Healthy Dog Food For A Healthy Shih Tzu

Article by Richard Cussons

You definitely know that what your shih tzu eats affects his health. Feeding of appropriate dog food guarantees you a health and happy shih tzu, while poor or low quality food will only cause health issues. Now, as a responsible dog owner who wants nothing but his dog to be healthy and happy, you have to make sure that he is getting the right foods with nutrients he needed to grow.

Know that a shih tzu is a picture of a lively, alert, proud and somewhat stubborn little dog with luxurious coat. If you want your shih tzu to remain in this condition, you have to be wary of what he is putting into his mouth.

In the olden days, and even until now, dogs are fed with table scraps. Who can say no to begging eyes and floppy ears? These expressions will surely steal your heart and prompt you to toss him one half of the chocolate you are eating. But you will definitely promise not to give Fluffy even just a slice of cadbury when you will find out that chocolates contain theobromine and caffeine that are toxic to dogs. Ingestion of chocolate can cause vomiting, excessive urination, hyperactivity, fast breathing, weakness and seizures. Other table scraps to avoid are onions and garlics, spicy, salty or fried foods, rich foods that are high in fat such as meats with heavy sauces.

When feeding commercial dog foods, examine the ingredients carefully to make sure it is healthy. The most important are the first five or ten ingredients which include chicken meal, lamb meal and venison meal. Grains are good source of energy, however, if the first ingredient is corn or rice, that food is not recommended. The best grains for dogs are rolled oats, barley, quinoa, millet and brown rice. These grains should be used in whole form so that it supplies more fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Shih tzus are prone to health issues such as portosystemic liver funck, anal dysplasia, hip dysplasia as well as ear, eye and respiratory problems. This breed also gain weight easily. Special dietary should be provided if a dog is suffering from any of these health issues.

There are various brands of pet foods available in the market. But the bottom line is, don’t be deceive by the colorful, glossy pack and great advertisements. Find out what’s best for your dog.

www.dinovite.com Are you tired of all of these pet food recalls? Let Cindy show how YOU can control what goes into your pet’s food in a very affordable way. *We are not saying that this is the only way to feed your pets…it’s just the healthiest thing that we have seen yet, and it works for us. We just wanted to share this with you all. This recipe would feed a 22lb dog for about 2 weeks. Dinovite’s Homemade Raw Diet Recipe – 5lbs of Ground Beef – 9 Hardboiled Eggs (with the shells) – 2-3 cups of White Rice – 1/2 a Tube of LickOchops – Dinovite Liquid Daily Packs To figure out how much to make for more or bigger dogs, here is the formula for the diet: (Dog’s Weight) X .02 (a couch potato dog) .025 (a dog of normal activity) = the amount of food per day .03 (super active dog) = the amount of food to feed your dog per day
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Can Healthy Cat Food Contain Preservatives?

Article by Madeleine Innocent

In this day and age of the mighty dollar masquerading as king, it becomes more and more difficult to trust businesses who have a vested interest in gaining your sale. As cats can’t talk to us, or perhaps I should say, as we can’t hear what cats are telling us, we don’t have that all important input to know if we are providing our cats with a healthy cat food.

If you do a quick search on the internet, you’ll come across practically all pet food manufacturers proclaiming their brand is ‘all natural’, ‘healthy’, ‘holistic’, even ‘organic’, but in every single case they are selling dry food.

Just think about it for a minute. Dried food which contains any form of meat just won’t keep at room temperature. Try keeping your steak out of the refrigerator for a few days and see what happens.

So how do pet food manufacturers keep cat food indefinitely at room temperature?

The only possible way to do this is to add preservatives. Despite many claims saying there are no preservatives, logic tells you there has to be.

Cooking in itself may preserve meat a little longer than raw meat, but not for weeks, or even years.

So what, you may be thinking, I know there are preservatives in some of the foods I eat and I seem to be OK. Surely a few preservatives doesn’t mean I’m not feeding my cat a healthy cat food?

I personally don’t think any preservative is OK. It may appear to be harmless in the short term, but in the long term there will be consequences.

But apart from my personal opinion, there are some laws, perhaps rather basic or not well enforced, in almost every country around the world, that protects human food. So all preservatives used in human food has to be considered ‘reasonably safe’ by some standards.

Unfortunately, there are no such safe guards in pet food. Or the laws are even less effectively enforced than the human laws.

