The Best Ethically Sourced Dog Food: Open Farm Humanely & Sustainably Sourced Kibble
When it comes to high-quality ingredients, there are plenty of dog food companies to choose from but not all of them are as strict about their sourcing of ingredients as Open Farm.
This company offers a variety of high-meat, low-carb pet foods made with ethically sourced, antibiotic- and hormone-free, non-GMO recipes .
Choose from premium-quality dry foods, freeze-dried raw foods, wet foods, treats, and supplements including bone broths and grass-fed kefir.
Choose The Best Dog Food Ingredients For Your Furry Friend
Dog food provides the necessary nourishment in fuss-free packaging, making it the ideal food option for your dog. However, its still best to remain vigilant about the contents of your dogs food. Secure your pups health by scrutinizing the ingredients list and knowing what dog food ingredients you should avoid giving your pet.
For more tips and advice on your dogs health, head over to the TPLOinfo blog.
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What Should A Good Dog Food Contain
We have already covered some of the things to consider when choosing a good feed for dogs. In this section we will delve into the ideal composition of dog feed. As dogs are carnivorous animals, the principal ingredient should be protein of animal origin, that is meat or fish. For this reason, when selecting a dog food, in addition to making sure that it is the right range for the characteristics of our dog, we have to look at the list of ingredients.
The problem with dog food composition is that poor legislation means that details of some components or processes are not as specific as we would like. For example, feed may be made from animal by-products, but we may not know their exact contents. Moreover, even this composition can vary from one bag to another in white range feeds, which are of a lower quality.
In any case, we should look for the first ingredient to be meat or fish. Preferably it should be dehydrated since fresh ingredients added during the extrusion process will lose moisture. The resultant product is reduced to approximately half of the declared amount when it reaches the dog. Of course, feed with the highest percentage of meat will be better and the quality will increase depending on the origin of that meat. As we have said, not all the information is going to be reflected in the list of ingredients but we can review the manufacturer’s website or even contact the manufacturer to resolve any doubts.
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Dont Rule Out Byproducts Or Grains
Chicken and meat byproducts get a bad rap, thanks to companies that claim real chicken or real meat ingredients are better. The terms byproduct and byproduct meal refer to ground-up parts of the animal carcass, including bones and organs. But they can be very nutritious, Sanderson says — even more nutritious than the muscle meat that we, as humans, enjoy.Grains and cornmeal are also common ingredients in commercial dog foods — and thats OK, says Joseph Wakshlag, DVM, an associate professor at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Going gluten-free may be a trendy diet for people, but we rarely see dogs with gluten sensitivities.If you do think your pal might be allergic to something in their food, dont make a diagnosis yourself. Ask your veterinarian how to figure out exactly which ingredient to avoid.
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What To Look For In Dog Treats
Dog treats are a whole new world with a plethora of dangerous ingredients. Companies are even more carefree with treats because consumers are less likely to pay attention to whats in them.
Most pet parents dont pay too much attention to treats because it is usually fed in lesser quantities and hence is not believed to be harmful. But remember some treats should be an absolute no go even in small amounts.
Before we look at some ingredients to look for in dog treats, let us look at some ingredients you should avoid.
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The Top 10 Dog Food Ingredients For Your Dogs Good Health
When it comes to feeding your family, you look for the best ingredients possible. You know how important whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins are for growing bodies and good energy. You also know that life just wouldnt be any fun without a treat every now and then! Though we cant always make the perfect choices, we do our best and thats what really matters. So why should it be any different when it comes to feeding your dog? In this article, we hope to expose the poor quality ingredients in dog food as well as the top 10 dog food ingredients to feed your dog.
Why Do Dogs Need Protein
Big or small, your dog needs their protein. Protein supplies the amino acids your dogs body needs in order to build hair, skin, nails, muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. It also plays an important role in helping with hormone production.
Common dog food protein sources include meat, poultry, fish and some plant ingredients like corn gluten and soybean meal. Dogs require essential amino acids that cant all be found in the right balance in single plant-protein sources thats why animal-protein sources are an important part of doggie diets.
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How Much Should I Feed My Dog
Dog obesity is a growing concern in the veterinary community and has been linked to many health problems in dogs. Luckily for our pets, we are usually more disciplined about controlling their diets than we are about controlling our own. Knowing how much to feed your dog and what healthy dog weight looks like can be tricky. Many owners accidentally overfeed their pets, which is why it is important to take your dog in for regular checkups and to talk with your vet about appropriate portions. The guidelines on the back of the bag are just that guidelines. Some dogs may require more than the recommended amount, whereas others require much less. Activity level, time of year, nursing, illness, and more factors can all impact how much a dog needs to eat. Dog people will often advise that you should feed the dog thats in front of you instead of strictly adhering to dog food serving size guidelines that may or may not be exactly what your dog needs.
