by Stephanie Wiederspohn

Created on: November 17, 2009   Last Updated: November 18, 2009

The food you feed your dog is as equally important as the food you put in your own body. Unfortunately, economy commercial dog food companies have made choosing a healthy food for your dog just as confusing as finding healthy food for your family. These companies are focusing on creating commercials and packaging that will appeal to the buyer, and not on creating a well balanced diet for your dog.

We have all seen the commercials that show fresh vegetables and delicious meat, with the promise of a healthy, wholesome meal for your pet. This does not mean that the product being represented is one of quality. In fact, it is usually quite the opposite.One must completely read through and analyze the ingredients list before they choose a brand for their dog.

First of all, the meat listed in these brands is usually not meat at all, but actually animal by products. These by products consist of the parts of the animal that were considered unsuitable for human consumption, such as chicken beaks, pig hooves, etc. Meat listed in the ingredients must be a named meat such as, de-boned lamb, chicken, pork, etc. A meat meal is not as good as a named meat, but still better than animal by products. Meat meal, such as chicken meal, is meat that has been dried and ground up, and formed into a meal. A healthy dog food should have at least 3 of its first 4 ingredients listed as meat products, with at least two of them being named meats or named meat meals.

A good dog food should contain no grain, that's correct, NO grain. Grain is not a food that dogs would naturally eat in the wild. It is not easily digestible by your dog, and may make your dog have digestive problems. You may notice that your dog is experiencing a lot of gas, vomiting, or diarrhea. Grain may be the culprit. A better ingredient is ground barley, or even brown rice is considered to be acceptable by some people's standards. Look for specific fruits & vegetables rich in nourishment such as sweet potato, carrots & apples.

Other things to look for when deciding on a healthy food for your dog are; Omega 6, Vitamins A, D,E,B6, B12, and probiotics which aid in digestion. Your dog's food should be rich in meat, fruits, vegetables, fish, as well as whole eggs for added protein. Look at the Daily Analysis on the bag. The protein should be more than 32%. The Carbohydrates would ideally be less than 25%, and the Crude Fat less than 22%.

Be aware that just because a dog food is listed as premium, or costs more money,

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