So the preservatives used in cat food can be the most toxic. Does cat food containing highly toxic preservatives sound like a healthy cat food to you?

Ever heard of formalin? Embalmers use it to preserve dead bodies.

Formalin, also known as formaldehyde, is widely used in pet food to preserve it.

You probably haven’t heard of ethoxyquin. That’s a preservative used in the rubber industry. It’s in the tyres of your car. So what on earth is it doing in your cat food?

Lets look at ethoxyquin’s history. When factory workers were exposed to it, they exhibited side effects similar to those of agent orange:

constant diarrhoeavision disorders including blindnessorgan failureorgan cancersleukaemia

Are you getting a bit concerned? Perhaps your cat is suffering from some kind of organ damage? Here are a few other common preservatives used in cat food to keep it at room temperature indefinitely;

sodium nitrite, which gives a nice rosy colour to food and can produce powerful carcinogenic substances known as nitrosaminespropyl gallate – is now suspected of causing liver damagepropylene glycol used to maintain the right texture and moisture content is used as coolant antifreeze in enginesup to 1000 times more salt than occurs naturally

No manufacturer can keep preservatives out of dry cat food if it has a long shelf life.

So, if you don’t feed your cat a commercial cat food, what can you feed her?

To my way of thinking, the only sure way of knowing you are providing a healthy cat food is to prepare it yourself.

Before you throw your hands up in horror, saying you don’t know how, you don’t have time, that’s where I come in.

I’ve done the research for a balanced, healthy cat food.

I’ve made all the mistakes and can show how not to fall into the traps I did.

By feeding your cat a healthy cat food, you’ll have fewer trips to your veterinarian and your cat will live longer.

Wet food is a rare treat for our kitties.
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When You Feed Beefeaters Dog Food Treats – A Happy Dog Is Also A Healthy Dog

Article by Seo5 Consulting

Responsible dog owners want their pets to be healthy and happy, and an excellent way to achieve that goal is to feed Beefeaters Dog Food Treats. These treats will keep the dog entertained and satisfied for hours on end, and come with the assurance of all natural ingredients and no artificial flavors, colors, additives or preservatives.

The large menu of Beefeaters Dog Food Treats is your guarantee that regardless of your dog’s breed, size or age, you’ll find a favorite from among the many flavors, sizes and shapes of treats available. As every dog owner knows, their pets have taste and texture preferences just like they do.

Beefeaters Rawhide Dog Treats are healthy, wholesome and fun. These all natural treatsprovide the added dental benefit of helping to reduce tartar build-up. Rawhide provides hours of chewing enjoyment – and at the same time – stimulate the jaw and gums. Rawhide treats are particularly helpful with teething puppies. All rawhide treats are oven-baked to seal in flavor and free of additives and preservatives.

For power chewers or dogs prone to anxiety or boredom, consider Beefeaters Compressed Beefhide. These treats are as delicious as they are long lasting. The secret: they’re made from 100% natural rawhide strips – never scraps.

You are sure to find a compressed beefhide treat perfect for your dog. They are available in 6 flavors: natural, beef, chicken, hickory-smoked, lamb & rice and peanut butter. There are 5 different sizes 6 different shapes: bones, sticks, twists, rolls and donuts.

If pork is your pet’s preferred taste, look no further than Beefeaters.

Piggy treats are made from 100% all natural pork hide and slow roasted in their own juices to seal in flavor. There are no preservatives, artificial flavors or colors added.

All Piggy treats are shaped, woven and twisted by hand. Pet favorites include:

• Piggy Bones

• Piggy Rolls and Roll Twists

• Piggy Twists

For special occasion treats, nothing beats pigs ears. Beefeaters uses only natural, extra lean pork. The ears are oven-roasted to lock in flavor, preservative free and 100% digestible.

For a total change of pace, try Beefeaters Sweet Potato Shapes. They are rich in antioxidants, and packed with all the goodness of calcium, potassium and vitamins A, B6 and C. Dogs love their sweet taste. Like all Beefeaters products, they are 100% natural, contain no additives, preservatives or fillers.

Sweet potato shapes include: discs, chips, bones, fries and lollipops.

Beefeaters has been making dog food treats for over two decades. It has the impressive tradition of providing nutritious treats and chews that dogs love. They are available at popular pet stores and major retailers, and can be purchased online. For more information on Beefeaters dog food treats visit, Beefeaters.

