Choosing healthy dog food for your companion is indeed becoming a complicated task, what with the large variety of food available in the market today. The sheer choices available in dog food makes selecting any one healthy dog food a tough task. There are, however, some guidelines that can help you in this process.

The most important thing to do when choosing healthy dog food is to read the label. Some of the most common ingredients are Alfalfa Meal, Animal Digest, Animal fat, barley, Beef, Beet pulp, Brown rice, Carrots, Chicken, Chicken liver, Corn, Corn Bran, Dried kelp, Dried Milk Protein, Oatmeal, Fish meal, Turkey, Whey etc.

As dogs are mostly carnivorous by nature, the most nutritious diet for dogs is chicken based. Dogs tend to digest chicken faster than lamb. Look out for what kind of meat meal is provided. Plain "Meat meal" alone would not suffice. In healthy dog food, meat byproducts do not include horn, hair, teeth, hooves, manure or feathers. However, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brains and intestines are allowed. While this may sound gross to humans, these organ foods are very high in vitamins and minerals.

Corn or corn product is something to watch out for. Wheat also is a bit of an allergen in some dogs. So, these are not welcome in the healthy dog food category. Soy products are also taboo for this same reason.

A typical dog needs 40% meat, 30% fiber and 30% starch. The healthy dog food will contain nutrients in this ratio. Animal protein is a must in healthy dog food. The amount of preservatives has to be kept low, and these need not be artificial carcinogenic chemicals. While choosing the healthy dog food brands, going for the medium priced ones is probably the best. Do not go for the cheapest varieties, as these are seldom the best. If it's unhealthy for you, it is probably unhealthy for the dog too. So, sugary food high in fat definitely does not come under the healthy dog food category.

The latest fad that has hit the healthy dog food market is BARF - Bones and Raw Food. This refers to piles of fresh raw meat piled on top of some bones. Dogs usually gobble this up with great gusto. The bones in the food help the dog to avoid periodontal diseases. However, the claims of BARFers must be taken with a little caution. Raw food will contain bacteria that may be life threatening.

Many people consider supplementing to be an important part of the healthy dog food. Many vital nutrients and proteins are added as supplements. But, supplementing has to be done carefully. Sometimes, over supplementing can upset the balance of the food. Extra calcium or meat is not always good. Adding yogurt to the dog's food is a healthy option. Yogurt contains lost of good bacteria that aids digestion.

Lite or diet foods cannot be termed as healthy dog food. Most of the lite food contains fillers. To choose the healthy dog food for your companion, you will have to evaluate the calorie distribution in the food. This will vary from dog to dog. Dogs that are growing and will be reproducing will require different nutrient levels, and adult maintenance in dogs will have a separate set of requirements.

Do not assume that healthy human food makes healthy dog food. Dogs can become sick if they eat grapes and other "human" stuff. While changing the diet of your dog, do so slowly. If there are any undesirable results, switch back to the food he was previously eating.

Most of the premium or middle varieties of dog food available today are healthy dog food. There is hardly any need to add supplements, unless your dog has a particular deficiency that needs to be supplemented. Healthy dog food will also produce healthy poop, and this is a good indication of the quality of the dog food you are using.

Dog Food Articles

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History of dog food - A review of the history of dog food and how dog food as developed over the years.
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Poisonous Food For Dogs - An article about different types of food that are poisonous for dogs.