Dog Food Comparison – The Essential Key Nutrients to Compare

Well many companies have said a lot of things on the internet just to increase the awareness of their brand of product for increase in sales. So, spotting out the real information becomes difficult If you are looking for dog food comparisons or ratings that will give you a quick answer to your question, you will no probably end up frustrated and more confused. When comparing dog foods it is important to focus your attention first on the necessary nutritional components your dog needs for optimal health and second on avoiding bad ingredients that could cause health hazards.

There are several nutrients dogs need to survive and thrive. The list of essential nutrients includes:
a) amino acids (in proteins),
b) fatty acids (in fat),
c) carbohydrates,
d) minerals and
e) vitamins. And above all a good clean water (filtered water recommended).

Here is a brief explanation on each of the nutrients that you should be comparing.

a) Amino Acids: There are 10 known amino acids that your dog must get from food since they cannot produce these amino acids themselves. Amino acids come from protein such as meat and eggs. It is interesting that dogs will often avoid eating food that has no amino acids. Studying list of ingredients remembers that quality protein comes from animal meat not “animal byproducts”.

b) Carbohydrates: Dogs get a lot of their energy from fat, they also get a good amount from carbohydrates that are found in fruits, grains and vegetables in the form of glucose, fructose, starches and dietary fibers. Important point to note, an adult dog’s diet can include as much as fifty percent carbohydrates.

c) Fatty Acids: Another ingredient that your dog cannot create internally is fatty acid. Fatty acids are necessary to sustain your dog’s life and provide for internal functions such as immune system functions, cellular function, transporting fat-soluble vitamins, coat and skin health and brain function

d) Minerals: The essential minerals include: Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Chlorine, Iron, Potassium, Zinc, Copper, Chorine, Phosphorus, Manganese, Selenium and Iodine.

e) Vitamins: The most important vitamins for your dog’s health are as follows: Riboflavin, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Niacin, Antithetic Acid and Folic Acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 (Also known as Thiamin), Vitamin E and Vitamin K.

These vitamins and minerals mentioned above provide the necessary nutrients for muscle contraction, enzymatic reactions and strong bones nerve impulse transmission, cell signaling, and teeth, etc.

Quantities to give depends on Your Dog Situation

Puppies to keep healthy need twice the calories required by an adult dog and pregnant Dogs require one-half to two-thirds more than an adult dog. The dogs with the greatest nutritional needs are nursing dogs. A nursing dog will need two to four times as many calories as a non-nursing dog. Also the amount they needed depends on the number of puppies they are nursing including the length of time they have been nursing. The higher the more the will require additional nutrient.

In respect, older dogs that are less active may only need 70%-80% of the calories they consumed in young age.

Dog Food Comparison for Quality

Most importantly, the food you choose for your dog, whether commercial, a combination or home made, needs to contain the nutrients stated above. Once the dog food you are comparing is missing in ingredient, drop and keep looking. Once you have found the dog foods that include these essentials, you can narrow them down based on the quality and quantities of the ingredients and nutrients. It will help you if you find the foods that your dog doesn’t like. It will save your time.

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