| Did you realize that if you feed your dog a high | | | | diseases, and basically living a long and healthy life. |
| quality diet he can live up to five years longer? So | | | | Fats are also a great source of energy -- but make |
| you want to buy the best dog food for your best | | | | sure they burn off any surplus! |
| friend, and you have tried looking at dog food | | | | Ingredient #3: Carbohydrates: A second important |
| reviews, but how can you compare dog food brands | | | | source of energy for your dog is carbohydrate found |
| when you are not even sure what you should be | | | | in vegetables, grains, and fruit and other similar |
| looking for? | | | | dietary fiber. However avoid corn gluten and wheat |
| You daren't trust the dog food comparison sites on | | | | gluten, since your dog may have problems digesting |
| the internet, because you believe that they often | | | | it. |
| work on behalf of one of the pet food companies | | | | Ingredient #4: Minerals: there is a long list of essential |
| and cannot be trusted -- and very often you are | | | | minerals, but they include calcium, magnesium, sodium, |
| right. | | | | iron, potassium, zinc, copper, phosphorus, and |
| But in fact to compare dog foods you only have to | | | | selenium. Talk with your veterinarian or pet shop to |
| look for five essential ingredients: protein, fat, | | | | check the full list, but ensure that any diet you feed |
| carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. | | | | your dog has some or all of these minerals. |
| Ingredient #1: Protein: Dogs can make some of their | | | | Ingredient #5: Vitamins: Dogs are just like humans in |
| own amino acids, but there are ten of them that | | | | that they need a set of essential vitamins to keep |
| they have to get from their food because they | | | | them healthy; the most important of these are |
| cannot make them. These amino acids come from | | | | Vitamins A, B1, B5, B12, D, E, and K, plus riboflavin, |
| proteins; suitable examples are meat and eggs -- and | | | | niacin, pantothenic acid, and folic acid. |
| your choice of protein should be animal, not | | | | So in fact dog nutrition is simple: all of these |
| vegetable protein. However the animal protein must | | | | ingredients should be present in your dog's diet to |
| be real meat -- check the list of ingredients to make | | | | ensure they stay healthy and live a long and |
| sure the source of protein is animal meat, and not | | | | productive life. |
| "animal by-products"; your pet needs good-quality | | | | When you are comparing dog foods and recipes for |
| protein in his diet. In fact, protein should always be | | | | your pet, ensure you feed your dog a diet that |
| the first item listed in the ingredients because it | | | | contains all of the five nutrients listed above. If you |
| should be the main one. | | | | can find more than one source of such nutrients, |
| Ingredient #2: Fatty acids: these are another essential | | | | that's good since it gives you the opportunity to vary |
| part of your dog's diet since they cannot make them | | | | the diet, plus gives you a fall-back if your dog |
| themselves. Your pet needs fatty acids for various | | | | becomes picky about his food. |
| health reasons including healthy skin and coat, fighting | | | | |