| Step #1: Make sure it is Human Grade Dog Food | | | | seed, etc. It's always good to have Omega 3 and |
| All the best commercial dog food companies will | | | | Omega 6 in the ingredients. It's one sign of a good |
| make sure their ingredients are Human Grade. The | | | | commercial dog food. Always avoid brands that have |
| problem with this is that the AAFCO, which stands | | | | something called "meat fat, poultry fat, vegetable oil |
| for Association of American Feed Control doesn't | | | | or lard." These are NOT good sources of fat. NOTE: |
| allow the dog food companies to make any | | | | Poultry does not mean chicken in this case. |
| statements on their labels concerning the quality of | | | | Step #6: Make sure You Have Quality Grains |
| the food they use. The best thing to do is to check | | | | Even though grains are not essential for a dog, the |
| the websites of dog food companies before you buy | | | | best food companies will use good grains instead of |
| them. They will tell you whether or not they use | | | | bad grains. They will always appear AFTER the fat |
| Human Grade. If you find that it's hard to get "in | | | | source. Examples of good grains are brown rice (not |
| depth" information on their ingredients, realize that | | | | white) barley and oats. Steer Clear from fillers. |
| this is a warning sign for you, so don't buy from that | | | | Examples are ground whole corn, wheat gluten meal, |
| company. | | | | corn gluten meal and soy bean meal. Bad grains |
| Step #2: The dog food ingredients should be sourced | | | | include peanut hulls, corn bran, rice hulls, oat hulls and |
| locally from USDA inspected facilities. | | | | soybean hulls. |
| This doesn't mean you can't find good ingredients in | | | | Step #7: How About Fruits and Vegetables? |
| others countries, just do your homework. Canada | | | | As with grains, fruits and vegetables are not |
| and Australia have excellent dog food companies. | | | | necessary for your dogs overall health, but if good |
| Step #3: Look for all the ingredients listed on the | | | | ones are used it certainly can't hurt them. Good |
| label BEFORE the fat source. | | | | veggies include potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, |
| These ingredients will be the majority of your dog's | | | | peas, beans, broccoli and spinach. NEVER give your |
| food. The ingredients after the fat source make up a | | | | dog onions...very toxic. Good fruits are blueberries and |
| much smaller percentage of the food source. Some | | | | apples. (always cut out the seeds as they are very |
| of the best commercial dog food will have as much | | | | toxic to dogs) Citrus pulp is also bad. |
| as ten quality ingredients before the fat source. | | | | Step #8: Check the dog food label for preservatives, |
| Step #4: Make sure you study the "Protein" content | | | | artificial coloring and chemical additives. |
| which is the meat source. | | | | Make sure it contains natural preservatives like |
| Dogs are natural carnivores (meat eaters) and you | | | | Tocopherols which is Vitamin E and Ascorbic Acid |
| want the protein mentioned first unless your dog has | | | | which is Vitamin C. NEVER buy dog food containing |
| kidney problems. (dog's with kidney problems can't | | | | Ethoxyquin. BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole, BHT |
| have too much protein) Check the position of the | | | | (Butylated HydroxyToluene. Stay away from all |
| meat source on the label and see how many times | | | | artificial colors such as Blue 2, Yellow 5 and 6, Red 40. |
| they list it BEFORE the fat source. Also check the | | | | Artificial flavors include any flavors that don't state |
| "type' of meat it is - i.e chicken, chicken meal, beef, | | | | the specific source such as "meat" broth. |
| beef meal, etc. | | | | You do not want sweeteners such as corn syrup, |
| Never buy a food that contains "meal meal or bone | | | | sugar, sorbitol, cane molasses, glucose, fructose, |
| meal." It needs to state which meat it is such as | | | | sucrose, glycyrrhizin, and propylene glycol. Another |
| chicken meal. Also, NEVER buy anything that has | | | | bad sugar is Menadione which can be listed as vitamin |
| by-products of any kind in the ingredients! | | | | K3 or Dimethylprimidinol Sulfate. This is a synthetic |
| NOTE: When it indicates a protein meal such as | | | | version of Vitamin K and should not be used. |
| chicken meal, beef meal, fish meal, this means they | | | | Wow, there is a lot to learn, isn't there? You may |
| have dried the meat to get the excess moisture out | | | | want to print this out to take to the pet store with |
| of it and then grind it up as a meal. It's a very good | | | | you. I realize it's a lot of information to absorb, but |
| meat source as long as they specify which meat it is. | | | | once you learn it you will know your beloved canine |
| Step #5: Make sure it has a quality fat source | | | | is getting the best nutrition possible and they will love |
| Quality fats are olive oil, canola oil, chicken fat, flax | | | | you for it. |