Monday, January 30, 2012

What is the best food for my pet?

By Lori Blauert 
Owner IB Pet

What is the best food for my pet?
Being an owner of a pet store I get this question a lot from my customers and there isn't a simple answer to this question.  What is best for your dog might not be best for mine.  Should you really feed your pet the same thing everyday?  I know I wouldn't want to eat the same thing everyday so why would I do that to my pet?  I find that variety is key in feeding your pet the BEST diet. There are some things you need to know when selecting a new food for your pet.

1) Read the Ingredients
Ingredients from Nature's Variety Instinct Raw Chicken
The first piece of advice I always offer my customers is to read the label.  The ingredients will be listed in order of greatest to least of quantity in the food.  If corn is the first thing listed then that bag of food contains more corn then anything else and your going to want to throw that bag down and run out the store screaming!  Ok, maybe not, but you don't want to buy that food for your pet.  Find a food that's first ingredients are meats such as chicken, lamb or fish.

Stay away from meat by-products!  These are animals products that are NOT fit for human consumption...in other words waste (necks, heads, feet, undeveloped babies, and intestines) that would otherwise be trashed by the slaughterhouse but instead these by-products are sold to pet food companies to make pet food.  Yuck!

Avoid food with excessive fillers such as corn, wheat soy, and even rice.  Dogs and cats are carnivores and they thrive on a diet rich in meats not grains and starches.

2) Choose Natural and Organic
Just like most of us do when selecting food for ourselves to eat, I always recommend selecting a food for your pet that is as natural as possible.  Look for meats that are hormone and anti-biotic free and if you can afford it obviously organic is best.  Feeding your pet natural and/or organic foods can help limit skin allergies, improve energy and help your pet maintain a healthier weight.  

3) Moisture is Important
If you're feeding a dry kibble add water to it or incorporate canned and/or raw into your pets diet. Dogs and cats are not designed to eat dry food on a regular basis.  If you think about what they would be eating in the wild, it's far from what most of us feed our dogs and cat everyday.  In the wild your cat would be eating birds and mice and your dog would be scavenging and hunting small animals.  It's natural for them to have a moist diet and moisture aids in proper digestion.  Kidney and bladder stones have also been linked to a lack of moisture in the diet. Cats specifically thrive on a wet food diet with very little or no grains or vegetables.

Tip: My cats are pretty picky eaters and turn their nose up to many of the raw diets I have offered them but they LOVE Rad Cat.  So if you have a picky kitty and want to get them on raw I highly recommend it!

4) Feed a Variety
THK Verve Mixed with Taste Of the Wild Grain Free Kibble
I like to feed a variety of foods to my pets.  I switch up the proteins daily instead of only feeding chicken or beef.  I find that mixing it up keeps my allergy prone pup's symptoms under control because he is not being overly exposed to one specific type of meat.

I prefer to feed raw frozen to my dogs and cats. When I feed dry kibble it is grain free and I mixed with raw, canned or a rehydrated food such as The Honest Kitchen, Sojo's or Artisan by Grandma Lucy's.

I will also feed my dogs raw frozen bones a few times a week.  I feed it as a meal replacement and they LOVE it! It's also excellent for their teeth!

5) Transition Slowly
If you are thinking about changing your pets food, do it slowly.  Switching your pets diet too quickly can result in an upset tummy or ever lose stool.  If you are thinking about introducing raw in your pets diet start with just adding 1 or 2 ounces of meat (depending on the size of your pet) to their regular food.  You might always want to think about adding a probiotics to your pets food to help with digestion.  Probiotics are "good" bacteria or enzymes that naturally exist in your pets intestinal tract.  Years of feeding the same commercial dog food or if your pet has received antibiotics can deplete these good bacteria which can lead to digestive problems.

Feeding your pet a well balanced diet can lead to many long happy years with your pet.  :)

Posted by Anonymous at 3:30 PM

5 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 31, 2012 at 1:38 PM

    Great write up Lori. I think this lays the ground work for an awesome series on pet nutrition.

    ReplyDelete
  2. productszaNovember 24, 2013 at 10:13 AM

    Thank you for sharing blog. Lot of information wrote here. A nutritious, balanced diet is essential to keeping your dog healthy.
    Dog food

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amy WatsonOctober 22, 2018 at 12:03 PM

    VitaLife Natural Diets TM dry dog food and cat food offers the ease and convenience of typical kibble with the benefits of a raw diet. This special blend of food containing freeze-dried raw bites of meat delivers the nutritious goodness, essential nutrients, and flavor of raw meat that your pets will love. Best dry dog food brands

    ReplyDelete
  4. usamaMarch 27, 2021 at 3:51 AM

    I would like to say that this blog really convinced me to do it! Thanks, very good post. flavors food

    ReplyDelete
  5. Alia parkerAugust 13, 2023 at 9:19 AM

    While choosing a dog food feeder, take into account factors such as your dog's size, dietary preferences, and any potential health considerations. Introduce the feeder gradually to ensure your dog adapts comfortably. Always consult your veterinarian to establish an optimal feeding schedule and portion sizes that uphold your dog's overall well-being.

    ReplyDelete

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