How to Choose the Best Food

Here's a very helpful article I found on how to choose the best possible food for your dog or cat. As many of us already know, natural food is essential in preventing and alleviating food allergies, keeping coats shiny, decreasing shedding, and keeping your pet healthy overall, but this article pinpoints how exactly to tell if a food is actually "Natural" or not. Enjoy!

If you have any questions as far as the quality of a specific brand, feel free to ask me. I'd be happy to help! Also, anyone at Treats Unleashed is a great source of knowledge about natural food, and they have plenty of brands to choose from.



How to choose an all natural, nutritious food for your dog
Reported by: Denise Naughton
Email: dnaughton@abc15.com
Last Update: 7/15 1:49 pm

We all love our pets and of course want the best for them.

With the number of pet food recalls in recent years a lot of people are starting to pay more attention to the ingredients, but still we are likely to let the quality slip when it comes to our pet's food.

According to Jillian Plaster, owner of The Good Dog Food Company, the best thing you can do for your dog is provide a healthy and balanced diet made with high quality ingredients.

There are many options available to choose from so Plaster says it is important to educate yourself and take the time to read product labels.

Here are some of Plaster's helpful tips on how to choose the right food for your dog.

Look for animal proteins at the top of the ingredients list:
Animal proteins are more of higher biological value to dogs than plant sourced proteins, such as corn.

Avoid foods that contain meat by-products or poultry by-products:
If you see an ingredient you would never eat yourself then you should look for another brand. If it's not good enough for you it's not good enough for your dog.

Look for whole vegetables, fruits, and grains:
Fresh, unprocessed food ingredients contain wholesome nutrients such as vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants. They are also less likely to have any impurities.

Avoid food with fillers, such as corn, wheat, or added sweeteners:
Many pet food companies use cheap ingredients that are calorically dense but not very nutritious. Some examples of this include corm, wheat, and brewers rice.

Organic ingredients, locally sourced ingredients:
Both are better for our planet. Organic ingredients may be especially appropriate for dogs with cancer, chemical sensitivities, or other serious health problems.

Avoid foods with added preservatives, such as BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin

Only buy food from a store that specializes in all-natural pet food:
Staff are generally very helpful and you can be confident that what you buy will be better than any of the brands available at mega pet store chains.