Choosing Healthy Foods for Your Pet Pooch

The late writer and wildlife preservationist (among other things) Roger A. Caras once said, 'Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.' Such is the importance we give to dogs that they have earned the famous title 'man's best friend.' Some even love their canine friends so much that their life actually almost revolves around their pet dog.

If you have a pooch (or more) yourself, you want to give it proper care so it can live a healthy and happy life. And when it comes to caring for our beloved canine companions, one of the most important aspects is choosing the right food to feed it. Here's a quick guide to make sure that your pet dog eats only the healthiest food:

Know the basics - First off, as a responsible dog owner, you have to be aware of the fact that an average dog should have a diet that is 50% veggies, 40% meat, and 10% grain. Even though the usual representation of dogs in drawings and pictures is having a bone in its mouth, their diet is, and should not be, all meat. They need fat, too, the amount of which would be dependent on how much energy they spend on average.

Understand the food labels - If you look at the nutrition facts on the package of some of the food you eat, you should also read and understand dog food labels. The first thing you want to look for is the list of ingredients. There may be ingredients there that are not necessary (or shouldn't be there) and can be digested easily. It's easier if the ingredients are listed according to their weight. The label must include things like: minimum crude protein, minimum crude fat, maximum moisture, and maximum crude fiber.

Make your own dog food - Of course, you need to first consult your veterinarian and do as much research as you can to know which foods are healthy for which breed and age. As much as possible, you have to look for natural ingredients. Although foods like soy, wheat, and corn are healthy, your pet dog may find it hard to digest them and may even cause allergies. In their stead, go for grains from brown rice, barley and millet (a cereal plant). You also have to avoid animal by-products that contain animal parts like heads and feet.

Choose those that contain vitamins and minerals - Like us, animals need vitamins, too. And like other ingredients, vitamins, as well as minerals, can also vary in quality and in terms of how well your pet dog's body can absorb them. Again, look to natural ingredients to get the essential nutrients your pet needs. But in the event that natural ingredients are not available, you can get just buy them from pet stores. Still, you need to consult your vet to know which synthetic vitamins are safe and ideal.

These are ways you can assure that your pet pooch takes in only healthy stuff. And remember that healthy dog food doesn't always have to be expensive. There are brick-and-mortar and online pet shops that sell cheap but high-quality dog food (you can get cheap dog food at AussieVetProducts).