6 Things You Need to Know Before Buying Dog Food

6 Things You Need to Know Before Buying Dog Food

Buying pet food is not always an easy decision. There are so many factors to consider. This article by Petbucket is essential reading and covers 6 things you need to know before buying dog food…

High-quality dog food will keep your pet’s coat shiny, their immune system healthy, and their digestive system on track. Unfortunately, not all pet food is created equally.

Here, PetBucket describes six things to remember when choosing the right kibble for Fido:

1. Read the ingredients: This may seem like a no-brainer, but many dog owners don’t read the ingredients before purchasing pet food. Ingredients are listed by weight, meaning moisture-laden portions such as beef, poultry or fish will likely be at the top of the list. Other, nutrient-rich ingredients may be further down. While grains are used in many pet foods and provide energy-rich carbohydrates, some owners prefer to avoid gluten in their pet’s food.
2. Know your by-products: Nutritious by-products found in pet food can include organs such as liver and lungs. While these are generally unappetizing to humans, they are highly digestible, tasty treats for our canine counterparts. A good dog food will include high-quality by-products such as these.

3. Check the label: A reputable dog food will describe its nutritional adequacy somewhere on the bag. Look for a statement describing the food as “complete and balanced” for your pet. With that statement, there should be a description of just how the food qualifies as such. Dog food that has gone through feeding trials is the best choice, as this shows the formula was fed to dogs who found it tasty and remained healthy while eating the food.
4. Do your homework: While pet food labels don’t generally include information about where they source ingredients, you can sometimes find this on the company’s website. Exceptionally vigilant dog owners can also call the company’s consumer relationships number. Any brand with high-quality food will be eager to engage its customers and answer questions about whether the company manufactures in its own facility or outsources to another facility where it has less control over the final product.
5. Choose different foods for different dogs: Growing puppies have different nutritional needs than geriatric pets and the makeup of their food should reflect this. You can consult your veterinarian for help choosing the best food for your dog based on his genetics, age, lifestyle, reproductive status and physical condition. Similarly, don’t feed them your leftovers unless you’re sure it’s a good idea. You can find out about human foods suitable for dogs here.

6. Adjust portions: Just like humans, dogs have their own, unique metabolisms and nutritional needs. Once you’ve picked the right food for your pet, adjust his portions according to his weight. As a rule of thumb, you should be able to feel your pet’s ribs, but they should have a slight padding over them. Keep tabs on your dog’s physical status and adjust his food every couple of weeks accordingly until you find the right portions for your pet.

We all want to take good care of our pets and one of the best things we can do for them is provide them with nourishing food. It’s worth the effort to do a little extra digging to find the best meals that will provide nutrients and energy for your companion.