How to Select Natural Dog Food?
Posted: Tuesday, March 04, 2008
by Kim Fleming
http://www.alldogtopics.com
There has been a lot of concern over different kinds of dog food. Various recalls and consumer complaints have shown that not all commercially sold dog food are good for dogs. This has led a lot of people to consider giving their pets natural dog food. There are, however, a couple of things to keep in mind when choosing natural food for your dog.
The first thing to keep in mind is that there are different forms of natural dog food. Raw and cooked meat and vegetables are usually understood as being natural, but commercially sold natural food is also in this category. Your job is to find out which type most fits the needs of your dog.
Each dog has his unique nutritional requirements, which is usually a result of his specific breed and health condition. When you feed your dog with a different food or you change the way you feed him, you should watch out for any change in his behavior or health condition. You can always obtain the advice from your veterinarian.
* Prepare Food for Your Dog
Some dog owners like to prepare natural dog food for their pets. This is a very good idea, but, to do this, you should have very good knowledge of what your dog exactly needs and with what quantity to feed him. Some people feed their dogs with raw meat, and others prefer cooked meat and vegetables as heating will kill most bacteria in the food.
You should also take note that not all human foods are good for dogs. Chocolates, raisins, mushrooms, onions and raisins, for example, may be dangerous or toxic to dogs. List what foods are toxic to dogs and avoid them. If you are not prepared to cook for your pet, then it is safest to go for commercial brands of natural dog food.
* Read Labels
Most of us read labels when we shop for new human food. You should do the same for your dog. Natural dog food should never contain fillers like wheat and corn. There should also be no artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, animal and plant by products and artificial preservatives. Many of these synthetic ingredients can cause gastrointestinal problems, malnutrition and behavioral changes in dogs.
* Look for Proteins and Nutrients
Dogs are carnivorous and should be served with enough protein. Lean meat and poulty are good sources of high quality protein, and you should by all means stay away from low-grade meat by-products.
Apart from protein, vitamins and minerals are also essential nutrients that should be found in natural dog food. You may choose to buy foods with fortified nutrients, or may feed your dog with vitamin-rich foods, such as squash, beans and peas.
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