Nothing is more essential to good training than good health. And the foundation of good health is a good diet.
It depends on the money you can spend whether you can give your dog fresh meat. However I believe it is essential you invest in a good dry food brand. When you look for a good brand this is what you should keep in mind…
All dog foods are labeled with the ingredients in order by proportion. That is, the ingredient with largest percentage is listed first, followed by the second and subsequently the rest of the ingredients.
One of the ingredients that makes cheap dog food less preferable is the high percentage of ‘waste’ animal parts. When you see ‘by products’ on the label, it’s better to avoid these brands. If it does appear on higher quality dog food, which is rare, it will be listed near the bottom indicating a small proportion.
By by products we mean those parts of the animal that are not intended for human consumption. By products are perfectly legal in dog food, but are low quality proteins and in the long run have a negative effect on the general health, skin and coat conditions of your dog.
Check your dogs coat. If you have a long haired dog, like a Labrador Retriever, with a shiny coat and normal shedding you are probably giving him a high quality food. Your dog will not get a shiny coat by food alone, you should also brush him regularly.
Dog food experts will advice a big proportion of proteins (meat) for a healthy diet. Typically they will recommend meat (40%), vegetables (30%) and starch (30%).
Common meats used are chicken, lamb and beef. These provide readily digestible sources of protein – essential to healthy coats, muscles, etc.
The vegetables contain vitamins and minerals that produce hormones and enzymes, which is important for strong bones among others. For example carrots and squash are extremely good vegetables for dogs.
The starch content is often provided by brown or white rice. Either one is an excellent source of carbohydrates. These compounds are broken down in the body and form the basis for energy and cell repair.
Some dogs have specific needs that make special diets necessary. Many Golden Retrievers, for example, are sensitive to wheat products and corn meal is hard to digest for many dogs.
Avoid bad ingredients and when in doubt talk to your vet about the best diet for your dog. Especially when your dog has diarrhea, scratches a lot, or has flatulancy.
If your dog doesn’t like dry food try to make it moist with some water and then warm it up a little. You can add some left overs or moist dog food so he’ll like it better. Most dry food manufacturers claim that dry food cleans the dogs teeth, but that is not the case for low quality feed.
Be careful not to give to many treats. Treats usually have a high fat content. This is why dogs like treats in the first place, but if you give more than 2 treats a day, chose a good brand and give your dog less dry food.
I believe that the price difference of a quality food outweighs the extra veterinary costs that you’ll have with low quality foods in the long run. Do invest in a high quality food and you’ll reap the rewards for the rest of your dogs life.
The shininess of his coat, the clear and moist eyes and other less clear indicators will show you have chosen the right food. And, to finish off with a final remark. Isn’t the health of your dog priceless?
