{"id":492,"date":"2019-09-05T13:40:24","date_gmt":"2019-09-05T13:40:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/doggiestepsdogtraining.com\/?p=492"},"modified":"2022-03-22T16:42:58","modified_gmt":"2022-03-22T16:42:58","slug":"dog-food-friend-or-foe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doggiestepsdogtraining.com\/blog\/dog-food-friend-or-foe\/","title":{"rendered":"Dog Food – Friend or Foe?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I find it funny how some dog owners have NO idea what they\u2019re feeding their dogs; \u201cThis is what I\u2019ve always fed FIDO, and he seems to like it.\u201d Upon years of observing dog behavior and health trends, I have noted how the longevity and quality of a dog\u2019s health is directly related to the food eaten.<\/p>\n

I have recently adopted the attitude that I will NOT feed my dogs anything that I wouldn\u2019t eat. Holding true to this philosophy, below are a few simple tips to ensuring your dog will be treated to a well balanced meal and not leftovers from who knows where:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Dog food nutritional standards.<\/strong> According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), all of a pet\u2019s dietary needs (ie..proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals) must be present in every meal. The AAFCO approval label is found on 95% of all dog food, including those that have inferior nutritional value. So, how do we know that the food is actually nutritionally sound for our dogs? Do your homework!!<\/li>\n
  2. Read the ingredients label on your dog food bag.<\/strong> Most inexpensive dry dog foods contain \u201cfillers\u201d such as corn, millet, wheat, and rice, ALL of which are not natural in a dog\u2019s diet. Be aware that the first 5 ingredients on the ingredients label will comprise over 85% of the food\u2019s content. If any of the following ingredients are currently listed on your dry food, BEWARE!! *4-D: comprised of meat from dead animals, including the possibility of tainted and\/or diseased meat. *Propylene Glycol: a preservative thought to have the similar molecular structures to that of antifreeze. *BHA & BHT: a suspected carcinogen. *Ethoxyquin: a major preservative used in rubber tires, and sometimes in dog food as a synthetic antioxidant to keep fats from turning rotten.<\/li>\n
  3. Find a Veterinarian who practices \u201cHolistic\u201d Medicine.<\/strong> Today, most traditional vets don\u2019t even own a dog!! They recommend a dog food that \u201ccoincides\u201d with your dog\u2019s current ailment, and will most often recommend a steroid injection (cortisone) to mask the symptoms of the dog\u2019s illness while not treating the actual disease. It\u2019s nice to have a vet who will assess your dog\u2019s history of illness and prescribe the appropriate foods and recovery program to establish a healthy nutritional balance.<\/li>\n
  4. Finally \u2013 What to feed your dog.<\/strong> A raw, homemade diet is often chosen by dog owners who want to provide the freshest organic meats, vegetables, and proteins to their dogs. This often requires a lot of work, time, and money. To satisfy your dog\u2019s appetite, the following dry dog foods have been tested\/qualified to be the top dry brands for both overall nutritional balance, and immune strength: Innova, Eagle Pack, Canidae, Wellness, Fromm\u2019s, Solid Gold, Canine Caviar, California Natural, Natural Planet Organics, and Prairie. ALL OF THESE FOODS ARE MADE IN THE U.S.A. These same brands have wet food to accompany the dry. I recommend a tablespoon of wet food daily for added protein and flavor.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If we eat at McDonald\u2019s every day, we get overweight and a triple bypass at the age of 62. Eating with natural\/organic food in mind, we can achieve better future health and the comfort of knowing that our immune system is more resilient against disease. So, the next time you\u2019re thinking about saving a few bucks by buying the cheapest dog food at your local supermarket, think twice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    I find it funny how some dog owners have NO idea what they\u2019re feeding their dogs; \u201cThis is what I\u2019ve always fed FIDO, and he seems to like it.\u201d Upon years of observing dog behavior and health trends, I have noted how the longevity and quality of a dog\u2019s health is directly related to the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dog-nutrition"],"yoast_head":"\nDog Food - Friend or Foe? - Doggie Steps Dog Training<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/doggiestepsdogtraining.com\/blog\/dog-food-friend-or-foe\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Dog Food - Friend or Foe? 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