Posts Tagged ‘Dry Dog Food’
Depending on what kind of dog you have, there are so many different recommendations on what types of dog food are and are not good for your dog. It is said that it is best to make dog food with dog food recipes at home by some, and others say that there is no substitute for a good brand of dog food, while others may say that any type of dog food is okay. If you are a first time dog owner, it can be hard to know who to listen to, and to really understand what is best for your dog, but you aren’t alone.
Puppy Food
If you have a puppy, it is always bet to feed him or her puppy food, at least until they get out of the puppy stage of their life. This varies from breed to breed and your veterinarian should be able to tell you for sure, but feeding your dog puppy food for at least one year is the best way to be sure that you aren’t cutting them off too soon. As far as brand names go, there are a lot of great brand name foods that your puppy would love; a few suggestions are Hill’s Science Diet, Eukanuba, Purina Puppy Chow, and more.
Brand Name: Necessity or No?
The less expensive a dog food is, the less likely it is to contain the meat and nutrients necessary for your dog to lead a happy and healthy life. The normal components of good dry dog food are food grease, meat, corn or wheat, rice and then some color extracts to make the dog look appealing. It is okay to buy the occasional bag of off brand food for the budgets’ sake, but making a habit of that is never a good idea. This can lead to weight loss, lethargy and health problems in your pet that are otherwise avoidable.
Should I Prepare Meals for Fido at Home?
Many people think that making home made dog food on the stove is the best thing for your dog, and while it is a good idea to add some variety to your pet’s food repertoire, it is not always a budget conscious or time conscious idea. There are many great recipes on the internet for dog food that you can make for your best friend, but it can get very pricey and time consuming, not to mention the fact that it can really put some weight on your dog, and that goes into a whole separate area of health problems. To keep weight problems down and prevent the ultimate spoiling of your pooch, keep the home cooked meals to a minimum, so they are viewed as a treat and are not something that your dog will expect.
Dog food is more than just what you feed your dog. If you are like any other pet owner, you want your dog to live as long and healthy of a life as possible and feeding them the right stuff is the best thing you can do to increase the quality of your lives together.
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Michael Murray is an author of dog articles. Learn how to increase the lifespan of your dog by up to 134% in this special report: Click Here!
Recently, there has been talk and questions about what is the best thing to feed your dog? Some people advocate the BARF or bones and raw food diet. Some feel that raw bones should be fed as a supplement to the dogs regular diet, and some believe an all meat diet is best. The simple truth is, a meat based, high quality dry food is the best solution. The cheap grocery store brands of dry dog food are made up mostly of grain, usually corn. Read the ingredients on the bag and look for protein, fat and Omega-3 fatty acid content. There should be at least 30% protein and at least 18% fat, as well as the Omega-3 fatty acids for immune system health, cell function, energy production and metabolism. These fatty acids also aid neurological development. Calcium and phosphorous are needed for teeth and bone development.
Some specific ingredients to look for when choosing a dry food for your dog or puppy include, lamb meal, which is better than just lamb because the lamb includes moisture content, which is not as optimal. Also, poultry meal, usually chicken, but not poultry by-product. Fat content is also important, but look for poultry tallow as the fat source as it is more easily digested than animal fat, which could come from anywhere or anything. Keep in mind that if you feed your dog a cheap, grain-based food, you will need to feed him twice as much to satisfy his hunger and you still would not provide the nutritional balance he needs.
If you dog develops a food allergy, it will be due to a specific ingredient, no matter which brand you feed your dog. Your vet will help you pinpoint the problem and decide the best food for your dogs particular allergy. Some indications of food allergy include, coat and skin problems (hotspots) and digestive or even respiratory symptoms. A change of food will take at least 8 weeks before you see an improvement.
What about treats? Are they part of a balanced diet for your dog? The answer is yes. In moderation treats are good for your pet. Try to get treats that do not contain a high amount of soybean and artificial color. Fruit, except for grapes and raisins are a good choice, as they are toxic to dogs. My 3 Dobermans like apples, watermelon and bananas. They can also have bits of cooked beef or chicken. In addition to treats, it is a good idea to provide your dog or puppy with a high quality, human grade pet vitamin. These supplements provide antioxidants, which fight cancer causing free radicals, as well as digestive enzymes needed for digestion that are lost in processing of dry dog food.
The older or senior dog requires some special feeding care. How do you know when your dog should be considered a senior? It actually depends on the size of the dog. Because large dogs do not tend to live as long as small dogs, a dog weighing 91 pounds can be feed a senior formula. Up to 90 pounds, a dog can be considered senior at age 6. Some of the health changes older dogs face are dental problems, obesity and failing eyesight. They require fewer calories but not decreased protein.
