This Is How You Keep Your Dog Healthy Feed Your Dog Healthy Food!!

The topic of dog food is a heated one amongst dog owners. Some people believe that dog food is dog food, and buy the cheapest brand available, because, well, their dog is doing just fine, thank you! There are others that believe the most expensive brand is better because it costs more, so it must be, right? Neither of these people are correct. Saying "dog food is dog food" would be like saying "McDonalds food or TV dinners are equivalent to a meal at an expensive restaurant". However, saying that "the most expensive brand is the best just because it costs more" is like saying that a $10 hamburger and fries meal at a restaurant is more nutritious than a $2.99 Happy Meal."

The key to choosing the right dog food is to know how to read the label. The most expensive food isn't always the best, but a store-brand is most certainly not as good as a holistic, all-natural brand either. In this post, I will attempt to give you some insight as to how to read a dog food label, and what to look for and avoid when making your choice.

Price really shouldn't be a factor, because after you've been feeding a better-quality food for a month or two, you'll begin to notice that your dog will require less of the better food since it will be more nutritious, so you'll be feeding him less. As a result, the amount that you end up paying for the better food usually equals out to about what you were paying for not-so-good food before. However, just paying more for a dog food does not make it better. Take Science Diet, (or any of the Hill's brand foods) for example; Hill's foods are fairly expensive, but in reality, their foods are no better than the brands you can buy in the grocery store. Here's a visual for you:

These are the ingredients listings for Science Diet, Iams, Pedigree, and Purina ONE, not in this order, however. Can you tell the difference?

1. Chicken, corn meal, ground grain sorghum, ground wheat, chicken by-product meal, soybean meal, animal fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), corn gluten meal, brewers rice, chicken liver flavor, vegetable oil, dried egg product, flaxseed, DL-methionine, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid, minerals (potassium chloride, salt, calcium carbonate, ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), rosemary extract, beta-carotene, vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (a source of vitamin C), niacin, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement).

2. Chicken, brewers rice, whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine), whole grain wheat, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), animal digest, chicken cartilage (natural source of glucosamine), dicalcium phosphate, salt, malted barley flour, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, choline chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, zinc sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, garlic oil, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite.

3. Chicken, Corn Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal, Fish Meal (source of fish oil), Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E, and Citric Acid), Dried Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Natural Chicken Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Dried Egg Product, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Flax Meal, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Inositol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), DL-Methionine, Rosemary Extract

4. GROUND YELLOW CORN, MEAT AND BONE MEAL, CORN GLUTEN MEAL, CHICKEN BY-PRODUCT MEAL, ANIMAL FAT (PRESERVED WITH BHA/BHT), WHEAT MILL RUN, NATURAL POULTRY FLAVOR, RICE, SALT, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, CARAMEL COLOR, WHEAT FLOUR, WHEAT GLUTEN, VEGETABLE OIL, VITAMINS (CHOLINE CHLORIDE, dl-ALPHA TOCOPHEROL ACETATE [SOURCE OF VITAMIN E], L-ASCORBYL-2-POLYPHOSPHATE [SOURCE OF VITAMIN C*], VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], BIOTIN, d-CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT [VITAMIN B2], VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT), TRACE MINERALS (ZINC SULFATE, COPPER SULFATE, POTASSIUM IODIDE)

I realize that at this point you don't really know how to read dog food labels, but you should be able to see that all three of the previous foods are very similar, with almost the exact same ingredients. So why is one brand more expensive than the other? Because you're paying for the name, that's why.

The 'lesser-quality' dog foods are heavily advertised, so that their names become familiar to the general public. The general public is more likely to purchase something that they recognize the name of, and trust what is said in the commercials put out by these companies as being gospel. For example, there's a new Purina commercial out now that says that they did a study and that dogs fed Purina from puppyhood lived 2 years longer. Longer than what? They don't say. They also don't say that dogs fed a better-quality food with more nutrition and less fillers (like Solid Gold, or Canidae) live on average 5 or more years longer than dogs fed lesser-quality foods like Purina. The Kibbles-N-Bits commercials are also misleading, leading you to believe that dogs love it, and that Kibbles-N-Bits is just as nutritious as the higher-quality foods, when in reality, it is one of the worst foods available (down there with Alpo and store brands). The companies that produce these dog foods can afford heavy advertising because they use cheap-o, bottom-of-the-barrel ingredients in their products. The foods that are much better for your dog, like Solid Gold, Canidae, Nutro Natural Choice, Wellness, Innova, California Natural, and Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul are not advertised like the crappy brands are because:

1) The people that purchase their products do not need advertising because they already know they are buying a better product.
2) They use more expensive, better-quality (often human grade) ingredients in their foods, so advertising would make the cost of their products go up as they had to compensate for the cost of advertising, and
3) Their foods are usually only available in certain pet stores or specialty stores that are not located in just about every city or town, as the crappy brands are. Advertising, therefore, simply wouldn't be worth the cost for the better-quality dog food companies. Does all that make sense?

