Are you bewildered by the number of choices that are available when it comes to choosing a pet food for your dog or cat? Pet food manufacturers have created foods for different breeds, life stages, food sensitivities among many other categories. This has made choosing a pet food complicated, confusing, and unfortunately often unhealthy for your pet.
Regardless of age, breed or size, dogs are still dogs and cats are still cats. Although dietary needs may change in the case of specific medical conditions, basic nutritional needs will stay the same. Dogs and cats should be eating a meat-based, high moisture content diet.
Here are a few basic tips :
1. Avoid corn, wheat, soy and dairy in processed foods.
2. Feed a diet that has a high moisture content by adding equal amounts of water to dry food, or adding canned or fresh food to the diet.
3. The fresher the better:
- Most fresh: Raw food
- More fresh: Home-cooked or any healthy leftovers such as meat and vegetables
- Fresh: Canned commercial foods
- Least fresh: Commercial dry foods
You can easily do a combination of the the above by using a grain-free commercial canned and /or dry as a base and adding fresh food as you have it available – even healthy leftovers such as meat and vegetables are a great addition to your pet’s diet.
Caution: In order to avoid teaching your pet to beg at the dinner table, always feed its meals in a separate dish and location.
Try adding a few pieces of fresh meat to your pet’s next meal and chances are he will love you for it!