Chili dogs can be both filling and friendly to the waistline with clever usage of vegetables in the chili mix. Cook up a healthy chili dog and a low fat side salad with help from professional chef Jennifer Iserloh in this free video on healthy cooking.

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Healthy Dog Food Secrets

Article by dr.market

Dog food is not manufactured for Dogs at all.Dog food is produced and marketed for you.It is nothing more than an elaborately marketed product designed to give you well being that you are giving your Dog the best when in fact the opposite may be true.

Recently a World Wide Scare struck virtually every Dog Owner Alive. Have we been poisoning our Dogs with Store bought Dog Food over and over again for years?!Now not all store bought Dog food is bad but there is no way you should ever risk the life of your Dog by providing manufactured Dog food as the only Nutritional source!Can you Guarantee that the very food you have been giving your Dog for Life is not causing Death?I couldn’t.

So I set out to create my own recipes to give my Dog the Real sustenance of Life I thought I had been providing before.you’ll get everything you need to safely provide a lifetime Of Safe and Nutritious food, even if you know nothing about Dog Nutrition now…”

Over 60 Meals, Beverages, Deserts and Snacks that anyone can make. More than enough Homemade Recipes to feed your Dog for an entire lifetime with Real Nutrition and Ingredients you can depend on…Never Play Dog food Roulette with your Dog Again!I hope you take advantage of my over 60 recipes that will have your dog, like mine, lining for the next Nutritional Meal or Snack! Give your Dog the gift of Real Nutrition Now.

The only way you can ever be sure of what you are really feeding your Dog is to see the Ingredients yourself as they come together into a safe and healthy meal, snack, beverage or dessert.In fact once you see how easy it is to feed your Dog the healthy way you will wonder why you ever bought manufactured Dog food in the first place!

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Healthy Pet Care – The Most Prevalent Misconceptions

Article by Josef Long

How is this probable? The milk from these goats is used in producing a handcrafted, Au Organic, flea-totally free goat milk soap.It is miserable for an animal to have fleas. Fleas are pesky minor creatures that can be tricky to exterminate. It is poor adequate to see them on your beloved pet, observing your pet scratch in misery, but if all those pesky tiny creatures intrude your residence then you definitely have hassle! With the support of dairy goats, your pets can be flea-absolutely free and you can live comfortably, in your own property, with no the anxiety of intrusion from fleas.Pets have a handcrafted healthy goat milk soap, identified as “Au Natural”, that cleanses, freshens and kills fleas! This pet soap is a fantastic substitute to employing normal industrial pet care soap. Why? It is an unscented healthy soap, with no extra fragrance. It is highly gentle and gentle, with no residual effects and kills fleas instantly during a bath. It is so gentle and mild it can be used on pregnant and seizure susceptible animals. This pet soap is, in particular, good for skin delicate animals. When it arrives to taking treatment of your pets and being a legitimate pet lover you will not settle for just nearly anything. Many pet owners deal with their pets like they would a baby and are that near to their pets and why not? Pets are incredibly a lot like humans, they have a feeling of hunger, fear, feelings, and they know when people are currently being signify to them or nice to them, and earlier mentioned all pets are pretty clever.That all said, when it comes to caring for your pets you really should give them the finest nutritional meals that is heading to present them with all of the purely natural proteins and vitamins achievable to make positive your pets stay healthy lives. In this document I want to introduce you to 1 brand name of pet foods that is manufactured from all-natural meats, veggies, and fruit. Not only does this pet food give all of the vital nutritional vitamins, but it also supplies fiber and in an all healthy way without having any processed components that we can not even pronounce.Artemis is the brand of pet meals that is created from all normal substances these as chicken, turkey, potatoes, and all other varieties of vegetables and fruits. There are also no synthetic colors, dyes or bleach in the foods and it arrives in a lot of distinctive kinds for modest to substantial dogs and smaller to grownup cats. Providing your pets the nutrition that they are worthy of just as you would care for your very own little ones why settle for much less with your pets?Constantly analysis your items previous to offering it to your pets and give them the diet that they should have to continue to keep them healthy and balanced and reside more time lives.For those who have pets may it be a dog, a cat or a bird, the wellness of our beloved pets our major issue. Taking care of our pets giving the proper variety of meals, coupled with nutrients and other vitamins to give an additional raise to its energy and immune technique.

