| These days, it's hard to know what decisions are | | | | biggest cereal mills, which may be slightly better |
| the best ones for our beloved pets. So much | | | | nutritionally, but remember that your dog was |
| information, so many conflicting theories and | | | | born a carnivore. His body does not digest grain |
| opinions! When it comes to dog food, is wetter | | | | easily.4. Moderately-priced dog food usually |
| better? Or should you give dry a try?In this | | | | contains harmful additives and preservatives. To |
| article, I'm not going to tell you what to feed your | | | | make up for the lack of taste that comes from |
| dog. That's something that should be decided on | | | | overprocessing meat and grain meal, dog food |
| by you, and based on the recommendation of | | | | companies added artificial "meat-like" color, flavor |
| your vet. But it helps to know the facts before | | | | and a spray of fat to their secret recipe, not to |
| making a decision, and here are some things you | | | | mention harmful preservatives like BHA and BHT |
| may not have known about what's really in that | | | | to extend the shelf life. It's these very additives |
| can of mutt meal or bag of kibble.1. Dog food | | | | that cause health complications in humans leading |
| was invented to make use of "food waste" that's | | | | to heart disease, diabetes and cancer, not only |
| deemed unfit for humans. Back in the old days, | | | | for humans but for dogs as well.Make an informed |
| dogs ate the same things that humans ate: meat, | | | | decision on behalf of your dog.So what are we |
| vegetables and grains from the family meals. | | | | supposed to do, stop paying for our children's |
| Then came food processing plants, and a set of | | | | piano lessons so we can afford the added |
| FDA standards that had to be met for human | | | | expense of Rover's weekly meat |
| consumption. When the government realized the | | | | consumption?Many dog owners choose to feed |
| amount of grain and meat that was being wasted | | | | their furry friends whole foods like beef, chicken, |
| in these processing plants, they decided to | | | | rice and potatoes, in an effort to keep them |
| package it in cans and bags and market it as | | | | healthier and around for many more years. |
| "Dog Food." Advertising did a great job of telling | | | | Although whole food is always the smarter |
| the public, "This is the ideal diet for your dog!"2. | | | | choice, this may not be a practical consideration |
| Dogs only live to about half of their life | | | | for your budget. In which case, it's worth looking |
| expectancy. Some experts claim that the real | | | | into one of the top brands of dog foods such as |
| lifespan of a canine can be as much as 35 years, | | | | Iams, Eukaneuba or Hill's Science Diet, for their |
| yet most dogs don't get past age 17. Dogs are | | | | nutritionally formulated foods that contain the |
| developing the same diseases and ailments as | | | | proper amounts of certain vitamins and minerals |
| humans: obesity, diabetes, heart trouble, arthritis, | | | | that are crucial in keeping a dog's body in balance |
| and even cancer. Why the failing health? One | | | | and functioning at peak performance. These |
| theory is that dogs who eat processed dog food | | | | foods may be slightly higher priced than the |
| suffer the same fate as people who subsist on | | | | standard economy pack of Ol' Roy... but paying a |
| junkfood. Their bodies never get the nutrition | | | | little extra now can keep the vet bills down |
| that's needed for optimal functioning, so they age | | | | later.Just like anything else in your life, you want |
| prematurely and their bodies "crap out" on them.3. | | | | to make choices that reflect your own beliefs, |
| Most dog food has no nutritional value. Whether | | | | financial situation and personal philosophy. It's |
| you feed your dog wet food or dry food, both | | | | ultimately up to you to decide what to feed your |
| wet and dry formulas of "average-priced" brands | | | | dog. But it always helps to know the facts |
| are based on very low quality standards. If your | | | | first.Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights |
| dog eats meat from a can, he's consuming | | | | reserved.Liked this article? Have more of the |
| mostly rendered meat or meat meal, which has | | | | same emailed to your inbox each month. Sign up |
| been treated in meat processing plants on | | | | for the Copywriting and Marketing Ezine from |
| extremely high heat. To "render" meat is to | | | | Dina at and learn to write search engine friendly |
| separate the moisture the solids as well as boil all | | | | web copy and market your web based business |
| of the vitamins and nutrients out of it. If he eats | | | | for free. |
| kibble, he's getting runoff from the country's | | | | |