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Guest Writer: Brenda Nelson

My food says its good?

All pet foods say they are good, but as a rule many commercially available dog foods use a lot of filler. As a result the dog must eat more food to get at the nutrition. Lower quality foods also use FAT to give the pet a glossy coat. Many owners feel a glossy coat = a healthy pet = good food.

Unfortunately because of lower quality ingredients, the dog must eat a lot more food, thereby eating a lot more fat. Thus contributing to obesity and other health problems.

The first 5 ingredients are the ones you want to pay most attention to. If the top ingredient is a good meat source, but the remaining four are all cheap filler, your food may not the best.

Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, and Lamb Meal are good. One of these should be the first ingredient listed on your bag (with the exception of senior food for overweight dogs). Fish Meal is something that some breeds, particularly northern breeds used for mushing, benefit from.

On the other hand “Meat Meal” or “Animal Fat” are bad. Any unspecified meat is mystery meat. It can come from ANY animal that died and was rendered that day. Mystery meat contributes to food allergies.

Beef, Pork, Wheat, and Soy are among the top 5 allergy causing ingredients for dogs (the other being corn). If your dog has “hot spots” or itchy areas check the ingredient list and avoid these ingredients.

Some breeds, have problems digesting soy, and it has been linked to causing behavioral problems. Corn and Corn Gluten Meal are fillers of no nutritional value and corn is a common allergen. Corn is a carbohydrate, and should never be higher than fourth on your pets food ingredient list. Carbs may make your doggie fat!

By-Products are one of the worst ingredients, they are a cheap filler of low digestibility. By-Products are waste left over by the rendering process. Beaks, feet, undeveloped eggs, intestines and even feathers. Not exactly yummy. But even worse is that by-products are preserved with a nasty chemical pesticide known as Ethoxyquin.

Ethoxyquin is a chemical pesticide considered so bad it is banned from use in some countries. It may be used on its own or hidden in the by-Product and as such is considered part of the by-product so may or may not appear listed on the ingredient list. It has been linked to health problems.

• BHT and BHA are cheap chemical preservatives, used in lower quality pet foods. Both have been linked to numerous health problems.
• Tocopherols (Vitamin E) is a more expensive preservative. It is natural, safe, and will preserve a food up to 12 months
• Yucca is a lesser ingredient used primarily to help control odor in the stool. Also believed to help with arthritis
• Glucosamine/Chondroitin are good, especially for older dogs, and large breed dog, they are believed to help with arthritis and joint health, and often used for arthritis.

Food and Feeding - Tips and Information…

Large Breed dogs require food for Large Breed dogs, particularly when they are pups – you really want to SLOW DOWN their growth so their joints are not stressed too quickly, these dogs often can be fed puppy food up to 18 or 24 months of age.

Every food markets itself as the BEST! I caution you not to take the advice from any one who sells a particular kind of dog food they are making money by promoting that food and will only tell you good things. This even includes veterinarians. They are paid to sell certain foods.

The amount of food to feed your dog will depend on the quality of the food – foods should have feeding guidelines on the side of the bad, you should break up the daily amount into two or three feedings (three if its a smaller breed, or a pup). If your dog is obese, follow the guideline for the weight the dog should be, not the weight the dog is.

Cost does not determine quality. Some food companies inflate their price so you think its better food, others have their prices higher because of paying for veterinarian endorsement. Food made in your own country may be less costly than a product made elsewhere.

If the food indicates that it is Human Grade, that is even better, as it indicates the food is fit for human consumption. If it does not say human grade then it can even be meat from animals who were euthanized, or died of other causes before reaching the rendering plant.

Always feed your dog out of a Ceramic or Stainless Steel bowl. Plastic bowls cannot be properly disinfected and can harbor bacteria, and give your dog acne.

By Brenda Nelson

(Brenda developed her love for animals at an early age, being the daugher of a zoologist. She eventually attended College to study horses and learn how to train them.  Aftter working with horses for several years she started working at an SPCA, which is a non-profit animal shelter.  She studied pet behavior and nutrition.  Currently living in Alberta, Canada, she has several pets of her own and writes numerous articles on pet care.  She is also active as an artist. )

Do you love your dog? Of course you do!

You want to give him the best of everything to make him a happy, healthy, fun-loving, good looking and smart dog.

I am sure you spend generously to afford him the best of food and care. But… wait a minute … Are you sure you are giving him the best food? Do commercial dog foods provide the right type of nutrition? Are you justified in spending a fortune on them.

Some of the are really good! The dog food is prepared in the most stringent conditions of hygiene with the safest and most nutritious of ingredients…

But how do you know the food you have bought has been prepared thus? Are you sure that the food does not contain harmful levels of chemicals added to increase the shelf life of the food? Do you know the meat used in the food came from healthy animals? Read Food Allergies in Dogs to know a litlle more about the chemicals used in commercial dog foods.

So how do you provide safe food for your dog? How are you sure that the food you just bought off the shelf will will not harm your dog? Stop worrying…There is a very simple and ingenious way to obliterate these problems… Start preparing your dog’s meals! No it is not too difficult and no it does not consume too much time…

How do you start? Have a look at the recipes on the net. There are millions! Which are the best.?… This is where Dog Care Reviews comes in. We present to you our first e-book called “101 DELICIOUS RECIPES FOR YOUR PET DOG”! It contains 101 simple, easy to prepare recipes that provide nutrition and good health to your dog.

The ingredients in the book are easily available and most recipes include lots of fresh vegetables, cooked eggs, and wholewheat flour. These recipes are hand-me-downs from generations of dog lovers. Just prepare any of these meals and watch your dog lap it all up joyfully. It would really take a load off your mind becuse you know now that your canine friend is definitely eating healthy!

As it is the first book to be marketed on this site we are offering it at a nominal price of $24.95. Consider it a wise investment to ward of your astronomical commercial dog food bills! And there is good news for Click2sell members! Samantha is offering a 50% commission for every sale of the book… So those who become affiliates earn a cool $12 for every member who buys the book from their affiliate links!

What are you waiting for? Reach out for the book, now!