What Are The Ingredients To Look For In a Good Dog Food?

Posted by Puppy Trainer on August 31st, 2009 filed in Dogs

If your dog is important to you, you’ll want to know how to feed him well to ensure he enjoys optimal health. How do you find a good dog food for your dog and how do you tell which dog food ingredients may cause his health to suffer?

{Due to the vast number of dog foods available today, it would be hard to do a dog food comparison to find the best one There are so many different dog foods for sale today that it is virtually impossible to conduct a dog food comparison to find out which one is best}. The optimal diet for your dog depends on how active he is, his size, his age and what you can actually afford. The best dog foods are a balance of important nutrients such as protein, carbohydrate and fat with vitamins and minerals included. One thing to bear in mind – most dog food labels tell you their food is “balanced”, but that may not mean they are good quality!

What dog food ingredients to avoid.

There are certain ingredients put into dog food that have minimum nutrition and are simply added as fillers to “bulk out” the cans or packets to make it seem like you are getting more for your money. Examples of these filler food are corn, cornmeal, soy and wheat. Filler foods such as these can contribute to indigestion, poor immunity, a lackluster coat and other health problems.

What ingredients does a balanced dog food contain?

Dogs and people have different nutritional needs which is why feeding a dog human food is a bad idea overall. Although both share the same basic food groups, dogs need nutrients in different amounts to humans. A dog’s protein need are greater than a person’s and his digestive system is equipped to break protein down easily. Dog foods that are based on meat are superior to grain based foods.

Carbohydrates are necessary though for digestion and for the muscles to work efficiently. Good sources are oatmeal and rice (preferably brown). Carbs containing fiber are good for digestion and also to keep your dog regular.

Some fat is necessary to provide energy and for the absorption of vitamins. Animal fats are unhealthy but omega 3 and omega 6 are good for your dog’s health and will keep his coat shiny and provide many health benefits. The better brands of dog food may already contain omega 3 and 6, otherwise you can add them as a supplement.

Vitamins and minerals are mainly added to dog food these days and should not need to be supplemented. Check the brand you buy has the following important vitamins and minerals included. Vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K are in most quality foods along with  the minerals calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Certain minerals such as iodine, iron zinc and selenium are called trace minerals as your dog only requires very small daily amounts of these.

So, choosing a good dog food does require a certain amount of research and maybe spending a little more money to get the best. This is easily offset by the money you’ll save in vet’s bills, not to mention being the owner of a happy healthy dog.