I just want to say a word here about nutrition for large breed puppies. The quality dog food brands have developed a special formula for puppies that will grow to be over 65 pounds. This is important because too much development too quickly can cause bone and joint problems as the puppy grows. The puppy should be well fed, but not overweight. The balance of nutrition in the large breed formulas is designed to prevent puppies growing too big too fast. I hope this helps answer some of the questions about what and how to feed your dog or puppy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_M_Sabol
Recently, there has been talk and questions about what is the best thing to feed your dog? Some people advocate the BARF or bones and raw food diet. Some feel that raw bones should be fed as a supplement to the dogs regular diet, and some believe an all meat diet is best. The simple truth is, a meat based, high quality dry food is the best solution. The cheap grocery store brands of dry dog food are made up mostly of grain, usually corn. Read the ingredients on the bag and look for protein, fat and Omega-3 fatty acid content. There should be at least 30% protein and at least 18% fat, as well as the Omega-3 fatty acids for immune system health, cell function, energy production and metabolism. These fatty acids also aid neurological development. Calcium and phosphorous are needed for teeth and bone development.
Some specific ingredients to look for when choosing a dry food for your dog or puppy include, lamb meal, which is better than just lamb because the lamb includes moisture content, which is not as optimal. Also, poultry meal, usually chicken, but not poultry by-product. Fat content is also important, but look for poultry tallow as the fat source as it is more easily digested than animal fat, which could come from anywhere or anything. Keep in mind that if you feed your dog a cheap, grain-based food, you will need to feed him twice as much to satisfy his hunger and you still would not provide the nutritional balance he needs.
If you dog develops a food allergy, it will be due to a specific ingredient, no matter which brand you feed your dog. Your vet will help you pinpoint the problem and decide the best food for your dogs particular allergy. Some indications of food allergy include, coat and skin problems (hotspots) and digestive or even respiratory symptoms. A change of food will take at least 8 weeks before you see an improvement.
What about treats? Are they part of a balanced diet for your dog? The answer is yes. In moderation treats are good for your pet. Try to get treats that do not contain a high amount of soybean and artificial color. Fruit, except for grapes and raisins are a good choice, as they are toxic to dogs. My 3 Dobermans like apples, watermelon and bananas. They can also have bits of cooked beef or chicken. In addition to treats, it is a good idea to provide your dog or puppy with a high quality, human grade pet vitamin. These supplements provide antioxidants, which fight cancer causing free radicals, as well as digestive enzymes needed for digestion that are lost in processing of dry dog food.
The older or senior dog requires some special feeding care. How do you know when your dog should be considered a senior? It actually depends on the size of the dog. Because large dogs do not tend to live as long as small dogs, a dog weighing 91 pounds can be feed a senior formula. Up to 90 pounds, a dog can be considered senior at age 6. Some of the health changes older dogs face are dental problems, obesity and failing eyesight. They require fewer calories but not decreased protein.
I just want to say a word here about nutrition for large breed puppies. The quality dog food brands have developed a special formula for puppies that will grow to be over 65 pounds. This is important because too much development too quickly can cause bone and joint problems as the puppy grows. The puppy should be well fed, but not overweight. The balance of nutrition in the large breed formulas is designed to prevent puppies growing too big too fast. I hope this helps answer some of the questions about what and how to feed your dog or puppy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_M_Sabol
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Joseph M. Sabol is a world class Doberman breeder. Please go to petvitamins4u.com or to theroadhousedobes.com for further information
Lots of people love animals. Dogs are the domestic descendents of wolves. There are lots of species of dogs around the world, with heights ranging from a few inches to a few feet, and with various fur colors and lengths. No matter how they look, the dog is still considered to be man’s best friend, because it was and is widely used for work and companion throughout the world.
One of the greatest accomplishments dogs can proud themselves with is space flight, because it was the first animal ever to fly into space. The uses for dogs have been numerous throughout the ages, because, while it was a great companion, it served many people as a protector or other uses.
I don’t think that there was anyone who didn’t know that dogs were the most appreciated pets in the world. However, if you have a dog as a companion, you should try to be well informed about what kind of a dog diet you should submit it to.
The opinions of which dog diet is best are split. It is a popular idea that dogs have been well kept by humans just by being fed leftovers and this has been going on for thousands of years. The same people think that what we find in our stores today is not nutritious enough to feed their beloved companions or that commercial dog food contains lots of harmful substances.