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Raising a Happy Healthy Dog-6 Things Beyond the Basics That Will Keep Your Dog Happy and Healthy

Article by Debbie Davis

Dogs provide their people with so much love, affection, and companionship. And while every good dog owner provides the basics such as food and shelter, here are 6 things beyond the basics that will help keep you dog happy and healthy for longer.

Maintain Proper Weight for Your Breed–Know how much your dog should weigh and help avoid health problems that are created by being overweight. Serious conditions such as diabetes, joint problems, and lack of energy to exercise can result from obesity. Make sure you can see a waistline and feel their ribs.

If you have questions about what the ideal weight should be, consult your veterinarian. And remember, a treat does not always have to be food. Verbal praise, petting, throwing the ball, going for a walk, or sitting in your lap can serve as wonderful rewards and will help keep your dog fit and trim.

Rethink the Food-The pet food tragedy was a horrible wake up call for all of us in terms of the food we feed our pets. Make sure that you are feeding a high quality food that does not contain a lot of additives and chemicals. Often the suggested portions on the bag are incredibly high for the amount of exercise most pets get.

If your dog is a working dog on a farm, used for hunting, or for herding, and is in constant motion during the day, the suggested amounts might be fine. But if it is a pet that is relatively inactive except when you are home, rethink the portions that you give.

Consider reducing the portions of manufactured pellets and augment their diet with people food that includes vegetables, some starch and meat. Organic foods are best for you and your pet as they avoid pesticides and tend to have more taste.

Avoid grapes, chocolate, caffeine, and alcohol as they can prove fatal. A hundred years ago, most dogs were fed what people ate. We feed are ourselves and our children, and by doing a little research, we can take back control of what our dogs eat too.

Provide Obedience Training–Obedience classes are a great way to socialize your dog with other dogs, people, and children. It teaches them the basic commands such as come, sit, and down, walking on a leash, and even non-verbal commands. It also gives them the ability to execute these commands with plenty of distractions.

Being able to have your dog respond to voice commands and even hand signals makes for a much more responsive pet, and gives your dog a sense of emotional well being and accomplishment while deepening the bond between you and your pet. Being able to respond to your commands could help you save your dog from disaster in an unexpected but life threatening situation.

Be Consistent–Your dog really does want to please you, so set the rules and stick with them. One of the hardest things for a pet to deal with is having rules that constantly change. If it is not alright for your dog to jump on you it be that way all the time. If you want it to stay under the table when you’re eating, this should be the routine at every meal. When company comes to the door, if it should be on down-stay, that is what you should ask of it each time.

Heartworm and Flea Medication-These medications are relatively inexpensive and can help your dog avoid serious health conditions. Any veterinarian can prescribe them, and once they are started they should both be given without fail once a month for life. Be sure to schedule and keep annual appointments with the vet for updates on shots and an overall evaluation of your pet’s general health.

Groom Regulary–Cleaning ears, teeth, bathing, and brushing their coats will help them avoid ear mites and infections, loss of teeth, and keep their skin and coats in pristine condition.

By starting these routines early, they become a events that your dog will at least tolerate, if not look forward to. Many will often bring the brush to their owners as a reminder that it’s time for them to be groomed. Grooming will send hair and dander airborne, and using a high efficiency particle arresting (or HEPA) air purifier will remove these pollutants from your air.

Click healthydogforlife.com for the very best in natural dog feeding practices and an end to 9 out of 10 dog health problems. Dog worms have got to be one of the most missunderstood problems affecting dogs today-why? because worms are a natural part of your dogs lifecycle, it’s through bad commercial diets that worms get out of control which means drugs, cost and worry for you and the dog. By feeding your dog a ‘Real Food’ diet, worms are simply NOT a problem as balance is restored permanently.
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Dog Health and Grooming – Simple Steps for a Healthy Dog

Article by Colin L Wolfenden

What can you do to improve the health of your dog, its coat, and its skin that is cheap and effective? Grooming that’s what! A small investment of time and money for grooming can yield numerous benefits for your dog’s health!

Is your dog’s coat looking dull, tatty and matted? Is your dog’s sad looking coat causing you to worry about his/her overall health? Sometimes the simple things can often provide very effective benefits, and in the case of the health of your dog, grooming is one of these simple measures that can yield big results.

Dog health and grooming go hand in hand as the act of grooming has numerous benefits that can help prevent many dog health problems before they arise. Like humans, regular grooming and attention to changes in the skin, eyes, and teeth can help maintain health and prolong the life of your pet, as many indications of possible health problems are noticed and addressed before they progress to something more sinister.

