September 19th, 2010 by Jenny

Feeding any pet is relatively straightforward, but avoidable mistakes can be made.The type of food and the amount of feed that you give to your pet has a great effect on the animal’s health and appearance.When shopping for dog food please don’t just look at the price. If you are looking for the best dog food you need to pay close attention to the ingredients as they are much more important.If you want your dog to have a glossy coat, bright eyes, energy and good overall health then a good quality dog food is essential.
To ensure that you are giving your dog the highest quality of food, always check the labelling on the bag.Dogs are carnivores which means they like to eat meat.Bearing this in mind you should only every purchase dog food where meat is the very first ingredient.If the ingredients list shows meat by-products don’t buy it. Meat by-products can include skin, fat, crushed bone and even feathers and offer no nutritional value.Soya is another ingredient to avoid. It has been discovered that numerous dogs are allergic to soya products.There are now specialist dog foods available that in addition to providing a nutritionally balanced meal can also improve certain aspects of the animals physical well-being.For example, you can now buy dog food that has been formulated to help clean the animal’s teeth whilst she is chewing.
Omega 6 and 3 oils are becoming an increasing element of any good quality pet food and are vital if you want your dog to have health skin and a glossy coat, so look for food containing such oil.
If your dog is very active then you should look for foods that are high in protein and carbohydrates, as these will help to keep energy levels high.A less active dog should be provided with fewer calories and this becomes even more important as the dog gets older.Just as with dry dog food, if you buy canned food remember to always check the ingredients label and avoide buying if the main ingredient is water or animal by-products.The only benefit of a dog food high in water is seen in your pocket. Your dog will not be eating a healthy and nutritious meal with such food.A diet based on canned, wet food should be supplemented with a daily dry snack which your dog can chew on, such as a bone or chewy stick.If you want the best for your dog’s health then you really so need to consider feeding her a premium quality, scientifically proven dog food product.The ticket price of premium dog foods is generally higher but portion sizes are usually smaller, so the cost per bowl will often work out the same as a cheap supermarket type feed.