Understanding Dog Food Label

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     Dogs are beneficial to pet owners because aside from being a good companion, they also provide social, emotional, physical and psychological benefits.

Scientists found that having dogs as pets can bring several health benefits to their masters. Having dogs at home lower your blood pressure and minimize the need for drugs and medication. They can also reduce tension and stress. Researchers also found that elderly people in nursing homes tend to live longer if they have dogs as companions. Moreover, children who have dogs as pets can develop better social skills, respect for other living things and less likely to develop allergies and asthma. They can be a good companion during exercise. They also give unconditional love and stave off loneliness. They can easily detect danger and great protector of their master's properties. They are great guards because of their ability to avert trespassers.

Because of their important role in our life, it is important for us to ensure their health and well being all the time. If you have dogs at home, it is your responsibility as pet owners to care, to bathe and to feed them with well balanced and nutritious foods all the time.

If you like to buy packaged dog food instead of preparing homemade dog food, you have to be careful and be cautious in choosing commercial dog foods found in stores because some of them contain ingredients harmful to the health of your dog.

To ensure the health of your dog, you have to read product labels carefully. Even though reading small prints in label can be tedious and challenging at times, you have to be patient in doing so.

If you are not familiar on how to read dog food labels and the ingredients that should be present in these packaged foods, read on and consider the tips below.

You should make it a habit to read dog food label because it is the best way to assess the quality of food you give to your dog.

Things that you should avoid seeing in your dog food label:
1. By-products of grains
2. By-products of meat and poultry
3. Wheat or corn gluten
4. Processed grains
5. Artificial flavorings, colors and sweeteners
6. Beet pulp fillers
7. Propylene glycol ?It can cause hemolytic anemia.
8. Butylated Hydroxy Tolene ?It can cause liver damage, bladder cancer, thyroid cancer and metabolic stress.
9. Ethoxyquin ?It can cause hair loss, liver damage, leukemia and kidney damage.
10. Butylated Hydroxy Anisole ?It can cause hyperactivity, stomach cancer, metabolic stress and fetal abnormalities.

Tips:

1. Do not believe on false promises made by dog food manufacturers because it is a strategy to attract customers' attention.
2. Read the information provided on "Guaranteed Analysis."
3. You should examine the moisture level of dog food. Be sure that it is between 6% to 80%.
4. Be sure to read the listing of ingredients.
5. Take note of preservatives found in labels, such as BHT, sugar, BHA and artificial coloring.

By knowing the tips mentioned, you can ensure the health and well being of your dog and become an educated consumer as well.