Now, having said all that, I will begin to tell you what to look for (and what to stay away from) on a dog food label.

First, anything you can buy in the grocery store, Wal-Mart, or K-Mart type stores should be avoided. These foods include Purina, Iams, Pedigree, Alpo, and any "off-brand" or store brand (like Ol Roy or Maxximum Nutrition at Wal-Mart). This makes things difficult for many people because the grocery store is the only place around that they can purchase dog food from, without having to drive 50 or more miles to a pet specialty store. Hopefully this isn't a problem for you. But if you contact most manufacture will ship it to your front door.

Foods sold in feed stores are usually even worse, with the exception of Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul and Premium Edge. Both of these foods are good-quality foods that are often sold in feed stores that carry Diamond. Stay away from the other dog foods sold in feed stores, like Black Gold for example, because they are just as bad (or worse) as the store brands.

Now, on to the label reading!
The following is a list of ingredients that you should try to stay away from when purchasing dog food:

1) By-products. By-products are what is left over after the processing plants remove what meat is fit for human consumption and send it to the grocery stores. By products can contain anything from chicken heads and feet, to cow hooves and horns, fur, feathers, blood, skin, bone, feces, and even dirt and sawdust from the floors. By products are not kept fresh, and in some cases have even been known to sit in containers for 5 days or more before being picked up from the meat plant and taken to the dog food rendering plant.

2) Corn in any form, including "ground yellow corn," "corn meal," and "corn gluten meal." Corn is what is called a 'filler,' and it serves one purpose in pet food - to make the animal feel full. Dogs and cats cannot digest corn, so it just passes right through the digestive system and you get the privilege of cleaning it up when it comes out the other end. Some dogs are also allergic to corn, so just avoid any foods that contain any form of corn in their ingredients listing.

3) 'General' ingredients like "animal fat," "animal digest," and "meat meal" - you have no idea what these could contain (and you don't want to know). Instead, you want to look for things that are more specific, like "chicken fat" and "chicken meal," that way you know exactly what is in the food.

4) Chemical preservatives such as "propylene glycol," "BHA," and "BHT." Chemical preservatives make the food last longer, but every single one of them has been proven to cause cancer in lab rats. They will tell you that in small quantities, the preservatives are safe, but if you stop and think about it, your dog will be ingesting small quantities of these preservatives every day over his entire life span. They then build up to toxic levels inside his body and that's when they become dangerous and cancer-causing. You want food that's been naturally preserved. "Mixed tocopherols" is a natural preservative.

5) Soy, in any form. Soy is another filler, like corn, and some dogs are also severely allergic to it. It's best to just stay away from foods containing soy altogether.

6) Sorghum is another filler. Sorghum is an Old World grass that is cultivated as grain and forage.

7) Wheat - I only say this because some dogs are allergic to wheat. If your dog isn't allergic to wheat, then foods with "wheat flour" are okay. It won't hurt him unless he's allergic to it, and then you'll know because she'll likely develop skin problems.

Salt, while found in many dog foods, is an unnecessary ingredient, so if the dog food you choose contains salt, make sure it's down near the bottom of the list of ingredients, as there is usually a form of sodium in the added vitamins, and you don't want to be giving your dog too much of it.

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I know this seems like a lot, but if you want the best for your dog, you just aren't going to get that if the food you feed him contains the ingredients named above. The four ingredients listings I gave you previously will help you when looking at and comparing labels in the store, because all three are foods to stay away from. Below are three ingredients listings from foods that I not only have used, but that I recommend to those wanting to switch to something better for their dog:

1. Canidae - Canidae uses human-grade meats, meaning that their meats come from the same place that ours does, and their meats do not contain hormones, antibiotics, or other chemicals. Do check out their website, and especially the page titled "Ingredient Definitions." You can pay between $30-$35 for a 40 pound bag of Canidae and it lasts about 4-5 weeks.

Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, White Rice, Lamb Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract), Herring Meal, Flax Seed, Sun Cured Alfalfa Meal, Sunflower Oil, Chicken, Lecithin, Monocalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Linoleic Acid, Rosemary Extract, Sage Extract, Yeast Culture, Dried Enterococcus Faecium, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Inulin (from Chicory root), Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Solubles, Yucca Schidigera Extract Mixed Tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C), Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (source of B2), Beta Carotene, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, D-Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Dried Papaya, Vitamin B12 Supplement.

