Our pets are our faithful companions, and it is only right that we should take the best possible care of them. Since pet owners are so conscious of taking good care of their pets, many different pet food companies have sprung up. Each of these companies tries to market their dog food, claiming that their food is the tastiest, healthiest, and meatiest dog food of all.
Though a few claims may actually be true, dog owners need to realize that there are many types of dog food, and it is the owner’s responsibility to select the one that is most suited to their dog in terms of nutrition.
The best natural dog food is the homemade food. Since these are homemade and fresh, they are the most nutritious.
However, human foods are not fit for consumption by dogs. This is because humans and dogs have different nutritional requirements. You can prepare some ground meats and rice for your dog, using different meats on alternative days. This will help you maintain a variety in the dog’s diet.
There are different types of dog food that are classified according to two criteria. The first classification is made according to the nature of the food. The first kind is the canned variety. Canned foods are moist and have a good taste. They can be digested easily and can be stored for a long time until the cans are opened. However, canned food is often more expensive than dry food and the quantity is very less as compared to dry foods. The second type of dog food is dry dog food. These come in affordable price ranges and can be stored for a long time since the food pellets used are dehydrated. The hard, dry food helps remove plaque from teeth and prevents a tartar buildup. However, dry foods are difficult to store and may often get stale. If you store dry foods for a long period of time, the food may end up losing some of its nutritional value. The third type is semi-moist dog food that is both easy to store and easily digestible. This food also tastes well, but is slightly more expensive than dry foods.
The second classification of dog foods is based on their age. There are different foods for adult dogs, older dogs, puppies and performance dogs. While adult dogs require a simple and easily digestible diet, older dogs need foods that would not make them gain a lot of weight. Puppies on the other hand, need dog foods which give lots of energy and proteins.
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