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The phrase, “putting on the dog” refers to people who try to appear wealthy or more important than they really are. If you were to walk down the dog food aisle in a supermarket or pet store, the front of the bags would sound very impressive, assuring you of complete nutrition for every stage of a canine’s life. But in reality, many of these pet food companies are guilty of “putting on the dog”. Before you put anything “in” your dog, flip those bags of dog food over to read the fine print.

Do you want your dog to be healthy, obedient and live to a good old age? Scientists determined that dogs have the potential to live to 20 years, but in reality, most canine companions struggle beyond the 10-year mark. Veterinarians are seeing an increasing number of heart and respiratory disease, joint problems and diabetes. The shelters are full of dogs that left their “forever homes” because they exhibited hostile and even violent behavior.

All of these health and emotional issues could have a solid basis in the type and quality of food these dogs have been given. It’s not enough to merely fill up a bowl with any dog food so your pet doesn’t go hungry. Dog owners need to evaluate what’s going into the dog’s dish because those ingredients can mean a better life or one that is filled with health issues.

Buy a premium dog food. Generally, this type of food is not sold in supermarkets and not even at your veterinarian’s office. There are a few exceptions where you will find top quality foods at these establishments.

Before making a selection of dog food, turn the bags over and read the list of ingredients. The first 5 ingredients make up the bulk of the dog food so take note. If more than 2 of them contain grain products, like corn or wheat, the food is mostly vegetable protein, which provides less in the way of nutrition. Dogs who eat this type of food will have more bowel movements because their bodies are not absorbing a high level of nutrients and these ingredients are processed as waste.

If the bag lists “by-products” it’s best to leave it on the shelf. By-products of animals can mean the head, feet and intestines. There is practically zero nutritional value in this ingredient. Look for chicken “meal” or lamb “meal” which actually provides a greater degree of animal protein.

Avoid foods that contain preservatives, like BHT or BHA. They can be harmful to your pet’s health. Canned food often contains more preservatives because they are needed to keep the food fresh. Additionally, canned food has a high water content and that should be factored into your dog food buying decision. Dogs do very well on dry dog food alone, and the crunching action helps to keep their teeth cleaner.

If you want to give your dogs treats, the same rules apply. Check the list of ingredients. Try not to get your dog “hooked” on cheap treats with no nutritional value because that may make it difficult to offer a premium dog food that is not artificially enhanced with flavor additives.

Feeding a dog should be taken with seriousness and a careful eye in reading ingredients and a strong backing of nutrient knowledge. Whatever food is given to the dog will later on manifest itself either through a healthy response of strength and energy or a downward turn of weakness and poor appearance. As people are concerned with what goes into their bodies, the same should carry to their pets. Probably the very basic rule of feeding a dog is “do not feed your dog something you would not eat yourself.” Although it must be kept in mind that not all human foods are good for dogs.

Scanning or going over the small print of ingredients on canned products may be helpful to a certain point but it would even be better to know what should go into a healthy meal.  Experts have come to a consensus that the best ratio of food is 40% meats, 50% veggies and 10% carbohydrates or even grains. Meats found in canned goods have already been pre-cooked and contain the protein needed by dogs. One must take note of what brands are certified by the animal health ministry of what should or should not be in dog food. Some cheaper brands may throw chicken beaks into the mix which is considered to be indigestible. Cheaper foods are known to add fillers to give more weight and volume into the cans but these fillers may consist of other foods that dogs may be allergic to such as corn or wheat. Grains are much more preferred due to its optimum fiber content to meet the digestive needs. Again, careful reading of the ingredients is needed for the first items may be meats but if careless owners just toss it in the trolley, they missed the other items that are more fillers.

How about playing it safe and sticking with veggies since meats may even cost more? A sound idea however dogs need the animal protein to be healthy as well as to enjoy their food. Although a vegetarian diet is possible, dogs may not take to it as well as people do.  When introducing new foods to the dog, it is a good move to see how it comes out later on. The feces of the dog should be firm not loose nor should it have blood or mucus.

Preservatives are present in canned foods but it would be wise to avoid chemicals such as BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin for they may give cancer. Overall, the one of the best advice is to opt for the known brands as well as consulting with the dog’s veterinarian for more additional information that a printed can or media can give.