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Friday, September 17, 2010

choosing the right dog food ...the search part 1

     It is now the 17th of September and my puppy is still in utero.  We decided to take the extra time Pumpkin has so generously given us to get together a few essentials for our puppy homecoming. Who would've thought something as essential as food could get so complicated.

          It is difficult for a pet parent and even more so for a new puppy parent to make the right decision. There is so much information out there that it is difficult to make out what is helpful and what can be misleading. This is the very beginning of my search for the right dog food and I can already see the information will be helpful to the pet parents of other animals too.

       What you feed your pet will be a major factor in his or her health and over all well being. There are many choices out there but unfortunately when it comes to do food you get what you pay for. The cheap dog food that can so easily be found in your local pet chain or supermarket is more often then not the wrong choice. In the long run what you feel you may be saving now will cost you a lot more in the future. Consider the thousands of dollars pet parents pet every year to in medical bills. A word of caution when I say cheap i dont just mean the store brand food but also that "premium" food that you are paying extra for, I wont go into brand names now but lets just say you see their commercials often and everywhere. 

    The type of food you choose will help your dog develop at the correct rate and this may help avoid future health proplems of the hips and joints.  Proper nutrition will help regulate their energy levels, sugar levels and a good meal will help them feel fuller longer and prevent incesant and unnecessary chewing of everything they can get their little paws on.
        
       Quality food will not only prolong the life of your pup but will make it a life they will enjoy living. Do not be fooled by the empty promises of many of these pet store cheaper brands of dog food, of natural feed, of premium puppy food. Read labels make a habit out of it, become and expert in your own way. learn what animal by products are, what chicken meal means, what corn meal is and what beet pulp. And research why exactly these companies are putting these things in your dog food, when you do you will realize why you dont want to put this in your dog.

       Quality dog food does not have to force you to buy expensive feed either, there is also a lot of information on feeding your dog a raw meat diet. As with everything do your research first. Ask others what they feed their dog, as your vet, others at your dog park and look into local independantly owned pet supply stores. these are usually run by owners that are conscious enough to actually know about their products. They might prove to be an essential tool.

       This is a complex topic. One on which the experts dont even agree with each other. But that is because there are many ways of feediing your pet correctly. There is however one wrong way and that is thinking that cheaper food is a bargain. Its not in the long run and it is not good for your pet.

     I will be posting soon with more information in the mean time remember to keep an open mind and to inform your self by reading lables so when you read something either here or somewhere else you will recognize it and remember which brands put this in their food. For starters look for things you DO recognize like chicken or lamb or any thing else that is meat. the closer to the top on the list that this is the better it should be at the very top if not first. Dont be fooled by high percentages of protein and low percent of fat. When take into consideration the quality of this protein more is not better. So stay tuned and please as always your comments are welcomed and appreciated. You might end up helping me on my search for quality pet food.


Pedigree is hosting a 'Write a Post, Help a Dog' project.  For every blog post written about the Pedigree adoption drive until September 19, the company will donate a twenty pound bag of their Healthy Longevity Food for Dogs to a shelter.


Also, for every "like" they get on their Facebook page, Pedigree will donate one bowl of food to a shelter dog.

Fellow bloggers, get writing and become a fan of Pedigree and feed shelter dogs!

Once you write you blog post the link to this site so Pedigree will see it and make sure that your blog accounted for.

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for participating in this campaign! It's exciting to watch the number of posts shoot up and up! Good luck on your quest for quality dog food, too! I know it's something we take very seriously here at our house.

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