Are you looking for some healthy food for your dog but are lost in all the claims and jargon? There are so many brands, mixtures, food types and health claims that its very difficult to pick something that you know will vastly improve your dog’s health. Add to this most dog’s intolerance toward switching foods and it could be a very long process to choose the best food for your dog through trial and error.
So what factors will help you narrow down which dog foods are going to be the most beneficial for your dog?
Narrowing Down Healthy Food For Your Dog
There are two main factors in choosing a healthy dog food. First of all avoiding ingredients that most dogs are intolerant toward, and second find a dog food which contain a high percentage of healthy ingredients.
Let’s discuss allergies first. The top five ingredients dogs are allergic to, or intolerant of are corn, wheat gluten, chicken, soy and potatoes. Look on the ingredient’s label of most mainstream dog foods and you will find these are the main ingredients in many of them. So your first stop might be to choose a hypoallergenic brand or at least a grain free dog food to eliminate the chances of your dog having health issues due to allergies.
You will know if your dog has intolerances to food if it has digestive problems such as flatulence, bloating, occasional vomiting, and bad breath. They will likely also have skin conditions, dull coat, and high shedding levels. Add to this a poor appetite, low immune system and disinterest in their food, and you will find that most dogs have some level of intolerance. By selecting a dog food which eliminates these key allergens you will likely see a vast improvement in their health straight away.
The second factor was high percent of good quality ingredients. So think about dogs in the wild, whether wolves, dingo’s, hyena or wild dogs. What do they eat? You don’t see them digging up potatoes, grazing in fields, or munching on fruit that has fallen from a tree. No, dogs are predators, they eat meat, their teeth, digestive system and metabolism are designed for meat, not for carbohydrates. Dog food manufacturers know this of course, so why do they produce dog food high in carbohydrates and vegetables such as potato, grains, and rice? Its cheaper. The can or pouch of food is cheaper to produce if it has less meat in it.
Dogs digestive health and appetite greatly improve once you switch them to a dog food high in a high quality protein source such as red meat, fish or game. Of course they can tolerate pork, but it’s a protein high in unhealthy fat. So try foods that have lean meats or red meats high in vitamins and minerals, or even fish which is high in essential oils. You’ll be surprised what your dog enjoys, and also how their health greatly improves after switching to healthier dog food.
