Good Dog Food Information Is Hard To Come By

There is an incredible amount of dog food information out there. You can find it in books, on the Internet, on dog food packages and in advertisements. Obviously you need to be careful about the source when it comes to your Pug or any other dog. Pugs may be more of a puzzle to their owner because they always seem to be hungry. More accurately, they are always ready to eat. Other than being with their owner a Pug loves nothing better than eating. Pugs will eat just about anything so you do have to be careful. How do you evaluate all of the dog food information that is available and make the most informed decision on the best food for you Pug?

The answer was easier a hundred years ago when dog food information didn't really exist. In fact information on food consumed by humans didn't exist. Most dogs ate the leftovers from their owner’s table. In those days people didn’t give any thought to whether it was healthy or not. Feeding the family dog leftovers was an easy answer but, of course, it doesn’t mean it was the best answer. Almost every veterinarian would advise against making your Pug’s diet consist mostly from table scraps. Today we know a lot more about food content and how to keep a dog healthy. In fact, we know a lot more about how to keep humans healthy too. Labels are now on everything giving us information about fat content and calories. Labels are an excellent source of dog food information because they adhere to certain requirements. These labels may have appeared on dog food before they were required on human food! The big reason, of course, was that some unscrupulous manufacturers were putting things into their food that should never have been in there in the first place. What we now have is an explosion of dog food information.

The basics are pretty clear. There are three types of commercially prepared dog food. Canned food has the highest moisture content and most brands are about 75% moisture. It is usually meat based or has a cereal grain as a main ingredient. At the other end of the spectrum is dry food, sometimes called kibble. The moisture content of dry food is usually around ten percent. Dry food is less expensive than canned food and usually lasts longer. Dry food can be good for a dog’s teeth because it is harder. This is good for Pugs because, like some other Toy Breeds, they can be prone to dental problems. If your Pug already has these problems switching to a dry food won’t make the problems go away. In fact it could make the problem worse. In between canned and dry is the semi-moist food which has about 25 percent moisture. Both canned and semi-moist food are more digestible than dry food. The semi-moist food is more prone to spoilage and may contain preservatives or high amounts of sugar.

Typically there is a lot of dog food information on a label but there is one phrase that is very important and should be something you look for. Whenever possible choose a brand that is labeled as “complete and balanced”. This has a specific meaning and indicates that your Pug should be getting everything he or she needs for a proper diet. If your current food does not have those words your Pug may be missing some important nutrients. The ingredients are listed on the label in descending order based on the weight of each ingredient. A label that says beef but with the word further down on the list means that, although the food does indeed contain beef, it is not the primary ingredient. When a label says “beef dog food” you know that it contains at least 70 percent beef. When the label says “beef dinner” the percentage of beef requirement is dropped down to 25 percent. And when the label says “beef formula” the minimum percentage then becomes at least 3 percent. It gets even worse when the words “beef flavor” are used because then the minimum requirement of beef is below 3 percent. The same applies to the foods that contain chicken. There is also an analysis that gives the percentages for protein, fat, fiber and moisture. Reading the label is especially important if you Pug has any allergies. You can check the label for the offending substance.

For many Pug owners making their own food for their little friend is something they’ve always considered doing. It takes more time, is more expensive and requires some research into the nutritional needs of your Pug so this option is not for everyone. Some owners make their own treats and biscuits for their companion rather than tackling the whole range of the food spectrum. There is no right or wrong answer because it will vary by the individual owner and the Pug. One thing we do know: you should not feed your Pug directly from the table the same food you are eating yourself. It is a very tempting thing to do as your Pug goes into an Academy Award winning performance and gives you the cutest look imaginable. But it is a very bad habit to get into and is definitely a problem when you are having guests. Your Pug will not care who is at the table, they will only know that when people are sitting at the table they can usually get some food. Pugs are always hopeful when someone is in the kitchen making noises that sound like the rustle of a food bag or the opening of a can.

Many Pug owners really enjoy making the treats that their little friend likes best. There are many free recipes and other dog food information on line for dog biscuits, treats and regular dog food. When you make the food yourself you’ll know your Pug will be getting the freshest, quality ingredients. Many owners share their treats with their friends and more than one person has had the thought of starting their own business making dog food. In fact, there are many home businesses that can be started if dogs are your passion. One of them may even be a source of dog food information and a survey of the popular brands! With the uncertain economic times that we live in why not investigate starting a dog business? If that has any appeal for you click here to find out more!

Dog Food Nutrition Guide

It could take years to research eveything you wanted to know about dog food nutrition. The good news is that someone has already done that for us. Some people refer to it as the Dog Food Nutrition Bible!

Haven't you wondered...

Haven't you wondered about all of the dog foods that are out on the market now? Wouldn't it be great to get the real information on how those brands rate? Here is dog food rating resource!