A healthy balanced diet is great for dogs to avoid health problems in the future. On top of that, a healthy dog will certainly do great when trained. With many commercial dog foods available in the market, it must be hard to choose what kind of dog food you are going to use. What does it really contain to make dogs healthy?
People used to make homemade dog food before. Nowadays, more and more people try to purchase commercial dog food because of the underlying factors such as balanced diet, nutritional benefits, and dangerous substances that most people don't know about. Commercial dog food assures you that the ingredients in it will not cause problems if digested by your dog and it will provide a balanced diet.
Ingredients
The ingredients of dog food vary form one company to another. In most cases, meat and bone meals are included in dog foods. Dog food also include offal, grains, and others that contribute to the dog's balanced meal. According to experts, a quality dog food results to a healthier coat, firmer stools, and lesser digestive problems.
Meat
This is one important ingredient in dog foods. It provides enough protein to dogs to build stronger muscles and agile physique.
Carbohydrates
Since dogs are very active in nature, they must have the energy to last in physical activities such as training or playing. Dog experts say that it is best to include great sources of carbohydrates to a dog's meal like potatoes and rice.
Vitamins and Minerals
Although humans are capable of utilizing vitamins and minerals supplements, it doesn't mean that dogs react in the same way. However, dog foods contain other vitamins and minerals that are very good for your dog's health. You should not buy dog food with Vitamin K3 since it has not been approved yet and it has been linked to health issues.
Canned and Dry Food
These are two kinds of dog food with many advantages and disadvantages. It is really up to you - especially your budget, on which kind of dog food do you want to feed your dog. Although dry food is very cheap, it doesn't appeal dogs a lot when it comes to taste. One advantage of dry food is that it has a longer bowl life - molds and bacteria doesn't spread quickly because it's dry.
Many people opt for canned dog food because it's so inviting for dogs - this means that you won't have problems in feeding. Aside from that, canned food has a higher protein, natural fasts, and carbohydrate content. It is also has lesser chemical additives that lessens the chance of hormonal problems. It can be a little costly but you will be assured that it's worth the penny.
If you want to buy a good dog food, you have to make sure that it is approved by an association of feed control officials in your area. You have to purchase something that's high in protein and uses natural preservatives like Vitamins C and E instead of chemical preservatives - BHT, BHA, propolyneglycol, and ethoxyquine. Avoid generic-labels since these products might have ingredients from an unidentified meat source.
