Many of us pet owners have experienced standing in a pet store and being completely overwhelmed with the wide range of pet foods. Especially when bringing home a dog or a cat for the first time you might find yourself wondering ‘What’s the best food for them?’
To give you a little bit of guidance, let’s look at some salient aspects:
What type of food is best – Wet or Dry?
There’s no definitive answer for this. Both have their pros and cons. It depends on your budget, your pet’s preference and possibly medical conditions as well. But there are some things to look out for either way, as we’ll explain later.
Ingredients – have you ever checked the label on the food bag?
Pet food labels can be very hard to understand but there are some things that you should avoid in your pet’s food:
Sugar – Dogs and cats have no need for added sugar in their food or treats. Just like too much sugar is bad for us, it’s bad for them, too. They can become overweight or even diabetic.
Meat and Animal Derivatives – This is often listed as one of the first ingredients, but do you know what it means?
Not only is it not defined which animals have been used in the food, it’s also unclear which parts of the animal have been derived for your pet’s consumption. It can include meaty parts and organs but also things like hooves or feathers that have little to no nutritional value for your pet.
This can be problematic, especially for pets with food sensitivities.
Lastly – Stay away from rawhide chews for dogs!
Rawhide is still a popular treat for dogs. They often come in all kinds of shapes and colours to look appealing for dog owners. But what is Rawhide? While the chews are made from animal skin (usually cow) it is far from a natural treat. The process of making them includes a lot of chemicals for texture and colour. They are also extremely hard to digest and can end up blocking your dog’s digestive tract.
So, there’s a few things to consider when food shopping for your beloved pets. Hopefully this little guide helps a bit:)
If you would like to find out more about pet nutrition, why not visit @pawfuelie on Instagram, for example.