Taking Care Of Fido: Tips On Healthy Dog Food
The nutritional needs of our dogs are just as important as our nutrional needs.Supprisingly however, these needs are often overlooked. Our furry friends benifit from a healthy diet just as we do. The following information contains helpful hints on how to identify and select healthy food for man's best friend.
40%-40%-20% is the magical proportion. a good dog food will be aproximatly 40% meat, 40% vegetable, and 20% complex carbohydrates or grains.The only way to select a dog food to match these pecentages is to check the lable. Here you will also find good information about moisture and other things. The contest listed on the lable should be close to the percentages above, but do not have to match exactly.
The ingredients on the package of the food you are feeding your dog now will tell you if it is a healthy choice for your pet. The first or second ingredient listed should be a meat protien, not to be confused with a meat by-product. Another thing to watch for is the presence of fillers, which do not provide good nutrition for Fido. While some grains like rice are good, they should not be located at the top of the list.
Organic foods for your dog are a good source of nutrition as well. While most of the ingredients are alike, the ones in organic food have less chemicals that other products contain as a result of dangerous processing methods. Organic dog food manufactures are less inhumane to their livestock as well.
All dogs have special dietary needs. Your veterinarian will be able to provide you with the best information on what blends of protiens, carbs., and fats your Fido needs. They can also let you know if Fido has any special vitimin or mineral needs. Follow your veterinanry's advice on the best food for your dog.
If you deside to switch yor dog's food, you should do so gradually. Making the switch in this way will be better for the dog's digestive system as well as help them to accept the change to the new food. The best way to gradually change you dog's diet is to mix small amounts of the new food in with their regular food, adding a larger portion of the new food every few dayswhile simotaneously shrinking the portion of the old food. Stop increasing the portion of the new food if your dog is not adjusting well. Once he/she has fully adjusted to the new food portions, continue the transition.
If you want to go all the way, you should consider making your own home made dog food. Although this takes more time than buying ready-to-eat food for your dog, it's really not that hard. Making your own can be economical as well. You can search the Internet for recipes and meal plans, and there are also books available that are basically cookbooks for dog food. It is important to remember, though: you should have your veterinarian examine and approve any food or plan before you start feeding it to your pet.
In conclusion, experct to see results in a few wweeks or months. Our diet results do not show up over night either. Also take into consideration that an older dog may have more needs for extra veterinanry care and it may take longer to see results. Regardless of the effects however, remember that a healthier diet is the best thing you can give Fido.
Article Source: http://www.search-raven.com
About the Author
To find out more about dog food facts please visit ThePoochPlace.com and learn the secrets about dog food recipe.
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License, which means you may freely reprint it, in its entirety, provided you include the author's resource box along with LIVE links (without "nofollow" tags).
by: JolieMitchel
Total views: 7
Word Count: 566
Rating: Not yet rated