Ingredients To Avoid In The First Five
You want them to eat a wholesome diet that starts with essential nutrients so they can live long, happy lives. Stay away from foods where the first five ingredients include carbohydrates, white flour, artificial colors, and by-products.
The top five ingredients in dog food should consist of a balance of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats and fatty acids, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals.
The 100 percent rule for dog food
If, for example, you're getting 100 percent beef treats, they are only beef. This rule allows the manufacturers to add water for processing, and trace amounts of condiments and preservatives.
Like humans, dogs need a balanced diet to get all the nutrients they need to stay healthy, and some of those nutrients come from the grains in their dog food. Healthy grains are good for your dog's heart, which means a grain-free diet can lead to heart problems due to a lack of certain nutrients.
Can Dogs Eat Greek Yogurt? Yes, Greek yogurt is great for dogs, provided it is xylitol-free. Your dog may even like the texture of Greek yogurt more. It's thicker because the whey gets strained out.
There are many benefits to adding water to your dog's dry food like helping to prevent dehydration, increased digestibility, making it easier to chew, and helping with weight loss.
Nonprofit organization Consumer Reports recommended that people limit their tuna consumption based on their weight. Because dogs are smaller than humans, and because there are no recommendations for how much tuna a pup can eat safely, it's best not to feed tuna, whether raw or canned, to your dog at all.
The “95 Percent” rule: At least 95% of the product (by weight) must be the named ingredient; for example, the ingredients of “Salmon Cat Food” must include at least 95% salmon (not including water). When including water, the named ingredient still must comprise at least 70% of the product.
Sweet potato is a safe, healthy, and natural treat for dogs, offering a range of health benefits (and a sweet flavor they'll likely love). For example, sweet potatoes support a healthy digestive system thanks to their high dietary fiber content. They're also low in fat and contain essential vitamins like B6, C, and A.
Focus on the first ingredients.
The main protein should be first and an actual meat source like chicken, duck or lamb. The second ingredient should be another meat source, generally a clearly labeled meal such as lamb meal or duck meal.
Any dog food made without wheat, rice or any other grain is classed as grain-free. This is considered by many to be the healthier choice when it comes to a dog's diet.
Veterinarians sometimes recommend grain-free diets for animals who have grain sensitivities because removing grains from their diet often improves skin problems, allergies, digestive problems, and frequently impacted anal glands.
Grain-free dog food offers all the nutrients that normal dog food has, including omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids, iron and calcium and is also high in protein and dietary fiber. Some dogs have adverse reactions to certain grains and are more active and happy on grain-free diets.
Common meats to avoid are any processed meats like sausage, bologna, hot dogs etc. Also avoid giving your dog any rib bones as they are extremely brittle and can damage your dog's stomach and throat.
Research has proven, and your veterinarian will tell you, that a healthy, well-balanced diet for your dog must include whole-food ingredients that provide the following: protein, fats and fatty acids, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and water.
Rule 3: 25% rule. For pet food that calls itself “dinner”, “entrée”, recipe” or “formula”. Pet food manufacturers only need to ensure at least 25% of the total weight of the food is the main ingredient.