Many brands of pet food supply highly processed options which are incredibly unhealthy for an animal, especially dogs that require a diet that consists of 40% protein, 30% starch and 30% fiber. When perusing through the ingredients on the labels of dog food you must make sure that the first ingredient is protein enriched and does not contain meat byproducts. Items like cornmeal have no value to a dog and are often used as mere filler.
A vegetarian diet is much better than the cheap commercial brands on sale. Dogs need protein but it can be derived from sources other than animals. Holistic dog foods are also a healthy option as they contain human grade ingredients and are entirely natural. Preservatives may be needed to keep the food fresh but they do not have to be artificial or unhealthy.
Raw food diets are also popular options as healthy dog food as they are considered to be the most natural options for a dog. Probably the best way to ensure that your dog is eating healthy dog food is to create it yourself based on the nutritional requirement advice given to you by your vet upon examination of your dog.
Switching to Healthy Dog Food
Pet owners who feed their dogs cheap and processed brands of food may notice that their animals do not have as much energy as other dogs, have dull coats and are often sick, with many visits to the vet having stemmed from food allergy problems. The best and quickest solution to this is to switch to healthy dog food, either a better quality brand or diet.
A well balanced and nutrition enriched diet will clear up a lot of afore mentioned side effects of a poor diet. Switching to healthy dog food should be done slowly however as the dog needs to get used to a different type of diet and a total detox from their previous diet can be a shock to the system.
The dog may even turn his nose up at healthy dog food at first but gradually it will become his first choice. It is advisable to add the healthier food to the diet slowly in addition to the old food. Splitting the portions will ease the dog into the new diet. Steadily add more healthy food and offer less of the cheaper stuff until the dog’s diet consists solely of healthy dog food. The long-term benefits provide a multitude of reasons to do this.
