I'm rather passionate about pet nutrition and I would love to see all dog owners feeding their dogs a better quality food. Just like with us, proper nutrition is the foundation of good health for your dog. There is just one step to learning how to feed your dog better:
- Simply start by reading the ingredients label on the package of pet food you purchase. It doesn't matter if you are looking at a store brand or Science Diet. Ignore the name and focus on the ingredients; That is where the truth rests.
The table below compares the top 7 ingredients of two common dry dog foods to that of two nutritious, dog foods. Remember:
- Ingredients are listed in order of weight on product labels. So the first three ingredients make up most of the food and should, therefore, be the best quality.
- Dogs need to eat more meat, no corn and wheat!
- Meat on a pet food label should be identified as what type…not just say meat. And a by-product meat source isn't really meat. It is just the scraps of that meat source.
Scient Diet Adult
Lamb and Rice |
Beneful Adult
Dog Food |
Wellness Core
(buy at Petco) |
Evanger's
Pheasant & Rice
(buy at The Nosey Dog) |
Lamb Meal
Brewers Rice
Rice Flour
Ground Whole Grain Wheat
Ground Whole Grain Sorghum
Corn Gluten Meal
Cracked Pearled Barley |
Ground Yellow Corn
Chicken By-product Meal
Corn Gluten Meal
Whole Wheat Flour
Beef Tallow
Rice Flour
Beef |
Deboned Turkey
Deboned Chicken
Turkey Meal
Chicken Meal
Potatoes
Dried Ground Potato
Tomato Pomace |
Fresh Pheasant
Duck Meal
Brown Rice
Salmon Meal
Pearled Barley
Oatmeal
Potato |
Now that you see what types of ingredients to look for in a quality dog food,
try this label comparison with whatever brand you feed your dog.
Is your dog eating a food with protein, minimal grains, and no corn fillers?
Is it time to change to a better dry food for your dog’s improved health?
I won't deny that feeding a better food will cost more money. But, keep in mind the following:
- With the better foods, your dog eats less. Those better foods are packed with protein, not fillers, so it takes less to provide a meal.
- And, there is the added bonus that less in, means less out. So, expect less poop in your yard.
- Finally, the better you feed your dog, the better his/her health, and the lower the vet bills.
If you are shopping for dog food at grocery stores or large supermarkets, you are NOT going to find a food that passes the test of having quality protein ingredients. Locally, I recommend you look for dog food at The Nosey Dog Spa & Boutique on 407 or Petco in Highland Village.
The Pet Depot dog walker also has information on cat nutrition.
In case you wonder what I feed, I'm happy to share. I'm a raw feeder. Yes, I only feed raw meat and bones to my pets. If you want to learn more about raw feeding or just about feeding a better diet in general, email me anytime.
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