Choosing The Right Dog Food For Your Lifestyleand Your Budget
Of course, commercially available food isnt the only option for your dog, and for budget-conscious pet people, premium packaged dog food can seem overly expensive. Its true that better ingredients tend to cost more. But the fact is, spending a little more money on food now can mean spending a whole lot less on vet bills down the line.
The same goes for investing time to prepare healthful dog meals at home: extra time now will mean less worry later. And in fact, homemade and raw diets tend to be incredibly cost-efficient if you shop smart . As a bonus, if you make your dogs food, youll know exactly whats on the ingredient list!
Vittles Vault dog-proof 60-lb food storage: $42.24
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Why Is It Important To Find Good Dog Food In India
Feeding a dog good dog food is more than just looking out for their well being. It is a social responsibility. The majority of dog foods and treats in the market are just junk food and while you may argue that the human industry has junk food as well, we usually know what were getting into when we sink our teeth into a burger.
When it comes to dog food, so many unhealthy products are marketed to us as wholesome and nutritional dog food.
The worst thing that we can do for our dogs is to make uninformed decisions for them and pick a cheaper alternative that is doing them a lot more harm than good.
This has more damaging effects than just bad health. Many products have high amounts of unhealthy fats and sugars that lead to weight gain and poorer quality of life. It may even lead to hormonal issues.
If dogs with a poor diet have litters of puppies in the future, they may pass on these harmful genes to their offspring. Most Labradors in India are struggling with obesity. While poor breeding practices are one of the major reasons why obesity is a problem, we cannot omit bad food as well.
Bad eating habits can shorten a pets lifespan and alter genes so there are a lot of damaging effects of picking a cheaper formula. By saving up on a bag of dog food, you may end up spending heavily in the future.
We hope this article helps you make better dietary decisions for your dog. All the best!
What You Dont Want To Buy:
Meat by-products or poultry by-products
Higher-value ingredients are processed and stored more carefully than lower-cost ingredients by the processors.
A generic fat source
Such as animal fat. This can literally be any fat of animal origin, including used restaurant grease and fats derived from roadkill. Poultry fat is not quite as suspect as animal fat, but chicken fat or duck fat is better .
Added sweeteners
Dogs, like humans, enjoy the taste of sweet foods. Sweeteners effectively persuade many dogs to eat foods comprised mainly of grain fragments .
Artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
The color of the food doesnt matter to your dog. And it should be flavored well enough to be enticing with healthy meats and fats. Natural preservatives, such as tocopherols , vitamin C, and rosemary extract, can be used instead. Note that natural preservatives do not preserve foods as long as artificial preservatives, so owners should always check the best by date on the label and look for relatively fresh products.
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Why Do You Need Protein In Dog Food
Protein is essentially a combination of amino acidswhich plays many roles in the body, including maintaining muscle, fur, skin, and nails. Its responsible for making critical components of the immune system and forming enzymes that catalyze chemical reactions in cells.
It is a crucial source of energy for pets. Although some dogs can have a vegetarian diet, its better if it is some form of meat. Now if youre like me, when you first got your pup, everyone and their mom were probably telling you that you have to put your dog on a grain-free diet or a raw diet or something like that.
What Is Dog Food
Dog food is food especially prepared and intended for consumption by dogs. A dog is an omnivore and requires around 37 nutrients, and so dog food manufacturers blend fish, meat, vegetables, cereals, vitamins, and minerals to provide pet dogs with a healthy diet.
As people are becoming more and more concerned about their pets diet, dog food producers are trying to produce food that is high in nutritional values. Throughout Europe and the United States, nutrition experts require dog food authorities to formulate dog food that complies with the dietary guidelines developed by FEDIAF and NRC .
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Huge Variety And Selection
The online platforms around the world are growing exponentially in size, and that applies to the selection of products as well. As they get more popular, more and more brands sign up to sell their products on online platforms.
They have a wide range of products across many categories, divided and organized well. This helps you find exactly what you are looking for easily. You may even get software-generated recommendations for products you may need. This includes dry dog food limited ingredients and many more.
Having a huge variety means that you can assess your preferences and choices. You can choose from a range of alternatives before purchasing. This is often not the case in most physical stores, where there is a limitation to the number of brands.