Let’s talk about commercial dog food. There are three major categories based on their water content: moist, semi-moist and dry. The most affordable subcategory is dry dog food, but there are advantages and disadvantages for each of them and it’s up to you to choose which dog diet is best.
Wet food does have a larger concentration of moisture than semi-moist and dry ones. When you compare wet and dry foods, ignoring the water, the wet one can be higher in protein and fat. However, because the water is very high in concentration (about 75%) in wet food, the actual content of the can be even lower than that of dry dog food. You must choose the dog diet depending on what kind of work your pet does.
Another advantage of wet food is that is provides sterility which dry food lacks, but dry food doesn’t spoil as quickly as the food in an open can does. But if one should open a can only when it is time to feed their pets, canned food can be preserved for a longer period of time.
How do you manufacture dog food? Well, canned food is a relatively simple process, the only difference is that some companies cook the food in the can and others don’t. Dry food is obtained by using one of two methods, each with its own pros and cons.
Dry food is also called kibble and the first method used for obtaining it is by extrusion. This implies a large quantity of mixture introduced into an expander with hot water and steam. After the pellets are removed and dried, they are sprayed with vitamins, grease and other ingredients.
The other method for obtaining kibble is baking. Baked food is always a first choice for pet owners seeking a more natural food, and at the same time more digestible. Because of this, the pellets obtained this way usually have a higher price tag.
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Your dog enjoys you company as much as you enjoy its. However, submitting your pet to the right dog diet will ensure a longer lifespan. Now that you know all the advantages of each dog food type, it will be easier for you to choose.
As a new puppy owner you would have been captured by the sincere looks and appeal of your new friend. “The two of us will become perfect friends”, you say. A puppy has a way of melting your heart that can’t be achieved with human relationships.
In reality, this eutopic expectation is short lived, and soon you find yourself exchanging sharp words with your once lovable pup. The puppy doesn’t seem to want to do what you’re asking it to.
Do you find that your puppy doesn’t want to listen? If so, I suspect that it’s not the pup that doesn’t want to obey, it’s the way you are communicating with it. In short, you need “puppy training” instruction.
For some pups the “reward method” is the only way to train some complex types of behaviour – using a leash and collar or other methods may not work.
Most commonly used by police and military departments, “reward training” enhances the puppies’ behaviour especially when being taught the basics of scent detection and tracking, as well apprehending criminals.
The basic principle behind reward training is similar to getting your puppy to perform a trick.
The reward is used as a way of getting your puppy to perform a desired behaviour, without physical manipulation or restraint.
Puppies often react quite strongly to human touch – either positively or negatively. The purpose of “reward training” is to eliminate the use of touch as much as possible, in order to get your puppy to obey you in situations where no touch is desired.
Once the good behaviour is achieved, your puppy should be rewarded. Usually a small piece of dry dog food, or toy, is used as the reward, along with words of appreciation, “Good”.
One of the major obstacles that you will need to work your dog through are “distractions”. If your puppy has been trained in doors or in your back yard without much contact with the outside world, it is a good idea to invite friends and family over to assist with the training.
Helping your pup pay attention is one of the most crucial aspects to puppy training, and one that you will continually need to refine. This can be done quite effectively using the “reward method”. You will need to use your reward as an avenue to bring your puppies attention back to you, and hence gain control over your pup.
Putting in the time and effort into training your puppy will provide you with many years of rewarding behaviour, and friendship.
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For more information about how to socialise your puppy, check out the Dog Owners Handbook. Dog Owners Handbook Puppy Training Copyright © 2006 Dog-Owners-Handbook.com
When choosing the type of dog food to feed your dog, you need to consider his age, breed, your dog’s activity level and also his health condition. For instance, puppies and older dogs will have different types of nutritional needs and you need to ensure your dog or puppy has sufficient consumption of these nutrition for a long and healthy live. It is best if you seek advice from your veterinarian before deciding on which dog food to feed your dog or puppy.
Two most popular choices of dog foods are:
Dry Dog Food. Feeding your dog with dry dog food, usually in small pieces of kibbles, is perhaps one of the most popular choices among dog owners. However, not all dog food brands use high quality natural ingredients. Ensure to read the label of ingredients listed before purchasing any brands of dog food. Here are some guidelines to help you to have some ideas of what the label actually tells you:
No Preservative, Artificial Colors and Flavors. Generally, natural dog food contains no preservative, artificial colors and flavors. Consumption of these components may be harmful to your dog’s health if taken in a long run. Avoid those that labeled “chemical additives as a source of flavor”.