Health Benefits of Grooming* Grooming removes dead hair leaving only the healthy hair behind, which immediately looks better. It also lets air circulate through the coat better reducing any odor, keeps the dog cooler, and looks cleaner. It is also a good idea to bath your dog regularly with a quality dog shampoo to further improve the benefits of general grooming.

* Grooming stimulates blood flow, which in turn improves blood supply to the hair follicles working wonders for the health of the overall coat.

* Grooming also stimulates the lymphatic system, thus having a positive affect on the dog’s overall health in the same way that a massage does for humans.

Residual Benefits of GroomingAside from the more obvious physical health benefits of grooming there are other benefits such as: –

* Bonding with your Dog – While grooming your dog you are helping to create a bond between you and your pet because of the physical touching and interaction. This also has a positive effect on the dog’s emotional state as it feels more comfortable and safe in your hands. Dogs always love the attention they get during grooming.

* Knowing your pet – While grooming your dog you get to know your pet better and know what he/she likes or dislikes, and its favorite and least favorite places to be touched or brushed. Knowing your pet will help you to notice any changes that may indicate a health problem, for instance if your dog suddenly flinches when touched in an area where it usually loves to be touched would alert you to investigate the cause of the tenderness.

* Spot Possible Health Dangers – While grooming your dog you can check the skin for possible skin rashes and problems like hair loss or lumps. Also check for signs that your dog has been scratching a certain area of the skin which would indicate some sort of irritation such as worms, fleas, mites or ticks. Ticks in particular can be deadly if left undetected and a thorough visual check of the dog’s skin should be a regular part of your dog health and grooming strategy. It is a good idea to check the eyes for any signs of sight or health problems while grooming your dog. Also check the pads and nails of the paws for problems that may require attention along with the teeth for signs of decay or gum problems.

Possible Bonus Benefit for YouIf you find that you enjoy grooming and become quite competent, you may consider starting your own dog grooming service to make a few extra dollars or perhaps turn it into a full time business. Dog grooming services are in high demand and can be very profitable. There is nothing better than making a living doing something that you enjoy.

What You Need to Start?It is important to get the right grooming tools and information on grooming techniques. The internet has is a wealth of information about grooming along with numerous sites that sell a range of grooming tools. Other sources are local pet supply stores or alternatively most towns and cities have a local dog association where dog lovers can meet and exchange ideas. Public libraries may also have books on dog grooming.

The benefits to your dog’s health by regular grooming far outweigh the small outlay of money for the grooming tools, and time spent grooming. Your dog’s coat will look shiny and healthy and the health of your dog’s skin will also be improved. Spend a little time on your pet and he/she will love you for it.

www.amazon.com Natural dog food – no chemicals preservatives or fillers – Premium pet food for your dog If you are at all concerned with your own nutrition you know that the more natural and natural food you can eat the better you are.

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Healthy Dog Food: A Guide to Natural Dog Food

Article by Valerie Goettsch

A well-balanced diet is the most important thing you can give your dog in terms of regular health care. But some people are confused about what a healthy balanced diet is for a dog, and whether natural dog food is a healthier way to go, rather than picking up a 40 lb bag of whatever is on sale at the supermarket.

When choosing a healthy food for your dog, keep the following in mind:

Dogs need meat. Dogs are carnivores by nature. Their digestive systems are designed to consume and digest raw foods. While not everyone chooses to feed their dog a raw food diet, meat should still be your pet’s primary source of protein. Grains are not an optimal source of protein for dogs; a diet heavy in grains and carbohydrates may cause allergies and weight gain.

Freshness counts. Just like with people food, dog food that has been heavily processed loses nutrients and therefore some of it’s health value. Try to look for dog foods that have been minimally processed; they will be healthier for your pet. Ideally, we would feed our dogs a raw food diet, either prepared at home or frozen (and thawed). Raw foods like freshly ground meat and bones are available from the market or a pet store. The next best thing would be freeze dried foods because the freeze drying process helps retain the food’s nutrients. Canned dog foods are more processed, but they tend to have minimal grains and more meat. Using canned dog food as a supplement to dried kibble is an option and it gives your dog more variety.

