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The Right Diet For Your Dog

With no dearth of dog food brands to choose from in the market, it can be a tough proposition for a dog-owner to select the right thing. Should you be feeding yours a raw food diet, a vegan diet or a no-grains diet? Yes, it can get confusing even to the best of dog-owners!

Being a snob about dog food may not be the smart thing to do but it is also not a good thing to be casual about what you feed your furry companion. The task is to find a middle ground that ensures that you don’t lose your head over choosing the right food and your pet gets the nutrition it deserves.

Optimum health is the goal

The first and foremost thing you should want to keep in mind is to choose optimal health for your pet. You cannot ignore the importance of good health for your dog and it all starts with a balanced and nutrition-rich diet. A good diet will help your dog be at less risk of contracting diseases and illnesses and may increase its life span. For that, you have to start with choosing a brand that offers the minimum nutrient quotient required for your pet’s breed.

Ingredients are very crucial

Any dog food is really the sum of its ingredients. Here are some things to keep in mind when looking at the ingredient list:

  • A no-grains food is the best for your dog. This is because dogs have teeth that are meant for tearing meat and not for grinding grains.
  • As much as possible, use a brand that has dog food made of natural ingredients free of additives and preservatives.
  • The dog food should be fortified with all the minerals and nutrients required for optimal growth and development.
  • Choose a meat that your pet likes and enjoys. Turkey, chicken, lamb and fish are all great choices.

Exotic proteins

Yes, the market is filled with brands which offer exotic proteins. You can even expect alligator meat! They can also be more expensive because sourcing them can be difficult. Manufacturers may promote such exotic dog foods as great for the prevention of certain allergies. However, scientists and veterinarians say that there is no evidence to prove that such exotic proteins may actually do more good to pets than other traditional meats and so paying more for them is not a good idea.

The truth about raw diets

While some dog-owners are of the opinion that feeding their pets raw diets is a great idea, veterinarians are not so sure. Many suggest that feeding their dogs a diet of raw meats and vegetables can cause them to be healthier. But veterinarians point out to recent studies which say that raw meats cab be contaminated with bacteria which may have negative side effects on dog’s health and even cause serious illnesses.

Do your homework

So what is that you should be feeding your dog? Well, here are several points to consider:

  • Choose a well-known brand that has been consistently manufacturing and selling dog food. Check here for an amazing brand with great reviews from pet-owners.
  • Choose a company that promises to make products from natural and high-quality ingredients. You really can’t go wrong if you do that.
  • A good product does not have to be the most expensive one you can find. It just needs to have the best ingredients.

Develop a routine

It is extremely important as a dog-owner to develop a feeding routine for your pet as soon as possible. It should preferably start as early in age as possible. First decide what kind of routine you would like: a free feeding one or a strict scheduled one. Both can work if executed correctly. For free feeding you can keep a bowl filled with dog food and your pet will eat as much and when it wants to. For a strict scheduled and portion-controlled feeding routine, you will keep out the portioned food for your pet at particular times during the day.

Giving your dog the goodness of a balanced diet is a great way to take care of it.

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