bonapawtete

people today are more aware of the important connection between good nutrition and their health. we are concerened about the effects of additives and chemicals found in our food. this desire to improve our lifestyle extends to our pets as well.

pet food sales is a million dollar industry with many companies competing for your business. some of the companies have your pet's health as their main concern and some have their pocket books as their main concern. the laws and common practices related to packaging and advertising pet foods are easily manipulated by companies to confuse the consumer into buying their brand of food. so, we all know our dogs need to proper combination of nutrients to maintain good health. and, we all know that there are several foods out there that can provide this for us. the problem is, how do we, as consumers, know which food really is good for our furry friends?

pet expert warren eckstein provides some enlightening information about this topic. did you know that last year, americans spent over $12 billion on pet food? in his comparison of generic v. name brand v. premium, he says as a general rule, the quality goes up with the price. there are often more fillers and less good food in the lower priced brands. he emphasizes that no matter what you buy, it is important to read the ingredients label and read it carefully. for instance, chicken or chicken parts can mean any part of the chicken including feet and beaks. so, if the idea of your pet eating chicken feet and beaks makes you queasy, you should look at the ingredients carefully. You should recognize all the words on the ingredient list. If it’s not something you would eat, you should think twice before giving it to your pet. Also, when looking at the label, you should make sure the protein source — chicken or beef — is at or near the top of the list.

so, all this information really doesn't answer the question of which food is the absolute best to feed our pets, but it gives us some guidelines to make more informed choices when picking their food!