| What are premium dog foods and are they really any | | | | from processing of some other type of food and |
| better for my dog than your garden variety dog | | | | have very little nutritional value for your dog. They |
| foods? How can you tell what a premium dog food | | | | are simply cheap, useless fillers - used to "fill up" your |
| is? Is it listed on the bag somewhere? Is it more | | | | pet's tummy without providing much nutrients for |
| expensive? What makes it premium? | | | | your dog's body. |
| The quality of the ingredients in the dog food is what | | | | A meat by-product is not a top 2 ingredient in |
| differentiates a premium from an economy food. Dog | | | | premium dog foods. Meat by-product is just what is |
| food companies will try to lure you in with great | | | | left over after all the usable meat has been removed. |
| advertising about how great their food is for your | | | | This includes the bones, head, intestines, and blood. |
| dog. Many now show delicious pictures of food on | | | | Meat by-products, like grain by-products, just do not |
| the bags. Don't be fooled though. The only way to | | | | have the quality and quantity of nutrients your dog |
| really tell a premium dog food is by looking at the | | | | needs. It is used as a cheap substitute for meat, with |
| dog food ingredients. | | | | the dog food companies hoping pet owners don't |
| Before you purchase a premium food, check out the | | | | really inquire about what a by-product is. |
| first two ingredients. Look at the actual ingredients | | | | Most premium dog food brands will have a animal |
| listed on the ingredients label. They tell you a lot. | | | | meat or meat meal as the first ingredient. This means |
| Premium dog foods will have a meat listed first - | | | | the major ingredient in the food is an actual animal |
| dogs need animal proteins. They also use a better | | | | protein which will have the most usable nutrients |
| quality of grains. | | | | available for your dog. |
| Grains: Premium dog foods will use better grains (rice, | | | | Will the price tell you if it is a premium dog food? |
| oats) than economy foods (corn, soy, wheat). Why | | | | Premium foods are not inexpensive - they just can't |
| are these better? Because your dog can digest and | | | | be, the quality ingredients used will cost more. Where |
| metabolize the nutrients from these grains better. | | | | the consumer needs to be careful is where some |
| Grains are top ingredients in the economy dog foods, | | | | dog foods imply they are premium with their price |
| not in premium ones. | | | | and fancy advertising. If you want to know if you |
| Other problems with some grains is that they are a | | | | are looking at premium dog foods, you must read |
| common food allergy for some dogs, such as corn, | | | | the ingredients. |
| wheat and soy. These grains are usually by-products | | | | |