Color. Lookout for the color of the dog food, generally dog food made from natural ingredients is in soft earth tones. Existence of other colors may contain some source of additives.
Type of Meat. Avoid brands that labeled “ingredients include meat by-product”. Choose one that made from natural meat such as chicken, lamb or liver.
Raw Dog Food. According to veterinarian, feeding your dog with raw dog food is the healthiest and the best. Raw dog food contains all natural and unprocessed ingredients. A healthy raw dog food meal usually contains 40% meat, 30% fiber and 30% starch. Thereby, when preparing a meal for your dog, be sure to include some source of vegetables and starch in addition to the uncooked meat such as liver, beef, lamb and etc. Types of vegetables like broccoli, carrots and yams are all good sources of fibers and starches for your dog.
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Karma Organic Dry Dog Food
The best, ultra premium organic dog food is Karma Organic Dry Dog Food, as they use over 95% organic ingredients in their dry dog kibble. Although they do not have a line of canned dog food, and just sell Karma Organic Dry Dog Food, it is the best choice if you want to eliminate chemicals, artificial preservatives, unnecessary additives, meat that is not fit for consumption, unhealthy fillers and in some cheap brands – road kill.
Karma Organic Dry Dog Food is the only dog food manufacturing company that can boast the over 95% organic ingredients. It also contains 18 certified organic ingredients and is made with organic whole fruits and vegetables – not dried. And just to add the perfect touch to their all natural organic environmentally friendly philosophy, they use packaging made with 100% recyclable material. Did you know that 95% organic ingredients are considered human grade food?
They provide 100% complete nutrition, and the ingredients list starts with number one being Organic Free Range Chicken, and continues like a menu in a health food restaurant. Changing your dog from the cheap grocery store brand to this highly organic dog food can be nothing but good, and will eliminate many of the health problems, allergies and illnesses caused by the food containing fillers, pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, GMO grains and all the nasty artificial preservatives and additives.
Although this is pricier than most, money saved by reducing health problems, and just the fact that you will be extending your dogs life seem to be worth the extra few dollars.
Newman’s Own Organics Pet Food
This pet food has more than 70% of all ingredients being organic. They use human grade all natural chicken and organic brown rice, and it is supplemented with high levels of antioxidants, Ester-C and probiotics.
Newman’s Own Organics pet foods do not use herbicides, pesticides or artificial fertilizers and is not irradiated, and do not contain chemical additives or preservatives. The ingredients are handled according to strict organic standards.
Newman’s Own Organics come in a variety of sizes of dry dog and cat food, and they also offer canned dog and cat food, as well as Newman’s Own Organics Dog Treats.
The 30% of ingredients that are non organic are still high grade ingredients that are completely safe, nutritious, all natural, and free of unnecessary fillers or harmful additives.
Natural Planet Organics Dry Dog Food
Natural Planet Organics does not list the percentage of organic to non organic ingredients, but its main ingredients are organic, and the rest are all natural.
Natural Planet Organics is certified organic dog food and classified by the company as Ultra Premium. Organic free range chicken is the first ingredient listed.
They also use organic grains, organic vegetables and organic fruits.
Additionally natural antioxidants are added, along with pre and probiotics, and an excellent combination of important supplemental vitamins and minerals for optimum health. Also glucosamine and chondroitin and high levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and taurine, which are essential, are also included.
If you read the ingredients list you will not find any of the harmful preservatives and added chemicals found in inferior brand kibble. The ingredients consist of a list that includes foods that we recognize and eat,and not a long list of chemicals. I always believe if I can’t pronounce it, I wouldn’t want to eat it. This also goes for my pets, and this organic food meets “my rule.”
This organic food is offered as dry kibble only, for dogs and cats, and well worth the few extra dollars it may cost over less natural dog food.
Choosing any of the above mentioned three best certified, organic dog foods for your pet will give you peace of mind, and you can be confident that you are feeding your pet the best that is available. You will not have to worry about compromising your pet’s health, just as you don’t compromise your own family. After all, our pets are a very important part of our family, and giving them the best advantages of health and longer lives is up to us.
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Allergies and the food we feed our dogs are generally realated. I found elimating low quatlity dog food has completely cured my dog of a horrible allery problem. This included incessanct licking, scratching and itching. Thousands of dollars spent at the vet couldn’t help determine the exact cause, but within one month on an all natural certified organic diet she was 100% better. www.recipes4gourmetdogs.com has the best organic food available.