Choosing the best food for your pet can, but shouldn’t be, an overwhelming process. As more and more dog and cat owners become aware of the benefits of holistic and natural pet foods, the search for the perfect blend of proteins, vegetables and minerals becomes a quest for the Holy Grail of pet nutrition.
To start, consider a few factors about your pet; age, breed, size, and energy requirements all play a factor in determining which food will add healthy years to your pet’s life. A six month old Newfoundland will have different nutritional requirements than a fourteen year old Dachshund. Are you running with your dog or are you typing away on the computer while they sleep at your feet?
Is there one food that has it all? They all claim to, with stylized commercials having farm fresh ingredients falling across the screen with dogs donning radiant coats gliding across grassy fields that would lead you to believe Fido will live forever on brand X. Beware of the ads. The single most important thing you can do is turn the food bag over and read the label. If you aren’t sure what a certain ingredient is, ask. Ask your local pet food store or you can even call most pet food manufacturers directly and talk to someone.
Some ingredients to look for in pets foods are first, meat, be it chicken, lamb, beef, or another source. Make sure corn, wheat or meat by-product isn’t listed in the top of the list, or anywhere if possible. A high quality food based on meat or fish with fruits, vegetables and minerals will actually be easier for your pet to digest as opposed to a low end food filled with inexpensive proteins and fillers.
Dry, wet, or raw? Three different food types with three different schools of thought…
Traditionally dry pet food, or kibble, was the most convenient and cost effective way to feed our pets. Most pets do well on a wholesome all natural kibble diet. Changing dry foods can help to ensure that no nutritional deficiencies or excesses build up over time. If you ate chicken every day, you would definitely get bored but you would also not receive all the nutrients you require. So why would your pet be any different? Changing foods ideally should be done over a period of time, three to five days, slowly including the new food in with the old.
Wet food can be an excellent addition to dry as well as a good alternative for senior dogs and cats that have difficulty chewing hard kibble. With wet food you have the added moisture and in some studies this has been found to help reduce the incidents of bloat.
Raw foods are having a stronger presence in the pet food market, especially since the pet food scares from few years back. Most raw foods contain organic meats and vegetables and can be thawed out in the refrigerator to be portioned out through the week. Raw food disciples swear by its benefits. Your dog or cat will certainly benefit if you supplement their diet with a delicious raw morsel every now and then.
Observation really is the key. Coats, energy level, weight; all these can be easily checked and if you think there is a problem then a change in foods might be in order. And don’t be afraid to ask questions.
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