The nuts and bolts of good dog nutrition
Nutrition can be a confusing and controversial subject, but here you will get the basics of
what nutrition is and what it is not. There all many opinions about pet nutrition, as there
are many opinions about human nutrition. This article will lay out many options for you,
so ultimately you can decide what to feed your dog having the knowledge you need to
make that decision. There are many foods out there, many are good and many are not. It
is important to be sure your dog is getting the right nutrients, the right calories and to be
sure that the food is indeed the right food for him.
One of the most important things you should look for in a dog food is the AAFCO
(Association of American Feed Control Officials) label. AAFCO is similar to the FDA in
the human world that regulates the animal food that is sold in the US. The AAFCO label
is usually found around the ingredient area of the bag. The higher quality foods will have
gone through feeding trials with their foods and animals have been fed the food and have
been tested using AAFCO protocols proving the food to be of nutritional value. This
label will read “Complete and balanced nutrition for adult maintenance based on AAFCO
protocol feeding studies conducted at the ABC dog food center” or “Animal feeding tests
using AAFCO procedures substantiate that ABC dog food provides complete and
balanced nutrition for the growth of puppies and maintenance of adults”. You want to be
looking for something that indicates that have spent time to research that the food is good
quality food by doing feeding trials. Don’t be fooled by “ABC dog food is formulated to
meet AAFCO dog food nutrient profile for maintenance of adult dogs” because this food
has not been tested and the quality of the food may not be good. They may have the
“correct” percent of protein or carbohydrate but the quality may be poor.
Allergies or not? That is a big question for many dog owners and people these days.
This is a question you should be talking to your veterinarian about, not the pet store.
Allergies are very complicated and are not always food related. Although your dog can
be allergic to a food, he can also be allergic to human dander. When dogs have allergies,
they often exhibit their allergy through itching and poor coat. This can be for any type of
allergy, so before you start changing food, talk to your Veterinarian.
Corn gets a bad rap! On forth of July or any other BBQ we love to have our corn, but if
we see it in dog food you’d think we were adding arsenic! Corn is more than just a
“filler” in dog food because there is nutritional value in it. It is a good quality complex
carbohydrate, contains linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid for healthy skin), essential
amino acids and is a good source of fiber. It is also accused of being a highly allergic,
but in Veterinary literature there are less than 3% reported cases of corn allergies. If you
think of people, there are not many people allergic to corn either.
Kibble or Raw? Regardless of if you decide to feed kibble or raw you must be sure it is
good quality either way. For many people a good quality kibble is easier to prepare and
more cost effective and most dogs are very happy with that. If you want to feed raw,
there are some pre-made brands that are good quality that have done feeding trials, you
just have to do your research. If you decide to make your own raw you must work with a
Board Certified Nutritionist so you make sure you are giving your dog all the nutrients he
needs! UC Davis will work with you Veterinarian to formulate a diet for your pet. One
other caution with raw is that you are dealing with raw meat, so be cautious with
handling- wash food bowls thoroughly after every meal, don’t leave “left overs” in the
bowl and keep small children away from the raw meat.
Holistic or Traditional dog food? This is where more personal choice and cost comes
into play. There are food from both arena that have gone through AAFCO feeding trials
and are very good foods. Typically, the holistic or “natural” foods are more expensive
and can be more difficult to get. This is where you must decide on your own lifestyle and
what to feed?
Do you eat all organic? Do your children?
Does the benefit outweigh the cost?
Which food does your dog eat the best?
Often time’s people get stuck feeling that they “must” do this or “must” do that. This
peer pressure can make them spend more money on dog food than they spend on
themselves! In this situation, find a good quality food that fits you and your dog best.