Making a Healthy Choice: Dog Food Comparisons

There are many specific things that a dog owner should look for in buying quality dog food for their pet. It seems like choosing a dog food should be as simple as finding one that is within the individual's budget and is a food that his dog prefers. However, there are many dog food brands that are on the market that are full of filler material rather than nutrients that dogs need in a daily diet. Since dog food is all that the dog eats every day other than snacks, it is important that he is getting all of the vitamins and minerals that he needs to stay healthy for life.

Charts

There are dog food comparisons on the internet and in books that help to compare the pricing and ingredients contained in different brands of dog foods on the market. The charts will usually contain dog food comparisons of the highest grades of dog food first and then move into the lower grades. The best dog foods on dog food comparisons contain some sort of meat as the main ingredient, which can be seen when reading the side or back of the bag where the ingredients are listed. It should say the name of the meat without saying 'by-products' after it so that it contains choice pieces of meat rather than the remains.

Corn and wheat in the ingredients are used as filler products and do not provide much nutrition for the dog. Dog food comparisons show those dog foods that have this filler material as the main ingredients, and though they may be less expensive than the better dog foods, they will not provide the nutrients the dog needs in a daily diet.

Dog food comparison information also advises pet owners to find at least three different types of dog foods that are quality foods and can be alternated during the months of feeding the dog so that if one dog food is missing certain nutrients, another dog food can take up the slack in that area. In addition, the dog food comparison charts say to use wet dog food on occasion as well because wet dog food usually does not contain as much of the filler material as the dry dog foods do and are healthier for the dogs.

When changing dog foods, according to the dog food comparison information, the dog's coat, energy level, eating habits and stool should be carefully watched to see if there are any allergies to that particular dog food and if the dog is getting the amount of protein that he needs. Each dog has a different energy level and receives a different amount of exercise during the day, and the higher the energy and exercise, the more protein is needed in the diet.