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If You Are What You Eat Then Our Furry Friends May be in Trouble
By Kimberlee Leonard

With so many brands of dog foods advertising premium all-natural ingredients it's hard to know what truly is best for your dog. And though trial and error factors in a great deal when finding a food that is right for you and your dog, extensive research beforehand plays a greater role. Therefore the best thing any pet owner can do is to acquire the knowledge base that will allow their furry friend the best chance at a long nutritionally delicious, physically happy life.

It is important to keep in mind that a considerable part of the pet food industry thrives on ways to profit from products unfit for human consumption. Many dog food manufacturers substitute quality for quantity choosing cheap alternatives so that it is more affordable to buy dog food as you buy your own groceries. Manipulating the association that many people make of drawing positive similarities that bridge human products with those for pets, even if the bridge is a store, is just another way for companies to lull the public's trust so their product can sell. That's why it's necessary for pet owners to understand how various ingredients contribute to the overall health of their pet because although manufacturers and distributors can use trickery and expertly crafted advertisements that are at best cunning they are, by law, forced to provide a list of all ingredients used.

With so many ingredients that cause alarm, a good rule of thumb is to use caution with ambiguous ingredients. For example by-products is any part of an animal not acceptable for human consumption and such ingredients are not required to include actual meat and can be any part of the animal from its head to unborn babies. And while very few conscientious pet owners know to avoid foods containing by-products manufactures are always thinking of new ways to disguise by-products on ingredient lists. Animal fat, another prevalent yet ambiguous ingredient, can be anything from used grease to a combination of mystery fats. Abbreviations and complex ingredients also require a second look. Artificial preservatives such as BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), ethoxyquin and propylene glycol have been linked with cancer. For information on undesirable ingredients, avoiding manufacturer scams, recalls and additional references visit: http://www.bornfreeusa.org/facts.php?more=1&p=359.

So what is the best pet food on the market? Many would say that there isn't one especially given the fact that there are so many options for foods and while there is truth to the latter there are certain brands out there of higher caliber and others that are nothing more than well advertised garbage. Good guidelines to follow when deciding when choosing the best food for your dog is to give priority to the first five to seven ingredients ensuring that they are meat (chicken, lamb, etc…). Ingredients are listed according to volume (though this can be dicey given that volume of meats are listed before water removal and thus would be further down the list of ingredients). Other important considerations should be made for the type of carbohydrates and grains present. It is best to look for potatoes, oatmeal and whole brown rice as opposed to cheaper alternatives adding little to no nutritional value such as corn and corn meal. For help objectively determining the pros and cons of dog foods on the market visit: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/.

Because you can never be too careful when it comes to your pet's nutritional health many pet owners should consider making some of their pet's foods at home because this allows complete control of the quantity and quality of ingredients. After researching menus from reputable websites and books consult with your veterinarian to determine a meal plan that can be tailored for your dog. Though it may be impractical for your dog's entire diet to be homemade, one or two meals can be a significant improvement.

Our dogs deserve the best quality food we can afford them based on careful consideration of their needs and lifestyles. Animals may not be people but they are sentient beings are deserved to be treated with a level of respect that many pet food companies seem to disregard. For more information on the specific nutritional needs of your pet consult your veterinarian.

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