Proper nutrition is one of the best ways that you can ensure that your dog lives a long and healthy life so it’s important to learn How to Choose the Right Food for Your Dog.
With the right nutrition, your dog is less likely to develop illnesses, and they will have more energy so that they can enjoy themselves more.
The problem is, there are just so many types of dog food out there that it can be tough to know which is the right one for you!
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Understand your choices
There are a few different options when it comes to decided how to feed your pet.
Some people opt to make and prepare all of their dog food themselves at home, either by cooking meat or by feeding their pet a raw food diet.
This is an option that takes a great deal of effort and research if you want to ensure that your pet is getting the nutrition it needs.
For people who are focused on nutrition and also want to ensure that their dog’s diet is organic, a holistic or natural dog food can be a good choice.
People who are on a tighter budget might opt for a more generic brand of dog food, such as the kind you will find at your local grocery store.
Understanding Pet Food Labels
When comparing dog foods to one another, the best place to go is read Pet Food Labels.
The label is where you will find the ingredients and nutritional analysis, which will tell you how much protein, fat, and fiber the food has.
By far, the easiest way to tell the quality of dog food is by looking at the ingredients and ensuring that you are happy with what is contained within it.
You should also look for foods that adhere to AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards; there will be a statement to this effect on the packaging.
Get advice (and be prepared for it not to match!)
Once you have an idea of what type of food you might want to feed your dog, it’s a good idea to get advice from your veterinarian, dog breeders, and friends who own dogs.
It’s quite likely that the advice you receive will be conflicting; however, you will hopefully receive some good bits of information that will help you to make a well-informed decision.
You can also find good information about the pros and cons of different diets online if you go to trusted websites for veterinary advice.
Changing dog food
Once you have your options narrowed down, don’t be afraid to try your dog on different foods to see which ones they prefer.
Each dog is an individual, which means that seeing how they respond to food is really the only way to tell how it works for them.
When you’re changing a dog’s food, it’s important that you don’t do it too quickly or too often, as this can cause stomach upsets.
Keep a dog on one type of food for four to six weeks as it will take this long for any dietary changes to take effect in coat appearance and energy levels, and when you do change, gradually switch from one food to another.
Adding a dog to your family is a big responsibility. Our readers found these articles useful; Adopting a new Dog, Rules for Kids Playing with Dogs and 3 Natural Remedies for Your Pet.
