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urinary tract problems. Dry pet foods contain more preservatives. Some people choose to use both.

The most important criteria in choosing a dog food is the ingredient list. Whole meats are preferable to meat meals, and meat meals are better than meat by-products. Single source meals, such as "beef meal" or "chicken meal" are more wholesome than those marked simple "meat" or "poultry" meals. Single source meals contain the muscle meat from that animal, along with accompanying tissues, such as nerves, blood vessels and skin. Generic meals may contain other organ tissues and fatty tissue. By-product meal is a catch-all term for anything that doesn't fit the other meal definitions - it's best to avoid these entirely.

Look for the meat source (or sources) to be listed first on the label. If grains are included (which they always are in kibbles), they should be whole grains, rather than fractions (such as wheat bran, brewer's rice, etc). Watch out for multiple listings of grains, as they may add up to be more than the meat, by weight.

Avoid any artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. Colors are added for your benefit, not to appeal to dogs. Artificial flavors are added to enhance palatability or cover up off tastes of poorer quality ingredients.

Premium pet foods can be found in most natural or health food stores and pet supply stores. If you are unable to find a satisfactory dog food in stores near you, there are many dog food sources to be found on the internet.

Learn more about this author, Elyse Grau.
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