How to Buy Healthy Dog Food

How to Buy Healthy Dog Food

Buying healthy dog food is confusing sometimes. Every pet food manufacture claims that their food is healthy but the prices are different for them. We always think that if cost is more it is better but this is not always true. One of the research conducted on pet food has concluded that "some of your premium brands are almost as bad as your low end brands". So you should be careful while selecting healthy dog food.

While selecting healthy dog food the most important step you can do is Label reading. The perfect label reading practice will help you to make a decision. The first criteria to select healthy dog food are to calculate for basic food requirement of your dog because every dog has its own requirement. Visit pet vet and plan a dietary requirement of your dog. I have listed few criteria which will help you while buying healthy dog food.

• Look for ingredient list of products. The first 2 ingredient must be meat product.
• Ideally dog food must be chemical and preservative free.
• Look for meat products are from organic sources only.
• Look for food which is baked not extruded.
• Look for animal sources which are hormone-free and antibiotic-free.
• Look for fruits and vegetables in a food label.
• It should not contain "rice fillers".
• Look for pesticide free claim.
• If it contains added nutrients such as glucosamine and chondroitin, it will be better.
• Look for flaxseed oil, barley, brown rice, probiotics, oats or oatmeal, sunflower seed oil etc.

Along with this also look for some dangerous ingredients. These are as follows.

• Animal fat
• Meat by-products and bone meal
• Fish by-products
• Liver meal
• Food label containing BHA, BHT, Glyceryl Monostearate, Propylene Glycol, Propyl Gallate or ethoxyquin
• If meat product is not protein source then don't buy.
• If it contains soy or soybeans, salt, wheat, ground corn or whole grain corn in first 5 ingredient list avoid those.
• If contains artificial colorant

These all things will help you a lot. Always look for food label, read it carefully, if you have any doubt ask food manufactures or your pet vet. Also make a note that whatever you eat is not always good for pets because human and animal have different nutritional needs. The products such chocolate, grapes, raisins, white flour and onions should be avoided. Raw food is always beneficial for dogs. Also consider the health status of the dog, if dog need special nutrients such as glucosamine, omega 3 fatty acid etc, add those in food.