What To Look For In A Dog Food Brand
Very few products out there are concerned with giving dogs wholesome, species-appropriate nutrition. Many companies are just trying to make a profit.
So, dont pay too much attention to 100% organic or contains real meat on the front of the packaging. Rather, flip the product around and have a look at its ingredients. Heres what you should be looking for:
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The 10 Best Ingredients For Dog Food Every Pet Parent Should Know
For loving pet parents, finding healthy dog food is a must. Just like humans, dogs are what they eat and a balanced diet will help to ensure that your dog is happy and healthy for many years to come. Research shows that a fresh, vet-approved diet has an enormous impact on a dogs well-being. Studies indicate that a diet based on the best, whole-food ingredients prevents heart disease, improves sleep, increases brain function, encourages a shiny coat, and even helps your pup sleep.
Your dogs food needs to be not only fresh, but balanced. Many dog owners make the innocent mistake of cooking their dogs food at home, thinking that this is the most natural route, only to accidentally deprive their dog of essential nutrients. When it comes to commercially-produced dog food, youll often find some healthy ingredients and a lot of other difficult-to-pronounce fillers and potentially-dangerous additives. Remember that when youre reading a dog food label, the ingredients are listed by weight. Look for as much of the good stuff at the top as possible and avoid any food with words you dont recognize.
Here are the most important components of your dogs diet. Every recipe from Ollie dog food includes these ingredients in a formulation that meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages.
What To Look For In Dry Dog Food:
1. Lots of animal protein at the top of the ingredients list
Ingredients are listed by weight, so you want to see a lot of top quality animal protein at the top of the list the first ingredient should be a named animal protein source .
2. A named animal protein
Chicken, beef, lamb, and so on. Meat is an example of a low-quality protein source of dubious origin. Animal protein meals should also be from named species .
3. An animal protein meal in a supporting role when a fresh meat is first on the ingredient list
This is to augment the total animal protein in the diet. Fresh meat contains a lot of water, and water is heavy, so if a fresh meat is first on the list, another source of animal protein should be listed in the top three or so ingredients. Fresh or frozen meats do not contain enough protein to be used as the sole animal protein source in a dry food they contain as much as 65 to 75 percent water and only 15 to 25 percent protein. In contrast, animal protein meals meat, bone, skin, and connective tissue thats been rendered and dried contain only about 10 percent moisture, and as much as 65 percent protein.
4. Whole vegetables, fruits, and grains
5. A best by date thats at least six months away
A best by date thats 10 or 11 months away is ideal it means the food was made very recently. Note: Foods made with synthetic preservatives may have a best by date that is as much as two years past the date of manufacture.
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Essential Elements For Large Breed Dog Food
Large breed dogs food requirements differ from small breed or toy breeds. Your large, bulky friend needs to consume fewer calories per unit body weight as they dont burn their calories fast enough like a mid-sized or smaller breed. Large breed dogs have a big stomach, and they need a feeding formula that provides the right balance of vitamins and other nutrients.
It has been noticed that dog food containing a proper balance of calcium and phosphorus can reduce the risk of orthopedic diseases in large breeds. The kibble size too is bigger in size for large breeds like golden retrievers so they can enjoy chewing and relishing the food with their teeth. Kibble also cleans the large teeth of tartar while chewing process and keeps the teeth healthy.
Also, ensure that the food you are shopping for has real meat, like chicken, as the primary ingredient. That way, you will be providing your dog with high-quality protein in a balanced way, giving your dog healthy muscles and a fit body.
The Buying Guide: Our Advice On How To Buy The Dry Dog Food Limited Ingredients
Before you invest your hard-earned money into a product, you should properly educate yourself about the available products and the best alternatives in the market. We have compiled the list of factors you should consider before buying a dry dog food limited ingredients to make your task easier.
Like almost any product, before buying a dry dog food limited ingredients, you should ask yourself these few questions:
- How reputable are dry dog food limited ingredients in comparison to market competitors?
- How durable and long-lasting are they, and how easy is it to service or fix them if something goes wrong?
- Why is it worth buying dry dog food limited ingredients instead of other products?
- What are some key features and highlights of dry dog food limited ingredients? Are those features worth it for your needs?
- What are some positives and negatives of dry dog food limited ingredients, and how do they affect your user experience?
- Where can you buy dry dog food limited ingredients and service or repair it if necessary?
These are just some of the questions that you need to seek the answer to when purchasing the product. It is essential to keep in mind that you may have further queries and questions, as you should.
These are just a few considerations that we consider absolutely crucial. You can find detailed answers to almost all of your questions by some internet research or even by trying out the product at the store.
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