Dry dog food, also known as kibble, is the most popular kind of dog food, and it’s also the easiest and most inexpensive to feed. Some dried foods are pretty decent; others are heavily processed and low on the nutrition scale. Read the label carefully to make sure that meat and not grains are the primary source of protein. Human grade whole meat such a chicken, beef, or lamb (not meat byproducts or “meal”) is the best choice, and should be listed first on the ingredient label.

Size matters. Although more economical to purchase than a smaller bag, a giant bag of food may not be the best idea because the nutrients in it deteriorate over time once the bag is opened, and it gets stale. Would you want to eat stale cereal? It’s best to buy a smaller bag and keep the food in the original bag, tightly sealed to hold in freshness.

Fruits & Veggies – Adding vegetables and fruits to your dog’s diet can be beneficial. My dog loves tomatoes. We give her some chopped fresh tomato with her regular food every day. She also loves green peppers and apples. Don’t be afraid to give your dog fresh fruits and veggies; they add needed nutrients and antioxidants to your dog’s diet.

Variety is the spice of life – Yes, even for dogs. How would you like to eat the same food day in and day out? It’s pretty boring, and maybe not that nutritious, either. While in the past we’ve been told to feed our dogs the same thing or it will upset their digestion, it is okay to give your dog some variety, either by rotating different dog foods or by mixing different brands or flavors together.

Whatever diet you choose, you may want to give your dog a health food supplement, such as essential fatty acids for a shiny, soft coat, or a vitamin supplement to be sure he is getting all the nutrients he needs. Dog health foods and supplements are available at most good pet stores and pet websites.

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Having a Healthy Pet

Article by Cristian Stan

One of the most important things in life is in the act of keeping your family pets healthy. Anyone that has pets knows how much love they can receive from their four legged family members, and they know how important it is to make sure those pets stay as healthy as possible.

One of the top ways of keeping your pets healthy is in their diet. Your pet

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Healthy Diet For Dog – Good Diet is Key to Healthy Dog

Article by Adrian Namara

Nothing is more essential to good training than good health. And the foundation of good health is a good diet. Depending on your budget you may or may not be able to feed your dog a larger proportion of fresh meat, but at least be prepared to spend enough for a good dry food.

Here are a few things to look for…

All dog foods are labeled with the ingredients in order by proportion. That is, the material that forms the largest percentage is listed first, followed by the second and then others.

One of the attributes that makes cheap dog food less preferable is the high percentage of ‘waste’ animal parts. When you see ‘by products’ on the label, it’s better to avoid these brands. If it does appear on higher quality dog food, which is rare, it will be listed near the bottom indicating a small proportion.

Those ‘by products’ consist of parts that were not considered usable for human consumption. That fact doesn’t by itself make the product dangerous, but the lower quality will have a long term effect on coats, muscles and bones, and overall health.

Just as one indicator, dogs with healthy coats (particularly, long-haired breeds) will look shinier and shed less. Assuming proper bathing and brushing habits, of course.

Some experts put the proper ratio of meat, vegetables and starch at about roughly 40%, 30%, 30% respectively.

Common meats used are chicken, lamb and beef. These provide readily digestible sources of protein – essential to healthy coats, muscles, etc.

Vegetables provide minerals and vitamins that help produce proper hormone and enzyme types and amounts, as well as compounds for good bone health and other functions. Carrots and squash, for example are both excellent for almost all dogs.

The starch content is often provided by brown or white rice. Either is an excellent source of carbohydrates. These compounds are broken down in the body to form the basis for energy and cell repair.

As with any food substance, some dogs have special conditions that make special diets necessary. Many Golden Retrievers, for example, are sensitive to wheat products. Corn meal is hard to digest for some dogs.

Look for these on the label and discuss with your vet whether it’s necessary to avoid them. Some indicators are soft stools, excessive scratching and frequent gas.

Some dogs will find dry dog food more enjoyable if prepared with a little water and microwaved for about 30 seconds. Feed dry at least occasionally, though, to help scrub teeth and gums.

Needless to say, go easy on the treats. Even quality treats tend to be high in fat content – one of the reasons the dogs enjoy them so much. One or two per day isn’t harmful, but go for the quality brands.

The price differential for good food is sometimes considerable – with higher quality dog food often twice the cost. But considering the effects on health you’ll likely make up for it in lower vet bills, or at least a healthier dog.

The shine of the coat, the clarity of the eyes and other less obvious indicators will show in the long run. And, in the final analysis, the health of your dog is priceless.

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