If you are crazy about your pet (like you should be), you might be spending hours upon end to find the best dry food for your dog. After all, you want to do everything you can to give them the life your fur babies deserve. But searching for the perfect dog food can be frustrating.

Finding good quality dog food that’s healthy for your dog and also remains in your budget can be challenging. With so many options available it always pays to do a bit of research/.

Your dog’s growth, wellness, energy level, and overall health depend on the kind of dry food you put in your dog’s stomach. However, some dry dog foods are of poor quality and can even have an adverse effect on your dog’s health. So you need to be very careful and look for the ingredients that are suitable for your dog and the nutrients your dog needs.

Believe us, we understand the struggle. And to help you feed your dog the best food, we have compiled all the basic information about dog food in this guide. Below we will discuss what you should consider before buying dog food and every other related aspect of how to keep your pup healthy and happy.

Things You Should Understand Before You Buy Dry Dog Food:

There is so much to understand and consider when it comes to buying the best dog food. But we will start with the basics. Since there are a lot of different types of dry dog foods, knowing and understanding a few things about dog food will save you time and money. And with unlimited choice, it can get difficult to find the right kind that will help your dog live its life to the fullest.

Read And Understand The Content Of Healthy Dog Food:

As a pet owner, you must understand the meaning of different labels and the list of ingredients on the dog food. No, you don’t have to learn the list of ingredients but you should be able to differentiate the different types of ingredients on different dog food. Some dog food will say it has meat flavoring, others will say it has meat products. It sounds all so same, it can be confusing and you would catch yourself asking this a lot- ‘what is the difference?’.

Before you buy dry dog food, you need to make sure that the food adheres to the guidelines set forth by the feed control officials. And if the food doesn’t follow the standard nutrition, you should not buy that food. Doing so will ensure that you are not buying anything that will be harmful to your dog in any way.

If you find a dry dog food that only has a single ingredient on it such as meat then there should be at least 95% of the meat in that food. But if you find a dry dog food that is labeled with numerous ingredients then the food should not contain less than 95% of those ingredients. Some food packages have words such as “entree”, “platter” or “dinner” written on them which means that the food should contain no less than a quarter of the food.

Read The Product’s Nutrition Standard Statement:

It is important to consider the product’s nutrition standard statement if you are trying to find the right kind of dog food for your pet. The dog foods have all ingredients listed on them in weight. There is a percentage of a certain serving size mentioned on the package.

Most often than not, the food is weighed and labeled before the food is dehydrated. It means that usually, the food contains 70% water. Before dehydrating the fish or meat is mixed with water and other ingredients to make the dog food. And then that food is dehydrated and processed, which is what you feed your dogs. You might not be getting an accurate measurement of the food but you can check if enough nutrients are present in the food.

Is Whole-Grain Bad For Your Dog:

Not every whole grain is bad for your dog. Carbohydrates are a good source of energy and dogs need that in their lives. The type of carbohydrates used in dog food these days is easily digestible. A lot of people try their best to stay away from whole grains and many food products are labeled as ‘grain-free’.

The majority of dog owners don't buy dog food with grains because of possible allergies that come with grains in dog food. But, there is no proof if the allergy rate is higher with grains than the allergy rate with meat in dog food. Amino acids are great for dogs and the number one source of amino acids is wheat gluten which is also 99% digestible. So, don't worry and feed your pup with some whole grains and wheat if you like. However, it is important to know that feeding too much grain all at once can be harmful.

Are Byproducts Bad For Your Dog:

Not all Byproducts are bad for your dog. However, you need to make sure if the dry dog food contains byproducts that have ingredients that are good for your dog’s health. Byproducts can either be gluten or meat such as lungs, liver, heart, and kidney.

Meat byproducts such as the liver and other internal organs are actually very beneficial for your dog. And not only because they contain a lot of healthy nutrients but also because it is similar to the food they would eat in the wild.

Good dry dog food manufacturers only add high-quality byproducts to the food. Therefore, you don't have to be skeptical about feeding your dog some byproducts anymore.

Listen To What Your Vet Says:

Many people do not consult their vets before buying dog food and only go to them when their dog is sick or needs a vaccine. But, it is important to talk to your vet before you buy dog food because they can be very helpful and save you from harming your dog by feeding them the wrong food. Vets know what kind of food would be best for your dog according to its weight, age, health, and even breed. So it is better to trust your vet because they can give you insight into something you might not know anything about.

If you want to find the best dry dog for your dog, click here.

By Helen Bell

© 2020 Helen Bell - All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

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