2. Solid Gold - The following is the ingredients listing for their 'large breed' formula.

Bison Salmon Meal Brown Rice Millet Cracked Pearled Barley Oatmeal Rice Bran Canola Oil Flaxseed Oil Garlic Amaranth Blueberries Yucca Schidigera Extract Taurine Carotene Choline Chloride Vitamin E Supplement Iron Proteinate Zinc Proteinate Copper Proteinate Manganese Proteinate Potassium Iodide Thiamine Mononitrate Ascorbic Acid Vitamin A Supplement Biotin Calcium Panthothenate Selenomethionine Pyridoxine Hydrochloride Vitamin B12 Supplement Riboflavin Vitamin D Supplement Folic Acid

3. Innova - Natura makes four different dog foods, all of which can be found on this web page. Below is just the ingredients listing for Innova. On the web site you can click on each ingredient for a description, much like what is on the Canidae website.

Turkey, chicken, chicken meal, ground barley, ground brown rice, potatoes, natural flavors, ground white rice, chicken fat, herring, apples, carrots, cottage cheese, sunflower oil, alfalfa sprouts, egg, garlic, taurine, vitamins/minerals, Viable Naturally Occurring Microorganisms

Other foods that I recommend include:

* Wellness - (this food can be a bit rich for some dogs, not to mention it's expensive),

* Nutro Natural Choice - (there is also a Nutro Natural Choice Ultra, which, in my opinion, is too expensive for what it is),

* Premium Edge

* Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul - (which is about the same as Canidae but more expensive), and

* Nature's Recipe - (venison allergy formula only) There is really to many to name here see list further down the page.

Of course, you might also consider the raw food diet. I do feed Natural Balance kibble to my dog now, but in addition to that, when I cook for my family and I, whether we're having steak, pork chops, chicken, or fish, my dogs gets one of there own in raw form and absolutely LOVES it. Given raw, even bones are safe - it is only when you cook them that they can become dangerous for dogs. Even raw turkey bones are okay, but you should never give your dog any bone unless you can supervise, just in case the dog chokes or something. I've never had it happen, but you never know. If you're interested in going completely raw, do your research first.

I surely hope this isn't too much information all at once. If you have any more questions, or if you come across a food in the store that you are unsure about, please don't hesitate to check here: Dog Food Compareison . I'll do my very best to answer any question you may have also just email me.

Don't forget to introduce the new food gradually as it says on the back of the bag!

Some of The Best Dog Foods

Listed in no particular order Top Dry Foods

1. Innova,California Natural.........Natura Pet Products, Santa Clara, CA..................(800) 532-7261
2. Azmira Classic......................Azmira Holistic Animal Care, Tucson, AZ............(800) 497-5665
3. Back to Basics............................Beowulf Natural Foods Syracuse, NY..................(800) 219-2558
4. Canidae.......................................Canidae Corp, San Luis Obispo, CA.....................(800) 398-1600
5. Eagle Pack Holistic Select..........Eagle Pet Products, Inc., Mishawaka, IN............(800) 255-5959
6. Flint River Ranch,Dry Water, LC.....First River Ranch, Riverside, CA.................(909) 682-5048
7. Hund-N-Flocken, Millennia...Solid Gold Health Products for pets, El Cajon, CA.....(800) 364-4863
8. Limited Diets Duck & Potato....Innovative Veterinary Diets, Pittsburg,PA.............(800) 359-4483
9. Natural Balance Ultra Premium..Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance,Pacoima, CA.(800) 829-4493
10. Lifespan.........................................Petguard, Orange Park, FL....................................(800) 874-3221
11. Pinnacle.........................................Breeder's Choice Pet Foods, Irwindale, CA...........(800) 255-4286
12. Prime Life...........................Owen & Mandeville Pet Products Inc., Oxford, CT.........(888-881-7703
13. PHD Canine Growth & Maintenane.....Perfect Healyh Diet Products Inc., White Plains, NY..(800) 743-1502
14. Showbound Naturals.........................Intergrated Pet Products, Exton, PA..................(800) 542-4677
15. Timberwolf Organics........................Yukon Nutritional Co., Lake Wales, FL..............(863) 439-0049
16. Wellness Super5Mix Lamb....................Old Mother Hubbard, Lowell, MA................(800) 225-0904
17. Wysong Maintenance.........................Wysong Corporation, Midland, MI...................(800) 748-0233
18. Artemis............................Artemis Pet foods, Canoga Park, CA.....................................(800) 282-5876
19. Bench & Field......................Bench & Field Pet Foods, LLC Mishawaka, IN...............(800) 525-4802
20. Burns....................................Burns Pet Nutrition, Chesterston, IN................................(877) 983-9651
21. Drs. Foster & Smith.............Drs. Foster & Smith, Rhinelander, WI.............................(800) 826-7206
22. Go! Natural..........................For Paws Services, Inc. Abbotsford, BC...........................(866) 864-6112
23. Royal Canin.........................Royal Canin USA ST. Peters, MO.....................................(800) 592-6687
24. Praire...............................Nature's Variety, Lincoln, NE.................................................(888-519-7387
25. Verus...............................Verus Pet Foods, Abingdon, MD.............................................(888-828-3787

Because the foods on this list represents a tiny 13% share of the market, you can expect them to be more difficult to find. Large supermarkets and even national chain pet supply stores don't generally sell these foods. These foods tend to be very expensive, so stores can't mark them up as much as they are accustomed to. Many of the makers of the foods on this list will sell directly to the pet owner and will ship to your door.

