Nothing is more essential to good training than good health. And the foundation of good health is a good diet and the best dog food.

Depending on your budget you may or may not be able to feed your dog a larger proportion of fresh meat, but at least be prepared to spend enough for a good dry food. Here are a few things to look for…

All dog foods are labeled with the ingredients in order by proportion. That is, the material that forms the largest percentage is listed first, followed by the second and then others.

Although most people are unaware of it, one of the attributes 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.

Those ‘by products’ consist of parts that were not considered usable for human consumption. That fact doesn’t by itself make the product dangerous, but the lower quality will have a long term effect on coats, muscles and bones, and overall health.

Some experts put the proper ratio of meat, vegetables and starch at about roughly 40%, 30%, 30% respectively.
Common meats used are chicken, lamb and beef. These provide readily digestible sources of protein – essential to healthy coats, muscles, etc.

Vegetables provide minerals and vitamins that help produce proper hormone and enzyme types and amounts, as well
as compounds for good bone health and other functions. Carrots and squash, for example are both excellent for almost all dogs.

Before you feed your faithful companion his next tin of dog food, make sure you check out this spectacular video report on dog food secrets.

I can guarantee you’ll never see a tin of dog food the same again.

Filed under: Dog Food • Dog Health

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