Dog food ratings can be a very important deciding factor when choosing a brand of food for your dog.
Remember, other than treats, your dog eats the same food every day so the brand of food you feed him or her AND the quality of it, definitely matters to their overall health and wellness. Here are 5 things to consider when rating a dog food.
1. Is there quality protein in the food? Many companies will use bright colors, cute pictures of dogs and the perfect sales language to entice you to buy their brand of food. But what's most important is the quality of the food in the bag. Make sure that in the first 5 ingredients there is a quality protein like chicken meal or fish.
2. Are there any chemical preservatives or artificial colors in the dog food? Stay away from the chemical preservatives BHA, BHT and ethoxoquin. Artificial colors have been linked to health problems.
3. Is there an excessive amount of grains in the dog food? Grains like soy, corn, corn gluten and wheat gluten are often used as protein sources; however, they are generally inferior and difficult to digest. Some dogs can also be allergic to these grains.
4. When looking at dog food ratings, make sure the food you are considering is free of by products. After the best cuts of meat are used for human consumption, the rest, such as bones, intestines, heads, feet,ligaments and other body parts, are what are known as by-products. And these are not very appetizing! By-products are generally inferior sources of protein and can be very hard to digest, which means less nutrition and more clean up ( the larger the stools the less nutrients your dog is absorbing) So stay away from by products
5. Lastly, are there any fresh fruits and vegetables in the dog food? Fruits and vegetables provide natural plant sources of phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that help support an active immune system.
Remember, other than treats, your dog eats the same food every day so the brand of food you feed him or her AND the quality of it, definitely matters to their overall health and wellness. Here are 5 things to consider when rating a dog food.
1. Is there quality protein in the food? Many companies will use bright colors, cute pictures of dogs and the perfect sales language to entice you to buy their brand of food. But what's most important is the quality of the food in the bag. Make sure that in the first 5 ingredients there is a quality protein like chicken meal or fish.
2. Are there any chemical preservatives or artificial colors in the dog food? Stay away from the chemical preservatives BHA, BHT and ethoxoquin. Artificial colors have been linked to health problems.
3. Is there an excessive amount of grains in the dog food? Grains like soy, corn, corn gluten and wheat gluten are often used as protein sources; however, they are generally inferior and difficult to digest. Some dogs can also be allergic to these grains.
4. When looking at dog food ratings, make sure the food you are considering is free of by products. After the best cuts of meat are used for human consumption, the rest, such as bones, intestines, heads, feet,ligaments and other body parts, are what are known as by-products. And these are not very appetizing! By-products are generally inferior sources of protein and can be very hard to digest, which means less nutrition and more clean up ( the larger the stools the less nutrients your dog is absorbing) So stay away from by products
5. Lastly, are there any fresh fruits and vegetables in the dog food? Fruits and vegetables provide natural plant sources of phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that help support an active immune system.
Did you know that dogs fed a high quality dog food live on average 5 or more years longer than dogs fed lesser-quality food? How does your dog food rate? Check out Dog Food Ratings and find out how the top dog foods stack up!
Article Source:
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