You'll see numerous ingredients
listed on a dog food label, and it's sometimes difficult to determine exactly what some of those terms really mean.
You see the word «grain - free»
on dog food labels all the time, but is it really better to feed your dog grain - free food?
A grain free dog food that does not contain any wheat, barley, or rye is, by definition, a gluten free diet, even if it doesn't say
so on the dog food label.
In this article, veterinarian explains that only very few terms are
valuable on a dog food label, while most of them are just to attract attention and dupe the consumer.
Look For High Quality Fat
Sources on Dog Food Labels Fats from poultry and fish sources not only help to keep cholesterol levels in check, but they also help your pet maintain a healthy skin and coat, metabolize vitamins, and last but not least, they can be tasty to your dog when mixed with other good ingredients.
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (or AAFCO) defines what
goes on dog food labels but some feel this is inadequate considering that the AAFCO is not governed and includes people in the pet food industry who benefit from certain guidelines.
In this article you will learn the basics about how to read and interpret the
information on a dog food label so you can separate the high - quality from the low - quality foods.
We need to check as to how this is listed
on the dog food label as the source of this ingredient is sometimes a little unsavory and we would not like to feed this product to our dear little dachshund.
One such change was to lower the minimum protein content from 22 % to 18 % which is noteworthy as protein is the most expensive
ingredient on the dog food label.
You may see the term «corn gluten meal» or «rice gluten»
on a dog food label, but this is food industry jargon.
However, it can be difficult to figure out if your pooch's food contains the proper balance of EFAs because omega 3 fatty acid is not recognized as an essential nutrient in the canine diet, so it does not have to be listed
on dog food labels.
Subtract points for use of the word «flavor»
on dog food labels, as in «real beef flavor dogs love.»
The vitamins and minerals should be listed
on the dog food label, so make sure her food includes them.
The first 5 ingredients listed
on a dog food label are required to be listed in order of their pre-cooked weight.
The best way to choose a food for your new puppy is to read the ingredients
on the dog food label and discuss the food with your breeder.
Chicken — If you are new to reading the ingredients lists
on dog food labels, you would probably be inclined to think that listing chicken as the first ingredient makes a dog food formula a quality source of protein.
Q I read with interest in the February issue your lead article about the Guaranteed Analysis
on dog food labels — and came away frustrated that dog food labels will not be like people food labels for the foreseeable future, making it next to impossible to compare nutrient levels in two different dog foods.
Owners should feed their Golden Retriever using their weight and following the instructions
on their dog food label, or per the diet they are following.
Reading lists of ingredients
on dog food labels can help identify if gluten has been used to increase the levels of protein in its make up.
Typically, the heaviest ingredient you will find
on a dog food label will be meat.
When something is defined as a «meal»
on dog food labels, this means it has been created by rendering [26].