Nutrition For Dogs - Dog Food Ingredients

Title: Nutrition For Dogs - Dog Food Ingredients
Author: Garry Neale
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.

About The Author: Garry Neale is and avid dog enthusiast and
creator of the popular e-book, "The Dog Lovers Guide", a FREE
dog owners handbook you can download at no cost from
http://www.dog-lovers-guide.net.

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