Are You Feeding Your Dog The Right Food?
With the advent of organic products and health food stores, more and more people are becoming health-conscious. But let’s not forget our furry friends, who have just as much right to good health as we do. So how can you tell if you are feeding your dog the right dog food?
As with humans and our countless diets that may work for some but not for others, there is no such thing as the one perfect diet fit for all dogs. It’s all a matter of trial and error to find the one suitable for your own four-legged friend.
Firstly, always check the dog food label. You’ll need to be able to tell the difference between meat, meat meal, and meat by-products as listed. Meat is self-explanatory, and could be in the form of chicken, beef, lamb, turkey, etc. Meat meal is a more concentrated form of meat wherein most of the moisture has been removed. Meat by-products are basically leftovers, or those parts of a slaughtered animal deemed unfit for human consumption, such as beaks, feathers, brains and guts.
You will want to watch out for those with no specific ingredients listed. For example, if ‘meat’ is the first and main ingredient, there is no way for you to be sure which type of meat that is. It could be roadkill for all you know. Look for specific meat instead like chicken, turkey or lamb. Likewise, it is better to buy chicken meal, turkey meal or lamb meal than meat meal, and avoid anything that includes ‘by-products’ in its list of ingredients.
But which is better, meat or meat meal? Both have their pros and cons. Meat has the advantage of being less processed, but contains more water than actual protein. Whereas meat meal is packed with more protein since its moisture content has been reduced to about ten percent, although meat meal undergoes more processing.
Dogs need protein, first and foremost, followed by carbohydrates. This should be reflected in the food label. Next to the animal protein sources listed should be carbohydrate sources like rice and potatoes. There are plant protein sources as well, such as corn, which can be listed as the main ingredient. However, corn-based dog food is generally frowned upon as a poor substitute for meat-based ones.
Another essential thing to watch out for is the presence of preservatives, artificial dyes and flavor enhancers. While some better-quality dog foods use natural preservatives like mixed tocopherols (vitamin E is an example), many lower-quality brands add chemicals like BHT or BHA (butylated hydroxytoluene or butylated hydroxyanisole) to their products. Avoid those like the plague.
Unscrupulous manufacturers can sometimes get away with dodgy ingredients in human food. What more in the dog food industry, which is even less regulated? It is unfortunate that there is dog food that is not only unnatural, but potentially harmful, too. Being vigilant about what you feed your dog is the best way to ensure his health and well-being, as well as your peace of mind.
