Dog Food Label
Have you ever read the label on your dog’s bag of kibble? It can be quite confusing.
However, if you learn to interpret the information on the label, you’ll learn a great deal about what’s in your dog’s food.
The first thing to understand is that the ingredients are listed as a percentage of the dry content of the food, rather than the whole food. Different foods have different moisture content; canned foods may contain up to 80% water, whereas dry kibble has less than 10% water. Measuring ingredients as a percentage of dry matter allows you to accurately compare the nutrient content of the two foods.
The next important thing to keep in mind is that ingredients are listed in order of quantity. So, if the first three ingredients are corn meal, chicken and rice, this means that there is more corn meal than chicken in that particular food. Cereals cost less than meat, so in general, inexpensive dog foods contain more cereal than meat.
More expensive foods usually have higher meat protein content, so you’re likely to see beef, chicken or lamb at the top of the ingredient list. Keep in mind that there is a difference between meat and meat by products. Meat is the muscle from a chicken, lamb or cow, whereas meat by-products include other parts of the animal, including liver, kidney, bone and blood. These ingredients do have nutritional value, but they’re not as costly as a food containing higher levels of lean meat.
Dog foods also contain cereals to provide energy, minerals and vitamins, and preservatives.
The Association of American Feed Control Officials is responsible for devising standards for dog foods. For a dog food to meet their standards, it must have been fed to a group of dogs for 6 months, and been found to provide adequate nutrition. That’s all. There’s nothing to say that a food that meets the standards is enough to maintain an animal in good health for longer periods of time.
There are several things to take into account when choosing a food for your dog. Firstly, consider the age of your dog. Young puppies are growing rapidly, yet have only a small stomach. Puppy food contains more calories than adult food, so your pup gets more energy in a smaller quantity. They also have measured amounts of calcium, because feeding too much calcium to your pup is as dangerous as giving him not enough of the mineral.
If you own an adult dog, there are a wide range of dietary choices. Look closely at the fat content. Unlike people, dogs don’t use carbohydrates for energy; they use the fat content of their meal. An average adult dog only needs a maximum of 10% fat in their diet. If your dog is particularly active, you may want to choose a food with up to 15% fat. You may be surprised to learn that the diet of racing sled dogs contains up to 70% fat!
Senior dog diets usually contain fewer calories, and may have added glucosamine to support their elderly joints.
Secondly, what is your budget? Premium foods containing high levels of meat protein are expensive. Cheap foods, which are predominantly cereal based, may cause diarrhea and a dry dull coat. Ideally, choose a food that has meat listed as one of the first two ingredients, and is affordable. Most dogs will do very well on a middle of the range food.
Lastly, don’t blindly follow the feeding recommendations on the packet; let your dog’s condition be your guide. Some foods are very generous with their suggested feeding amounts, and your dog will gain weight very quickly. Don’t be afraid to reduce the amount you’re feeding your dog, to prevent him becoming obese.
—————————-
This guest post is brought to you by Dog Fence DIY’s staff veterinarian Dr. Susan Wright. Dog Fence DIY will help you choose which system is right for your pet, help you install it, and help you train your pet to use your new pet containment system. Dog Fence DIY has the Petsafe Stubborn Dog Fence system at the best available price.
Tweet This Post 
Plurk This Post 
Buzz This Post 
Delicious 
Digg This Post 
Ping This Post 
Reddit This Post 
Stumble This Post
Tagged as:
AAFCO,
association of american feed control officials,
canned food,
DIY,
Dog Fence,
Dog Food,
dry food,
Petsafe Stubborn Dog Fence
