6 Things To Keep In Mind Before Buying Dog Food

Making sure we feed our beloved dogs correctly is as important as ensuring we feed ourselves correctly. For our furry friends, a balanced diet is essential to promote good health and well-being.

Vitamins and minerals have many benefits and good canine food has been specially formulated to include these. Here are a few tips to make the choice easier:

• It’s important to research the various brands of dog food available. Fancy expensive wrapping doesn’t necessarily mean the brand is better than another. Do not be taken in by advertising gimmicks designed with sales taking precedence over canine health.
• Consider the age of your dog. Dog food is readily available for the various age groups, e.g. small pellets for small dogs to make chewing easier. An older dog may have problems with his teeth and might benefit from softer food. Puppies/kittens, adult dogs/cats and seniors all have specific needs which must be taken into consideration.
• The type of food is also important. It’s generally advisable to feed our dogs both dry and wet food, dry food having more nutrients but wet food having more moisture content and being easier to swallow.
• Be a discerning shopper. Just as we are trained to check labels on our own food, so we should be just as conscientious when choosing food for our devoted dogs. Marketers often appeal to our love of color and texture to persuade us to buy a product, so it’s doubly important to check that what we see is what we get.
• It may be useful to keep a diary of your dog’s eating habits as you learn to spot his likes and dislikes. This can also help you to make important changes if necessary.
• Introduce new foods slowly. Some dogs are distrusting when faced with something new and may need to be gently persuaded. In this way, you will also be able to check that no adverse reactions are experienced.

What do you keep in mind before buying dog food? Let us know in the comments!

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