Do You Worry That Your Dog Isn’t Getting The Right Nutrition?

The beauty of the title above is that you are the one that has the ability to research your dog’s food and change it if it does not have the right ingredients in it. Our dog’s cannot tell us what’s good or bad so it’s up to you to make sure they have a healthy diet.

Long ago dogs survived on prey that they hunted. They even chewed bones which kept their teeth healthy. However, with that said, dogs have moved from the wilderness to our living rooms. They totally depend on us to give them food. But are we harming our pet by what we’re feeding them?

If your dog has a bad diet, you will see the symptoms. Some of those symptoms are: bad breath, itchy skin, dull dry coat, and intestinal gas. Most of the commercial dog food does not provide them with the nutrients they need. It contains things your pet doesn’t need such as chemical additives and preservatives. An example of a preservative that is commonly found in commercial dog food is propylene glycol. It keeps moist pet foods fresh and has been linked to the destruction of red blood cells. (Please Note: This chemical can be very addicting for cats)

The best thing you can do for your dog’s health is to feed them a more natural diet. A natural diet can improve allergies, arthritis, diabetes, chronic vomiting and diarrhea.

If you must use a commercial food, here are some tips to check for quality:
1. Ingredients are listed in descending order. The first ingredient should be an animal based protein.
2. The “entire” protein should be listed first. Avoid foods that list by-products. Avoid those that list the food fractions - i.e. wheat middlings or corn gluten instead of the whole grain. These ingredients are leftovers from the human food processing and don't provide good nutrition.
3. Look for natural preservatives. These include Vitamin C( ascorbic acid) Vitamin E and mixed tocopherols. Always “AVOID” ethoxyquin, BHA, BHT and propylene glycol.
4. Avoid foods with artificial flavor enhancers, such as phosphoric acid.
5. Avoid artificial colors. These include azo, azo dyes, and sodium nitrite.
6. Essential fatty acids must be added. They’re vital for allergies, arthritis and cancer prevention.
7. Additional antioxidants are always good, such as Vitamin E, Vitamin C and flavanoids.

If you’re a dog owner, you probably consider your pet as “one of the family”. You wouldn’t feed your family bad food so why would you feed your beloved canine bad food? Make sure they live a long and healthy life.

Here’s to loving your dog,
Susan Benson - Author