When You Shop The Best Dog Food For Proper Diet

By Suzy Jane Kew


When searching for the best dog food products, it is important to provide a balanced diet. Dogs have special needs when it comes to nutrition, and these needs must be met for optimum health. Here are tips for meeting those needs, so your dog can be satisfied and enjoy good health for many years.

Dogs require things like fatty acids and amino acids in their diet. They also need a lot of different vitamins. These things must be provided on a daily basis. If you take the time to completely read all the product labels when you shop, it can be very time consuming and sometimes confusing.

To avoid the confusion that can come from studying product labels, it is best to depend on the AAFCO for nutritional information. AAFCO means Association of American Feed Controls Officials. They are the ones that provide canine nutritional standards. Pet foods should have a reference to the AAFCO on their labels, if they conform to standards. This lets you know that you are buying a product that provides proper nutrition.

Pet foods that conform to AAFCO rules will be in a specific category. The "adult maintenance" category concerns proper nutrition for adult dogs. The product will be sufficient to keep dogs alive without supplementing diet. This is a complete dog food product.

AAFCO specifications apply to dogs that are pregnant or are still nursing their pups. It also applies to puppies that are still developing and growing. These products will give puppies and mothers all of the things that they need, as far as nutrition is concerned.

Pet food AAFCO statements can be obtained through a series of complete testing procedures. This takes place in the laboratory. However, some products are verified by lab testing and from trials with real dogs. This is a more complete form of nutritional testing. When you shop pet foods you may come across products that are designed for supplemental feeding. This means that they do not meet AAFCO specifications. These are not good products to feed your pet every day. However, they are fine for occasional feeding.

When you shop pet foods, it is important to read product labels. Look for foods that conform to AAFCO specifications. If a product does not meet minimum requirements, it is not good for daily feeding to your pet. The best dog food products are lab tested and trial tested. This insures that you are providing proper nutrition. Products sold as "good for all life stages" are good for adults as well as puppies.




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