Wholesome and real nutrition is important for pets to keep them healthy and active. Some foods come with fillers and preservatives which temporarily fill up, but in the long run, damages immunity. So ensure you provide your pet with foods that are real and honest just like their love towards you!
Pet food basics: Dry vs Wet Food!
Nutritional requirements vary by breed, size, age, and health. There’s a guideline unlike your love on what to feed and how to feed your pets. Those guidelines are best when kept even though you would feel like treating your pets now and then! Both dry food and wet food have their benefits.
- Dry food is better for your pet’s teeth. It reduces plaque and tartar buildup. Dry food for your pet offers the much needed chewy and crunchy texture that they love.
- Wet food, on the other hand, adds to moisture in the body. Pets can sometimes be dehydrated and may forget to drink water, in that case, you can feed them wet food to complete their nutritional and hydration levels.
Pet food labels: Ingredient list and more!
Packaged pet food online and in store, comes with nutritional facts at the back and it’s there for a reason. You might not get to feel what your pet is feeling after consuming a particular food but you can be sure of what’s going in their system. Once you know what you feed your pet and how nutritious it is, you can be in peace for good, and focus on pouring out nothing but love. Hence, read the box labels carefully and be sure of what you’re buying for your baby!
- Meat Ingredient: The first ingredient you need to look for. It’s the source of protein and it’s important to see the percentage of the meat. (for eg: 70% Chicken, Tuna, etc)
- Labels as “Complete and Balanced” help you most of the time and that’s the category that Vets recommends.
- Presence of Liver as it’s rich in Vitamin A. It may have animal parts like the heart, esophagus, tongue, and diaphragm. These ingredients may not appeal to you but your pets would love them.
- Buy packets that read “Preservative Free”, and “No Artificial Flavours” because they harm your pet’s system in the long run.
- Go for grain-free, soy-free, and corn-free foods because pets are allergic to them. It reduces digestion and creates a lag in their bowel system.
- Go for a food that is certified by AAFCO- Association of American Feed Control Officials.
- “Natural” and “Holistic” labels mean that the food is made of natural ingredients and no synthetic chemicals have been used. Holistic refers to premium market language denoting the same natural ingredients.
Quantity and intervals-
That depends on the size of the dog, its age, and how much exercise it gets. USe feeding chart on pet food boxes as a guide and use feeding instructions and serving guides according to every breed, size, and age. If your dog weighs on the lower end of the range, feed the smaller recommended amount. Dogs on the heavier end of the scale may need more food.