Dog Food Ingredients

What exactly is in that big bag of dry dog food that you feed to your dog every day? Have you ever wondered? Does it contain the components of a high-quality diet, full of wholesome ingredients? Or might it also include dangerous components, harmful to your dog's health? Should we just trust that anything available at the grocery store is good for our beloved pets?

What you feed your pet does make a difference. Low quality dog foods contain inexpensive fillers and questionable protein sources, frequently from sources that would surprise and disgust you. Your dog trusts you. Make sure you're an informed consumer.

It's really not that difficult to determine the quality of your dog's food. Keep these things in mind and you'll soon know the difference between good and bad dog food ingredients.

• Generally speaking, you'll find lower quality dog food sold in grocery and discount stores.
• Premium dog food usually costs a little more due to the higher cost of better ingredients.
• Look for premium products containing no animal by-products, dried meat "digest," or meat "meal." These ingredients are a much less expensive alternative to quality nutritional sources.
• Look for products with no artificial colors or sugar. These aren't natural to your dog's diet and do him no good.
• While you're checking that label, notice that the protein component is listed first. Make sure it's a whole meat, such as poultry or fish.

If you've been feeding a low quality dog food, but your dog still appears healthy, that's not necessarily the whole story. We can't see what's on the inside. But just like we suffer when our nutritional needs are not met over time, so will your dog.

A dog lacking calories may seem lazy, but he's just not taking in enough nutritional energy. An overweight dog may be suffering from a poor balance of fat to protein ratio. A dog that scratches incessantly may be allergic to some component in his food.

Although it's more expensive in the short term to buy high quality dog food, it pays off in terms of a healthier pet, with fewer trips to the vet. High quality dog food ingredients provide a stable platform for your dog's vitality, health and well-being.