Thursday, June 30, 2011

Feeding Choices For Your Canine Pet: Commercial Dog Food, Raw Food Or Homemade?

By Michael Ward


Dogs are considered as man's best friend, and as quoted by Roger Caras, "dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole". Dogs are very good buddies, and are also very big help in performing some tasks for humans like hunting, herding, protection, assisting police military, and nowadays, assisting handicapped individuals. Dogs are very efficient companion thus, maintaining their good health is very important. To keep our dogs in good shape, different companies offer different types of dog food that provides the right nourishment for our buddies.

About 15,000 years ago, dogs which are form of gray wolves were domesticated. Over the years, other breeds were developed and now there are more or less a hundred of different dog breeds. The estimated population of dogs in the world in 2001 is a whopping 400 million that includes all types of breeds, most especially the toy breeds or toy dogs. Toy dogs have become popular over the years because of their small size even when they are mature. These dogs have the exact characteristics for people who want a dog pet but have small yards or lives in cities or apartments. There are also sporting, non-sporting, working, terrier, hound and herding dog breeds. Different breeds of dogs have different needs and this is why owners must take in consideration in selecting the right kind of food for his/her dog.

Also, an important consideration in choosing the best dog food one should feed his pet is the dog's age. Keep in mind that a puppy's food may not provide the nutrients necessary for an adult dog much that an adult dog food does not have the elements necessary during the puppies' growth period. You must also remember to include your dogs' preferences in the choice of food you feed them.

Keep in mind that a nutritious and well balance diet promotes and helps maintain good health, and choosing the right dog food for your pet can maintain a good skin and coat, strong and well developed bones, bright clear eyes, firmer stools, well defined muscle tone, quality life and longevity, no bad odors, fewer digestive problems, energy, vitality, fewer behavior problems, and over all health. Nevertheless, being prone to cancers, weakened immune system, liver failure, sluggish behavior, putrid gas, diarrhea, dull coat and heavy shedding, epilepsy, vomiting, ear infections, compromised hear and kidneys, stunted growth and weakened bones, bad breath, bowel disease, diabetes, cystitis, hypertension, build up in the eyes, arthritis, and countless allergies may be the consequence of feeding your dog the inappropriate food.

The type of dog food we may feed our dogs may either be commercial dog food, raw dog food, or even homemade dog food. Commercial dog food or store-bought dog food comes in either a dry form or a wet canned form. In choosing this type of food to feed your dogs, be not deceived of the conflicting views, hype, and marketing tactics of other brands, rather look into label to make sure that the one you purchased includes all the nutrients needed by your pet.

Raw food is another option of food to feed your dogs. Those dog owners supporting raw feeding try to mimic the diet of animals living in the wild -which they think is the ideal diet -for their domesticated animals. On the other hand, detractors believe that consumption of raw meats increases the chances of their pets of having food-borne illnesses. Another option is to prepare the meal yourself. Homemade dog food is the best option for dog owners having conflicting views on the various dog foods available in the market. With homemade dog food, dog owners have the complete control of meals they served to their dogs -hence, making sure that they receive the nutrients they need.

Despite these various feeding options, one must always remember that what is at stake in choosing the dog food to feed your pets is your dogs' health. So whether your Hundefutter -as they call dog food in German -is a commercial dog food like the Select Gold Hundefutter, raw food or homemade, so long as it meets your dog's nutritional requirements, then it is the best food for your pet.




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