| If you are thinking of starting out with a dry dog | | | | think, not all dry foods offer a complete diet and |
| food diet for your new dog or contemplating a | | | | some are used in conjunction with a conventional diet |
| change of diet for your existing dog there are many | | | | whereby they need to be supplemented with other |
| factors to take into consideration. With the market | | | | foods. If you opt for the complete diet mix, make |
| place bulging at the seams with products today you | | | | absolutely certain that it contains everything your |
| need to be very careful to choose the most | | | | dog requires to flourish and grow and that it is not |
| adequate, nutritious and economically sound choice | | | | lacking in any essential nutrients. This could have |
| both for you and your dog. | | | | serious adverse consequences on your feeding |
| Firstly lets look at the calorific values in the best dry | | | | programme and even the most responsible owners |
| dog food. Like human food if we are fed the wrong | | | | can be caught out with this genuine oversight. |
| type of food with a high calorie value we are of | | | | One of the main advantages of the vast array of |
| course going to gain weight even if the packaging | | | | foods currently on the market is that they cater for |
| and promotion tells us otherwise. Similarly, this | | | | every possible requirement starting with the puppy's |
| naturally applies to dog food and the quest is to | | | | first food after weaning, all the way through to the |
| track down the dry foods which offer a good all | | | | senior stage taking all the breed options, special diets |
| round diet and contain all the necessary vitamins and | | | | and flavouring into account. It is of course extremely |
| minerals as well as being pure in the overall makeup | | | | convenient for the owner as it is possible to buy in |
| of the dog meal. You can of course go by | | | | bulk and providing the dry food is stored in a dry |
| recommendation from acquaintances and take the | | | | watertight place, you will reap the financial benefits |
| advice from your personal veterinary clinic but as an | | | | by making larger orders. |
| owner (akin to parent and child) you should want to | | | | One of the signs of an undesirable dry food is the |
| know exactly what you are feeding your animal and | | | | swelling up which takes place after it has been left in |
| whether it is nutritionally stable. | | | | water for a few minutes. This would indicate that the |
| Essentially, a good mix should provide carbohydrate | | | | food is not as pure as it could be and that it more |
| for energy levels, obviously proteins to enable | | | | than likely contains several products so this should be |
| growth, vitamins and minerals for ample development | | | | avoided, and for a negligible increase in money you |
| of the bones and as always roughage to maintain the | | | | could purchase a much more palatable food and |
| health of the internal organs. It is of paramount | | | | ensure that you are confidently using the best dry |
| importance to check the labelling when choosing and | | | | dog food you can find to suit your dog. |
| buying your dry food as contrary to what you may | | | | |