Things we did not do.

1. We DID NOT conduct lab test
2. We DID NOT inspect manufacturing plants
3. We DID NOT select foods on the basis of protein or fat content
4. We DID NOT examine every food on the market
5. We DID NOT rank-order foods.

Selection Criteria: Recognize Good Ingredients In dog Food.

1. Superior sources of protein. whole,fresh meats or single-source meat meal ie chicken meal rather than poultry meal.
2. A whole-meat source as one of the first two ingredients. chicken or chicken meal
3. Whole, unprocessed grains, vegetables, and other foods.
4. A minimum of the following: Food fragments. Such as brewer's rice and wheat bran.

Listed in no particular order Top Canned Foods

1. Innova......................Natura Pet Products, Santa Clara, CA................(800) 532-7261
2. Active Life.................Active Life Pet Products, Boulder, CO...............(877) 291-2913
3. Advanced Pet Diets........Breeder's Choice Pet Foods, Irwindale, CA.......(800) 255-4286
4. Avo-Derm....................Breeder's Choice Pet Foods, Irwindale, CA...........(800) 255-4286
5. Azmira......................Azmira Holistic Animal Care, Tuscon,AZ..............(800) 497-5665
6. Boulder Creek Farms.........Active Life Pet Products, Boulder, CO...............(877) 291-2913
7. California Natural..........Natura Pet Products, Santa Clara, CA................(800) 532-7261
8. Canidae.....................Canidae Corp, San Luis Obispo, CA...................(800) 398-1600
9. Eagle Pack..................Eagle Pet Products, Inc., Mishawaka, IN.............(800) 255-5959
10. Evolve......................Triumph Pet Industries, INC., Warwick, NY...........(800) 331-5144
11. Natural Life................Natural Life Pet Products, Girard, KS...............(800) 367-2391
12. Lick Your Chops.............Intergrated Pet Products, Exton, PA.................(800) 542-4677
13. Natural Balance.............Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance,Pacoima, CA.......(800) 829-4493
14. Neura Meats.................Old Mother Hubbard, Lowell, MA......................(800) 225-0904
15. PetGuard Premium............Petguard, Orange Park, FL...........................(800) 874-3221
16. Pinnacle....................Breeder's Choice Pet Foods, Irwindale, CA...........(800) 255-4286
17. Precise Plus................Precise Pet Products, Nacogdoches, TX...............(888-773-2473
18. Solid Gold..................Solid Gold Health Products for pets, El Cajon, CA...(800) 364-4863
19. Verus.......................Verus Pet Foods, Abingdon, MD.......................(888-828-3787
20. Wellness....................Old Mother Hubbard, Lowell, MA......................(800) 225-0904
21. Wysong......................Wysong Corporation, Midland, MI.....................(800) 748-0233

Listed in no particular order "NOT RECOMMENED DRY FOODS"

The differance between one appellation and another lay in the quality of the top three ingredients

1. Abady Stress & Maintenance Formula
2. APD Lamb Meal & Rice
3. Beneful (NestlE Purina Petcare)
4. Bil-Jac
5. Breeded's Choice Avo-Derm
6. Cornucopia Super Life
7. Diamond's Premium Adult
8. DR. Ballard's Growth & performance
9. Eagle Pack Natural Formula
10. Eukanuba Adult Maintenance
11. Iams Maintenance Adult
12. Kibbles 'N Bits
13. Natural Life Adult Formula
14. Nature's Best (Hill's Science Diet)
15. Nature's Recipe Maintenance Lamb & Rice
16. Nutro Premium Nutrition (Iams Company)
17. Pedigree Prime
18. Perfect Health Diet G&M Formula
19. Precise Foundation Formula
20. Purina One
21. Science Diet Maintenance
22. Sensible Choice Lamb & Rice (Royal Canin)
23. Waltham Lamb Meal & Rice

Listed in no particular order "NOT RECOMMENED Canned FOODS"

1. Alpo (Friskies Pet Care)
2. Iams
3. Eukanuba
4. Pedigree (Waltham)
5. Science Diet

THERE IS NO SINGLE "BEST" FOOD