoming increasingly publicized. Dog owners can find an array of coverage through a variety of companies that offer extensive coverage. If you own of a canine companion, you can find policies that will...

Homemade Dog Food Tips

By: Garry Neale | 28/07/2008 | Pets
Before you start making your own homemade dog food, you need to know a couple of things. You need to find out what foods are toxic to your dog. You also should understand that preparing home made dog food may not be as easy as it sounds because it's very...

Fleas, Ticks and Mites, Oh My!

By: Garry Neale | 15/07/2008 | Pets
External parasites are common among most dogs. An external parasite is an insect that lives off the blood supply of the host. The common parasites found on dogs are; fleas, ticks, mites and lice. Fleas Fleas are parasites and derive most of their food supply from their hosts. Fleas not only feed...

Nutrition For Dogs - Dog Food Ingredients

By: Garry Neale | 15/07/2008 | Pets
First we need to recognize that nutrients are not the same thing as ingredients. It's not the combination of ingredients that determines the quality of your dog's diet and whether or not the dog's nutritional needs are being met, it's the blend of nutrients. The ingredients in dog food only...

Intestinal Parasites in Dogs

By: Garry Neale | 15/07/2008 | Pets
Internal parasites can take several different forms and can affect the health of your dog or puppy. The most common internal parasite found in dogs are worms. This is in large part due to fact that a majority of all puppies acquire intestinal worms prior to birth or shortly thereafter....

Dog Obedience Training Tips

By: Garry Neale | 15/07/2008 | Pets
Obedience training is probably the best thing you can ever do for yourself and your dog. It should be noted that dog obedience training will not resolve all dog behavior problems. However, it's a very useful foundation for resolving most of the dog behavior problems you'll encounter. Dog obedience training comes...

Home Dog Grooming Tips

By: Garry Neale | 14/07/2008 | Pets
Dog grooming refers to the practice of maintaining the appearance of a dog for public showing or personal hygiene reasons. Grooming dogs includes things like shampooing, hair clipping, hair styling, powdering, nail clipping and teeth cleaning. Grooming is healthy for your dog and can be somewhat pleasing to the owner....

Diagnosing Dog Health Problems at Home

By: Garry Neale | 14/07/2008 | Pets
Dogs are no different from humans in the way their bodies respond to disease and changes in their environment. When exposed to contaminated food, extreme cold, or infectious disease they can get sick. Dog illness symptoms can usually be diagnosed by changes in behaviors. Weight loss is also an indicator...

Submit Your Articles Free: Signup
Article Categories




Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.44, 1, w1)