Tuesday, 15. September 2009
Premium dog foods are most certainly better than an economy dog food. But it’s sometimes hard to figure out the difference between a premium dog food and the rest. Do you go by price alone? A lot of companies are betting on it. Does it say premium on the bag? What makes a premium dog food premium?
The main difference between premium and economy dog foods is the quality of the ingredients and the amount of actual nutrients digestible by your dog. Ignore any of the fancy wording or delicious looking pictures on the bag of food. Look, instead, at the dog food ingredients first.
The first 2 ingredients tell you a lot about the dog food you are about to purchase. The difference between an economy and premium food are the quality of the grains and meats used. Premium dog foods list an animal meat as the first ingredient. Economy dog foods, and premium dog food impostors, will list grains and meat by-products as the first two dog food ingredients.
Grains: Premium dog foods will use better grains (rice, oats) than economy foods (corn, soy, wheat). Why are these better? Because your dog can digest and metabolize the nutrients from these grains better. Grains are top ingredients in the economy dog foods, not in premium ones.
Another problem with the type and quality of grains/carbs used by the economy dog foods is that they are common sources of food allergies for dogs. They are also usually the by-products of the grain, not the whole grain itself, and thus has virtually no nutritional value to your dog. The grains/carbs really turn out to be nothing more than a way to make your dog feel full.
Meat by-products are not a top 2 dog food ingredient in premium dog foods. Meat by-products are the slaughtered meat carcass parts that are left over after all the usable meat has been removed – like bones, necks, intestines, etc.
Again, like cheap grain by-products, meat by-products are just not an equal substitute for real animal meat for your dog. They are used to boost the protein percentages in the dog food and make pet owners feel like they are feeding their dogs animal meat.
Premium dog foods almost always have a meat or meat meal as the first ingredient, unless it is a special need dog food. This is because dogs need animal protein – plain and simple. Meat by-products just don’t cut it.
What about price? Is that a good indicator of the type of dog food? Not really. Of course if you see a really cheaply priced dog food, it is probably an economy food. But just because the food is expensive, does not automatically mean it is a healthy, premium dog food. Again, you need to take a peek at the dog food ingredients list to really know what you are getting.
And now there are more types of dog food, like holistic and organic. For more information about the different choices available for your dog and how to carefully select the best premium dog foods for your particular pet at the Healthy Dog Food blog.
Posted in Pets by K.C. Jones -
Monday, 14. September 2009
Is your dog not eating at dinnertime? It can be so stressful. We love our dogs and want to take care of them. And when they don’t eat, it makes us worry. First thing you need to do is determine if your dog’s not eating is a physical or psychological problem.
But before we jump into the problem of your dog not eating, we need to make sure you don’t have a special interest dog. If you have a dog with a known medical condition, a puppy, a pregnant, or a nursing dog, you need to go to your vet. These dogs have special nutrition requirements and need to be looked at professionally.
Is this a sudden problem? First, is he listless, or in any type of pain? If so, take him to your vet immediately. If there are no apparent problems, just wait a day or two. Sometimes your dog gets into things that upset his stomach and he doesn’t feel like eating. Make sure he has plenty of fresh water and the chance to got outside as needed. If after two days he still doesn’t eat, take him to your vet as he may have an internal parasite problem.
So if you are still reading it must mean your dog it not physically ill or special needs. Then what is the problem with your dog not eating? It is probably psychological. Which, luckily, is something you can fix, with a little discipline on your part.
1. Is your dog getting enough attention from you? It may just be that he is bored and lonely. When you fuss over him not eating, he is getting the attention he wants. Try playing with your pet more or taking him for a daily walk. This may be all that is needed to get your dog eating again.
2. What if your dog is not trying to get attention, but is just plain spoiled? Then you need to step up and start acting like the master. Simply put his food bowl down and after 20 minutes pick it up and throw the food away. Do not give your dog any treats at any time during the day. Make his mealtime the only time he gets to eat. If he still has not eaten after 3 days of this, you may want to take him to the vet and make sure there are no physical problems.
3. What is your behavior during dinnertime? Do you watch your dog? Hover over him to see if he eats? If you are anxious about your dog not eating, you may be making him nervous. Your dog is more in tune with your feelings than you realize. You may be telling him to eat, but your dog can tell if you are afraid. You are afraid he won’t eat, but all your dog knows is that you are afraid.
Instead of hanging around at dinner, put down his food and leave the room. He may follow you. If he does you may have to move his dinner into a separate room and close the door. Leave him there for 20 minutes and don’t stand by the door. You may need to try this procedure for a couple of days. But if it is anxiety that is keeping your pet from eating, this should take care of the problem.
4. Have you ever considered that the dog food you are feeding him is just no good – and your dog knows it? Maybe he is not eating because the dog food does not taste good or he just isn’t getting enough nutrients from it. Look at your dog food ingredients list. Are there enough quality proteins? What about non-nutritional grains and by-products. It may even be a food allergy to one of the ingredients. You may want to look at some of your super-premium or organic alternatives to get him eating again.
Try using these tips and you may solve your dog eating problems. Don’t let your dog’s dinnertime be a time of anxiety for you or your dog.
If your dog is not eating because he doesn’t like his dog food, please visit the Healthy Dog Food Blog to learn more about how to find the best food for your dog to stay in optimal health. This article is for informational purpose only and is NOT intended to replace the advice of a veterinarian or pet care professional.
Posted in Pets by K.C. Jones -