Puppy Education

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To take care of a dog and to fulfill his daily requirements such as giving him proper food, adequate amount of water and necessary training can be a really demanding task at times. Even then, you really never mind the trouble you have to go through to get that loyal friend beside you.

Nowadays, dog food industry is growing fast and you get so many varieties of dog food in the market which puts you in confusion about which brand and type of dog food you should select. Some of the varieties you get include organic, pesticide free, hormone free, vegetarian, and every other imaginable product that may or may not be ideal with your dog’s diet. With so much variety available in the market, how do you know what your dog actually needs for maintaining a healthy life? In other words, what are the main things to consider when looking for a dog food? Some of these details are discussed below.

Things to remember while choosing dog food

First of all, learn your dog’s body condition and use it as your guide in selecting its food. A common trait followed by dog owners all around the world is the tendency to overfeed their dog. Apart from being overweight themselves, they impose this condition on their pets as well. They just can’t stand seeing a rib on their pet! Of course, to avoid that, they feed their dog all the time with whatever food they can get their hands on. But, this way of feeding is not at all healthy for dogs. Instead of doing this, stick on to a healthy dog food which not only meet their daily nutrient requirement , but also keep them fit and healthy.

The next thing is to understand the importance of selecting the right food pack which is specifically made for your dog. For example, the ingredients in a puppy dog food will be different from that of an adult dog as the nutrient requirement in both the cases will be different. So, always select the right package for your pet depending upon whether you have a puppy or an adult dog at home.

Another decision regarding your dog feed is whether to go for dry or wet food. The primary consideration here is the likes and dislikes of your dog. But, if you think benefits-wise, dry food is recommended more because it cleans the dog teeth better. Also, as dry food doesn’t have a high moisture content, it will also be easier to clean up your dog as his stools will be harder and compact. Apart from this, dry foods are generally cheaper than wet food also as their costs per serving is lesser when compared to wet food. But, keep in mind that if your dog has dental problems, wet food will be the better choice as it is easily chewable. Apart from that, wet food will also be recommended for dogs with digestive problems or if they have developed a medical condition like diabetes because wet food has fewer carbohydrates when compared to dry food.

Also, be aware of the fact that dogs need more proteins to be present in their diet. Because of this, it is always recommended that a big part of your dog’s daily meals must have animal-based proteins such as beef, turkey and lamb. In case you prefer to serve homemade food to your dog, then also make sure to include higher amounts of protein in them compared to vegetables or carbohydrates. To ensure this high protein content in your dog food, an easy way is to check the ingredient labels of the store-bought products. Most of such labels will show the exact amount of the ingredients contained in it.

Make sure you read them carefully and avoid foods which contain fillers like wheat, fiber, corn, and ash. Also, avoid foods with “by products” which are substandard sources of protein such as feet, intestines and beaks of chicken. These are not a digestible source of protein. Instead, look for a good quality protein like chicken meal. Chicken meal is a very concentrated source of protein compared to the “by products” because the water has been removed from it. Apart from this, make sure that the dog food you select will also contain a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals which is required to make your dog’s diet completely balanced.

Finally, before buying a particular brand of dog food compare it to the various other dog food brands in the market in terms of its quality and cost. Even though you want your dog to be fed only with the best quality dog food in the market, you don’t want it to be too expensive. So, in order to strike the perfect balance between the cost and quality make sure you do your online research and weigh the pros and cons of various dog food brands so that you reach at a more feasible option which not only provides good quality but also is light on your pocket.