Good nutrition is so important in caring for your dog's physical needs. It is essential for reproduction, lactation, normal growth and longevity. Food is needed to act as regulators for the body's many processes, including organ development and functions, and is necessary to prevent diseases, for healing and as a source of daily energy. Proper nutrition in dogs means that all of the body's essential nutrients are being met by the food being digested. These needs include appropriate amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and water. Each individual dog, of every breed, will have slightly different needs for good nutrition. Things that affect nutrition include:
The nutrients that are necessary in any diet include:
These nutrients all have their own function, but do not work alone. All are needed, in varying amounts, for a well - balanced diet, depending upon the above factors (age, stress level, etc).
In order to ensure that your dog is getting the nutrients needed in a commercially - made food, it is important to purchase premium brands, since they usually use better - quality ingredients from sources that provide better digestibility. Whereas an economy or generic - brand food might use corn, wheat or soybeans as the primary ingredient, a premium quality food will be more likely to use a good - quality meat source as the main ingredient.
Because premium foods are made of better quality ingredients and have better digestibility, dogs need to eat much less of them than they would of a lesser - quality food. Premium foods also produce less stools, since more of the food stays in the dog, because of the nutritional value.
To touch upon the economy brands, they are usually the foods that you buy at grocery stores, feed stores, or discount department stores. Economy foods are very inexpensive and are made of the cheapest ingredients possible. Even thought they mat meet AAFCO's minimum nutritional requirements, that my not be enough for your dog, as there energy values, digestibility and protein sources are usually lower. Regular brands, which are in the middle between economy and premium, can be found at grocery stores, feed stores and some pet shops.
After your dog has been eating a food for four to six weeks, you can evaluate the results by answering the following questions:
If there is a problem with any of the answers, you may want to look again at the food your dog is eating. If you have doubts, talk to your veternarian, as any difficulties may indicate an underlying health problem.
Changes in a dog's diet must be made gradually, as it could cause stomach upset (complete with diarrhea and vomiting) or future finicky eating patterns. Start making the change prior to running out of the old food. About three weeks prior to starting the new food, have the new on hand. For the first week of the gradual transition, feed three - quarters old food to one - quarter new. For the second week of the change, feed half old and half new. And, during third week, feed on -quarter old food and three - quarters new food. By the fourth week, start feeding only the new food.
Midge Hunsinger Asks:
Help?? I am kind of confused. For a long time I used grocery store kibble for the herd. Their favorite was Kibbles and Chunks, and yes they all had favorites they would "pick" out. Then the beginning of the year my son bought us 80 lbs of Hills Science Diet for adult dogs (over 5 yrs). All 3 of the dogs like it, even the cat crunches down a piece or two once in a while, but now I read that it is not a good food to have them on. Boomer, the eldest at 12, has had a wonderful reaction to the food ie: better looking coat and general all over more energy etc, but certainly at his age, I do not want to risk any kidney problems or anything else. So...what would be a good food for all of them to be on?
The reason that most do not recommend grocery store dog foods is for the following reasons:
a. The ingredients are inconsistent. For example, if corn is the cheapest item on the commodity market this week that is what the commercial companies will buy. If wheat is the cheapest next week, wheat will be the most prominent product produced that week.
b. Commercial companies use dyes and fillers. The dyes are for the viewing pleasure of people, not dogs. Dogs focus on the smell and taste not the visual presentation. Some of the dyes actually have sugar in them and tend to react adversely with the systems of small dogs such as ours. Even my large standards would not do well with anything containing dyes. Fillers are exactly that. They have little or not nutritional value and simply serve to increase the volume of the food in a package that is sold by weight. Great way to make money on something that costs almost nothing to produce.
c. Commercial companies use artificial preservatives to increase the shelf life of their product. There is great debate (that I will not add to) as to whether or not some of these preservatives are the cause of such things as kidney and heart failure in our dogs.
d. With premium dog foods you are purchasing what is on the label and in those quantities and percentages. It is your decision as to whether you want your animals eating those ingredients. Science Diet is an excellent food as is Iams, Nature's Receipe, Eukanuba, Precise, Nutro, etc, etc.
e. Premium dog foods do not use artificial fillers or colors. I used to tell a neighbor who insisted on feeding Kibbles and Bits to her mini smooth that it should be named "Its the Pits, the Pits, the Pits" couldn't understand why her dog was "wired" all the time until she stayed with me for 2 weeks and I put her on a premium food for the length of her stay. She got back a different dog. Finally convinced her that the difference in price was worth the well being of the dog.
Magazines such as Dog Fancy and the AKC Gazette frequently run articles on dog food. Most large libraries carry the back issues. In the past year, both have carried articles on dog food.
Hope this helps. If your 12 year old looks and feels better on Science Diet, I would leave him on it. At that age you are looking for something that has reduced protein and if the dog has a weight problem, reduced calories.
Linda, Lexie and Zorro (We Will Eat Anything! Our Mom is really rotten because she picks our diet!)
Author Unknown Asks:
I need some advise on feeding. For years I have fed my dogs, Science Diet, or Pro Plan. My dogs are pets, not very active. I have been reading on the AOL Vet. Bullentin Boards about premium dog foods. Some Vets. suggested that Pedigree brought in a grocery store, made by Waltham's is a good food. I am thinking about changing to Pedigree, because of cost and the grocery store is closer than the Pet Store. Any input on this food or advise on what you all are feeding their pets would be appreciated.
Solid Gold (http://www.solid-gold-inc.com) is a holistic food that is fabulous and much talked about on this list (I switched after reading about it here, and after two months there is marked improvement in coat and itching). The best thing about it though is that it gets delivered right to your door by UPS. Few stores carry it (some grooming places do, you can check with Solid Gold). I even brought the catalog in to my vet this week and she was very interested. Plus it's the same price as the Nutro I was feeding my kids before. Sarah
The following is some information on Flint River Ranch Pet Foods.
Dena :-)
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Flint River Ranch Super Premium Health Food for Dogs
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The chicken, rice, lamb, and wheat formula is nutritionally complete and balanced for all stages of your pet's life according the AAFCO Nutrient Profiles for Dog Foods.
* No artificial colors or flavors.
* No by-products.
* No chemical preservatives.
* No Ethoxyquin, BHA or BHT.
All natural ingredients - plus essential vitamins and minerals.
The Flint River Ranch formula is TWICE OVEN BAKED under carefully controlled conditions and temperatures - resulting in better nutrition, palatability and digestibility for your pet. The ultimate in premium nutrition and gourmet dining!
Oven baking changes hard to digest starches into easy to digest dextrins, which are readily absorbed into your dog's system. The secret to good nutrition is not how many nutrients are present in a dog's food, but rather, how available they are and how efficiently they can be utilized when digested. The good value is baked-in, not sprayed on.
Flint River Ranch Pet Foods are shipped fresh direct from their kitchens to your home. There is no charge for shipping and handling. The cost is very competitive with other premium brands.
For further information, contact Dena Delgado at doxlover@sprynet.com.
Just a reminder that you can find websites pertaining to foods as well as canine health issues at our Links page. Thanks.