What Not to Feed Dog - How to Pick Healthy Dog Food
Posted: Sunday, December 20, 2009
by Shalisha Alston
Imaginative Writers
What not to feed dog is just as important as knowing what to feed your dog. Your dog's health and nutrition are important. That's why knowing what to look for in dog food is important for your dog's health. Knowing which dog foods are healthiest to feed your dog will help you slash the cost of your vet bill in half. How?
The dog food being passed off by manufacturers today are filled with toxins and unhealthy meat by products, which cause serious illness and even death to your dog. But if you understand how to read a dog label and know what not to feed your dog, you'll be armed with knowledge that will save your dog's health and even his life.
Dog's Are Carnivores Not Herbivores
First things first. A dog is a carnivore. A carnivore is a meat eater. What makes a dog a carnivore? Its digestive tract. A dog's digestive tract is short, simple and acidic. Their digestive tract contains hydrochloric acid which facilitates the breakdown of protein. It also kills the bacteria found in decomposed meat.
A dog's teeth are sharp. They're also designed to slice into meat (as opposed to grinding plants like cows, pigs, and sheep). Their teeth are elongated because they are designed by nature to tear and kill its prey. Its mouth is large with a hinge-like joint designed for swallowing big chunks of meat. Does it sound like you should be feeding your dog a plant-based diet? I don't think so. Yet many dog owners unknowingly feed their dogs dog food with sub par ingredients. Learn what to look for in quality dog food.
Dog Diet and Nutrition Basics
What does this have to do with Dog Nutrition? Everything. Why? Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not need grains and carbohydrates. In fact, they have difficulty digesting grains and carbohydrates. A grain-based diet is the common cause of such dog health problems as gas, diarrhea, and anal gland disease just to name a few.
Feed Your Dog High Quality Protein
Dogs need meat. Real, high quality meat. That's why it's important to know what proteins are acceptable and which ones are not. Again, it's important to know what not to feed dog if you want it to live a long and healthy life.
Animal proteins contain all of the amino acids necessary to facilitate a dog's growth. But your dog needs quality protein. The dog food on the supermarket shelves contain "meat by products" and other "fillers" such as corn and soy, which cause gastric problems. These meat-by-products contain diseased, dying, and/or dead animals, animal parts, feathers, hooves and other disgusting and unhealthy ingredients.
Although these dog foods are inexpensive, in the long run, your dog's health is at stake. You may save a few cents at the supermarket, but your vet bill will be high. You'll also lose your "best friend" due to an early demise.
So what should you look for on a dog food label? The first four ingredients are indicative of how high quality the dog food is. Avoid generic meat names. Meaning, if the label just says "meat and bone meal" or "meat by products" drop it and run - fast.
Look for products that specifically list the animal that's being used. Also, avoid any dog food that lists corn as the main ingredient. Remember, you're not feeding a cow or a pig - whose anatomy and digestive tract are dissimilar to a dog's. Your dog is your best friend. Treat it like one.
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