Pet Store aisles are lined with dozens of brands of dog food. It is dry food, canned food and semi-humid. Then there are the labels: natural, integral, super-premium organic. How did you know that it is good for your dog?
To help you find the best food for your furry companion, get answers to eight common food for dogs.
<1> If a dog food is expensive, then there is the best?
Many dog owners splurge on expensive food for dogs today think they are buying the best for their dog. But when it comes to quality, the price is not a good guide, "said Joseph Wakshlag, DVM, PhD, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at Cornell University College of Veterinary Nutrition.
"I saw all the cutting of natural, holistic dog food is really bad for dogs, and I have a bit of dog food that you do not want you, can only feed your dog, who will Succeed best seen, "he said." I do not think you get what you pay for. "
<2>What is the dog food?
Dog Food Ingredients vary depending on the manufacturer and brand, but most meet the requirements of the Association of American control diet Officials (AAFCO) is fixed. These rules include protein, which provides the necessary amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. According to the manufacturer, the diet containing animal protein and / or vegetable sources, grains or other carbohydrates, lipids, moisture, vitamins and minerals. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for ensuring that pets are safe and properly labeled.
<3> How do I choose a high quality food for dogs?
Check the label before AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement, which provides complete and balanced nutrition food shows. It was also the scene of life, where food is sufficient. life stages of growth (for puppies), maintenance of adults, pregnancy and lactation, Senior (suitable for older dogs), and "all stages of life." Lifelong food for all marked for use during the life of a dog from weaning to adulthood.
When choosing a food, research, depending on your taste for pets, lifestyle, medical conditions, and the environment, "said Susan Wynn, DVM, AHG, nutrition consultant for the Georgia Veterinary Specialists in the area Atlanta resident and clinical nutrition of small animals with the University of Tennessee college of Veterinary Medicine.
Lets see food for six to eight weeks because it affects your dog, "said Wakshlag, which requires a little 'research funding by a major producer of animal feed. A good sign: a shiny layer of an animal that seems good health. If the dog is a large amount of feces or diarrhea develops, manufactures, may have trouble digesting food. If a dog has a skin, ears, and joint problems, try other foods to see if it connects, "he Wynn said.
"This is not ideal for a dog properly support each other," he said. "It 's important to try a variety of diets to find the best."
<4 >What is the best dog food or canned?
It depends on your pet and your preferences. cost of dog food dry food less per serving of semi-moist or canned and their nutrients are more concentrated, which means that you need less food. Since the dry food contains less moisture. On average, the moisture content of 6% to 10% of dry dog food, 15% to 30% for semi-humid, and 75% for canned products.
Canned food may be better for dogs with urinary problems because of its high water content, "said Wakshlag. Also able to supply a larger volume of food for the same amount of calories that helps when your dog may be Conserve overweight. Some dry foods are designed to help "clean" the teeth during chewing, but dogs with serious dental problems can be better on the wet food.
Other things to keep in mind, according to the health of your pet: Canned tends to be higher in fat and protein, less carbohydrates, humectants semi-moist food, such as sugar, prevent them from drying and dry food still contains a little starch paste, "said Wynn.
<5> What do labels like "organic" means "holistic" or "all natural?
For the moment there is no official definition of organic food stuffs. The U.S. Agriculture Department expects to issue rules soon.
"Sweet" as "Premium" and "super premium" is a marketing term. There is no official definition of these terms. "Sure" means only that the product contains no artificial ingredients, "says Theresa Crenshaw, acting chairman of the AAFCO Pet Food Committee. Since some vitamins and minerals may not be available in summary form, is food of animal origin with these ingredients AAFCO to make a "label" natural, carry a disclaimer. A dog food or treat that contains sodium bicarbonate, for example, can not be described as natural, because the yeast is a product of chemical synthesis.
<6> What should I feed my dog?
The first is to make mistakes most common dog owners, "eating a lot," said Wakshlag. About a quarter of dogs are overweight, have a higher risk of arthritis and other health problems. Package labels often overestimate the amount of food is necessary, but veterinarians recommend the use of this guide. You know that overfeeding your dog, if you do not feel the ribs, there is visible fat on the back and base of his tail, and you do not see a dimension behind the ribs, if you look at your pet.
On the other hand, if a dog is a little 'inadequate, as you see the situation in his ribs, vertebrae and pelvis, and does not feel any fat on the bone.
The puppies need about twice the calories per pound as a dog the same breed. Older dogs need 20% less calories than the average age of the dogs, because they are less active, and have a slower metabolism, "the nutritional needs of dogs and cats," a 2006 report by the National Council Research, a nonprofit scientific department of the National Academies.
<7> How often should I feed my dog?
After weaning, the pups should be fed three times a day until about 16 weeks. You can then modify the feedings twice daily. But that's OK to wait six months if you're interested, the largest volume of food is more difficult to digest.
Adults can be fed once or twice a day. Twice daily feeding to provide a better digestibility, Wakshlag said.
<8> What is the best way to get a new dog food?
Allow six to seven days to pass food to allow time for your dog's digestive system to adapt. Serving a mix of new foods this quarter, three quarters of food is available for the first two days. Change the mixture in half and half to two days, then spend three-quarters of new foods, one quarter of food available for two or three days.