What’s Really In Your Dog’s Food & Why You Need to Know

By Lauren Hollas | February 10, 2016

It’s said that you are what you eat – and the same is true for your dog. Best practice is to feed your dog the highest quality food that you can afford. Feeding your dog a high quality food is important because:

a dog doesn’t have much variety in his diet. When humans eat “junk food” on occasion, it may not have a huge effect on our overall health. Since a dog is in essence having the same meal day after day, it is important that the meal is high in nutritional value to achieve optimal health.
feeding your dog a high quality food could save you money in the long run. The food he eats may keep him out of the vet’s office!
your dog will be happier and have a better temperament because he feels better overall.
giving your dog a food rich in real meat, fruits and vegetables, along with vitamins and nutrients, may affect the longevity and quality of his life.
your dog will probably eat less when the food they are eating does not have unnecessary by-products, fillers and chemicals. High quality food is absorbed and digested better, therefore your dog needs less of it.

What to Look for When Reading the Label

Look at the first 5 ingredients on the back of a dog food label. Real animal protein should be one of the very first ingredients. Stay away from foods that contain animal meal, as these are by-products and not real meat. Avoid foods that have artificial preservatives, artificial colors and artificial flavors in the ingredient list.

Other ingredients to avoid are “fillers”, which are used to give your dog dietary fiber. Fillers may include wheat mill run, rice bran, corn bran and other cheap grains. While it is important for your dog to have fiber, it is best for them to get this through whole grains and real vegetables.

I have found Dog Food Advisor to be extremely helpful when choosing food for my dogs. The website includes reviews, comparisons and ingredient lists for just about just any brand and formula of dog food you can imagine. Please share this article if you found it helpful and informative!