In a time when more and more pet owners are concerned about what they’re feeding their pets, finding a nutritious dog food can be pretty complicated. Lots of products on the market claim to offer complete and balanced nutrition for your pet, but in many cases, this is just a marketing term used to sell the product. Unfortunately, such labeling doesn’t mean that every food is equally good for your dog, rather that the percentages of protein, fiber, fat, and moisture meet the minimum standards. While any food your feed your dog should have this kind of labeling, that’s not all there is when it comes to nutritious dog food. When you decide what the best food is, you have to start with the label.

First, rule out the least expensive brands in the store. It’s not that you have to break the bank to buy a good dog food, but that cheap foods use cheap ingredients. The lowest cost dog foods on the market will use a lot of fillers and low quality ingredients, making them a lower value, even though they don’t cost a lot per bag. A nutritious dog food will be more expensive than a grocery store brand in most cases.

Secondly, pet owners need to learn to read pet food labels. Avoid foods that have a lot of corn, soy, or wheat, especially if they’re high on the ingredients list. These are very cheap sources of plant protein, which are hard to digest for dogs. They’ve been linked to a number of health problems, like colitis and urinary tract infections. Of course, dry dog food always contains some quantity of grain. However, choose a nutritious dog food that includes grain further down the list and uses ingredients like brown rice, barley, oats, or other easy to digest choices. Some foods also include potatoes.

The bulk of any nutritious dog food should come from animal sources, since dogs are naturally meat eaters. Avoid cheap filler ingredients like meals and by products, which can come from already stripped animal carcasses. Also, if you see a generic term such as ‘poultry’, ‘fish’, or ‘meat’, avoid that food in favor of one that names the type of meat used. Whole, named meats are the most desirable, and should come first on the list of most nutritious dog foods.

Colorants and other additives are also problematic. They’re in many different dog food brands, but they’re only there to make the product appeal more to the human who’s buying the food. Look for a food that includes as few preservatives, artificial flavoring agents and coloring agents as possible. These chemicals can cause allergic reactions in some dogs, and are undesirable in a nutritious dog food. While there are good foods out there, you might have to do some research to find them. However, if you care about your dog’s health, it’ll be worth it in the end. A nutritious dog food will make your dog happier, feel better, and live longer.

Learn how to choose a nutritious dog food for your pet at http://www.saferpetfood.com

Article Source: Nutritious Dog Food Diet - Choosing Healthy Pet Food For Your Dog

My pet food was on the list of pet food recalls last year and now I feel I have to question EVERY product I want to buy for my pets!

Do you ever feel as though your entire grocery list for your pets is off limits? A lot of us who had never worried about safe, clean food got a VERY rude awakening the past several months. Even when we were used to reading labels to make sure we were buying healthy food and treats, we soon learned that was no longer an assurance of safety.

So, what can you do about it?

I’ve received many e-mails and phone calls asking for simple lists and recipes to make for your pet. While this was a pretty normal reaction to the storm of recalls, few pet owners realized the sacrifice and time that would be required to return to making your own pet food.

Obviously, the decision to make your own pet food depends on the type of pet you own. For example, it’s much easier to cook up or mix up food for a cat than for a large St. Bernard. If you are determined to go this route, there are some ingredients that you SHOULD NOT include in a diet for your cat or dog. This list comes from the ASPCA and is based on illnesses and deaths in pets, not on hearsay.

Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets

- Alcoholic beverages

- Avocado

- Chocolate (all forms)

- Coffee (all forms)

- Fatty foods

- Macadamia nuts

- Moldy or spoiled foods

- Onions, onion powder - all forms

- Raisins and grapes

- Salt

- Yeast dough

- Garlic - all forms

- Products sweetened with xylitol - artificial sweetener

Now, if you’re concerned about the pet food recalls and want to try a homemade cat chow and dog chow recipe to keep your pets healthy, here’s one to get you started.

This simple, healthful chow mixture is easy to make for your dogs or cats. I like this recipe because it includes meat, vegetables and rice. I prefer recipes that do not include large quantities of wheat or white flour as main ingredients because many pets can become sensitized to those ingredients.

Meat, Vegie and Rice Stew

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds minced chicken meat or ground hamburger

2 1/2 cups frozen vegetable blend (no garlic or onions), minced

4 cups rice 6 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Place chicken, vegetables, and rice into a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Stir in water until the mixture is smooth. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Everyday Common Sense Precautions

Now that we’ve dealt with the issue of feeding your pets healthy, safe food, the next most important thing for you to remember is to have a qualified veterinarian examine your pet if anything unusual occurs - whether it’s from food or from other products they’re exposed to during an average day. Unusual symptoms might include vomiting, lethargy, listlessness, incontinence, loose bowel, or general loss of appetite.

I like to remind pet owners that their companion animals can be affected by products they are using in their homes or cars where the animals live and ride. For example, most people don’t realize that air fresheners with synthetic chemicals and fragrances settle to the floor where pets walk in the residue, clean their paws and ingest the toxins.

As a result of the indoor pollution many pets are exposed to, we are seeing an increase in the number of chronic illnesses in our pets just as we see the increase in the general human population.

Learn about toxins that can affect your pet’s health, not just about the food they eat. Your pet is counting on you - be their advocate! Look for natural, organic products that are certified by an organization you trust.

Linda Chaé is President & Chief Formulator for Chaé Organics, Inc. and a pioneer in ‘go natural’ skin care for consumers. She is committed to clean, safe toxic free products for the whole family, including pets. Her organic pet waterless shampoo is an easy to use foaming shampoo that requires no water or rinsing. For more information or to order her products, visit http://www.chaeorganics.biz

Article Source: After the Pet Food Recalls, What Can You Feed Your Pets to Keep Them Healthy?