Quality commercial dog food is generally highly processed and has gone through rigorous clinical testing by leading veterinary experts. However, just what is in these dog food products? Domestic dogs, unlike humans, are naturally omnivorous animals. They can obtain vitamins, minerals, and proteins from fruits, grains, and vegetables, although meat is a very important part of their diet. Feeding your dog a diet consisting primarily of commercial brand food is probably not the best idea, especially if you provide him with this type of food every day.
The first thing you should know about pet food is that it is usually nutritionally inferior to homemade food. The main reason for this is that kibble contains meat meal as the primary ingredient. This meal has no nutrients in it, so the manufacturer doesn’t bother to add any. To get a protein boost, the meat meal is often mixed with byproducts such as corn or soy. This cheap filler lessens the nutrient value of the kibble.
Commercial dog food also usually contains byproducts such as soybean meal, corn meal, or byage (extracted from meat). These ingredients do not provide complete proteins that are essential to the health of your dog. By enriching the diet with vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates, you can provide your pet with a complete protein that has been shown to prevent and repair chronic diseases, such as arthritis, cancer, and heart disease.
Perhaps the biggest reason that kibble contains inferior ingredients is that it contains preservatives. The preservatives used in the manufacturing of pet food are nothing more than chemicals that are added to make the kibble palatable. By adding these chemicals to our dogs’ food, the manufacturers are inadvertently altering the makeup of the food. A dog food that has no preservatives will be free of the important nutrients that are necessary for your dog’s health. Your dog will simply be eating something that may cause him to develop cancer or other serious illnesses.
Another problem with the typical commercial brand of dog food is that it contains fillers such as sweeteners, starch, and fiber. By providing your pet with something that does not provide him with essential nutrition, you are actually making his life more miserable. Dogs have an extremely high need for protein and they require all of the nutrients that they contain in order to maintain their muscle mass and their immune systems. By providing them with something that is very unhealthy, you are actually making your dog more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses.
Even though all dog food is not created equally, there are several brands that actually contain ingredients that are healthy and provide the necessary vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. The first ingredient that you should look for is the grain in the dog food. It should be whole grains such as rice and oats, and even wheat bread. Whole grains are easier for your dog to digest, which means that he will be getting all of the nutrients that he needs without any problems. If you find a dog food that says it is made up primarily of grains and vegetables but contains little meat byproducts or anything else that may cause your dog to become ill, you should immediately remove it from your dog’s diet.
The next thing that you should look for is a dog food that is veterinarian formulated. Veterinarian formulated dog food is specifically fortified with the right amounts of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional properties that are essential to your dogs’ health. By giving your dog food that is veterinarian formulated, you are ensuring that he will be receiving everything that he needs. Since this type of dog food is generally more expensive than the commercially manufactured varieties, you may want to consider buying a few cartons and preparing your dog’s meals at home. This way you can make sure that the meals are exactly as tasty as the ones that your veterinarian provides, without having to worry about making huge grocery bill mistakes.
Finally, the best dog food that you can feed your dogs is home made. There are several excellent homemade dog foods available that can provide the right amounts of nutrition without causing any health issues. By taking the time to experiment with different recipes, you can come up with a number of different recipes for healthy, mouth watering meals for your dogs. Some great recipes include chicken or beef kabobs (the meat should be cooked before you feed it to your dog), vegetable kabobs, baked potatoes, fruit, and even hot dogs! By feeding your dogs homemade dog foods, you will not only help them to live longer and healthier lives, you will also be helping yourself to keep a close eye on their weight.