The Best Dog Food For Your Dog

Dogs have been our constant companions for over 15, 000 years, so it may surprise you to learn that the first commercial dog food was only invented in the mid-1800's. Even then, it wasn't until after the Second World War that the dog food industry started its climb towards the multi-billion dollar industry that it would become.

So what were dogs fed for the thousands of years before then? The truth is they were pretty much left to scrounge or hunt for their own meals. Occasionally, they may have been thrown a bone from the master's table or given a treat by a kindly soul.

As dogs became more popular as pets, they would have been fed more regular meals by their human guardians. These meals though would still have been table scraps, perhaps supplemented by some dry or tinned dog food.

As information has become more accessible, via television and, especially, the internet, there has been an increased interest in dog health and nutrition. This has seen a dramatic increase in the number of TV programs, websites and magazines about dogs.

There have been volumes written on canine nutrition, as well as the introduction of premium and super premium dog food brands. Add to that things like the raw dog food diet, and it's easy to see why the average person can become quite confused about the best food for their dog.

So, I hear you ask, what food is best for my dog?

That depends on who you're listening to. Many experts insist that premium brand dry kibble is the way to go, others are equally adamant that dogs should be fed raw meat, while still others would never feed their dogs anything but a home cooked meal.

The truth is that all of these are fine, provided there is balance in the diet. As omnivores dogs need to eat both meat and vegetables. Raw food diets recognize this and quality dog food companies incorporate it into their ingredients. And even If you're going the home cooked route, you'll need to take this into account.

As a rough rule of thumb you should feed your dog 1/3 meat, 1/3 vegetables, and 1/3 fiber. You can also increase the meat percentage slightly at the expense of the other two components.

While good canine nutrition is important you obviously have to balance this with your time availability. If time is an issue then the safest route is to opt for a high grade, premium or super premium dog food.

There are a number of options available to you including specially formulated brands for puppies, seniors, dogs with allergies, dogs with sensitive stomachs and so on. You can even get brands formulated for the needs of specific dog breeds.

What you should definitely avoid is the cheap commercial dog food brands, while feeding table scraps is another no-no.

The cheap brands available on most supermarket shelves are packed with grains and thus of low nutritional value. They may also be behind numerous ailments ranging from allergies to more serious diseases like cancers.

Table scraps are also not ideal for dogs. Generally these will be high in fat and contain things like onions and garlic, which are harmful. If you feed your dog from the table you're also likely to end up with a persistent beggar on your hands.

For more advice on the best dog food, including homemade dog food tips visit dogsanddogtraining.com