Do You Know How to Choose
The Best Dog Food?

Choosing the best dog food is a challenging task. When walking into a pet store, there are aisles and aisles of attractive dog food bags.

You do your best to look at the Guaranteed Analysis information, and try to compare the percentages of protein, fat, and moisture. You look at the ingredient list and after a few recognizable words, it all starts to look the same.

Although I know quite a bit about dog treat ingredients, when it comes to dog food, I draw a blank. That's why I purchased this book The Complete Guide to Your Dog's Nutrition.

Is This the Best
Dog Food for Me?

In the past I would go into a pet store and buy the bag with the cutest dog on the cover. Oh, and maybe look for something that said "vitamins and minerals", then go home and play with my dog. But our dogs deserve so much more time and attention to their main diet. Besides doing your own research, it's a good idea to talk to your trusted Veterinarian.

So why is this book, and information regarding what to feed your dog, of importance? For many owners the question of what to feed your dog is based on finances. While this seems sensible, it may not be the best. Why feed your dog sub-par ingredients and face vet bills later on that may have been avoided in the first place by choosing the best dog food?

As tempting as it is to overlook what's in your dog's food, your best friend is depending on you to bring home the best dog food possible.

But you may be asking yourself "If my dog likes eating a certain brand, can it really be bad for her? Wouldn't she refuse to eat something unhealthy?" This book reveals tricks that dog food manufactures are using to get dogs to devour unhealthy food.

Test Your Dog Food Knowledge

The following questions are True or False. Do you know the answers? Your dog needs you to know:

• Avoid any brands that list corn as their main ingredient.
• True. Do you know why?
  
  
• Your dog's mood and attitude have nothing to do with the dog food he's eating.
• False. Learn the things your dog needs to help her improve her mood and attitude.
  
  
• High quality dog food costs more than low quality dog food.
• False. The answer may surprise you, it really surprised me! It's one of the most influential tips I learned from this book!
  
  
• There is no difference between the phrases "Beef Dog Food", "Beef Dinner", "Beef Nuggets", and "Beef Flavored".
  • False. This book will tell you the differences between these terms that are commonly used on dog food bags.
    
    
• Once I've chosen a new type of dog food, I need to gradually introduce it into my dog's daily routine.
• True. You can choose one of the several methods discussed in the book to gradually switch your dog's food.

Review

This book is a wonderful start into the world of dog nutrition and dog food. It will help you to read and understand a dog food label. It will help you choose the very best dog food for your budget, and introduce you to the concept of a BARF diet and a homemade dog food diet.

There are some negatives about this book. It seems minor, but I found it annoying that the last 20 pages or so were not numbered. It makes it difficult to navigate to specific chapters of the book, but it does not take away from the wonderful information.

So, What Are You Going
to Put In My Bowl?

One feature of the book is to offer the cost per different sizes of each of the preferred dog foods. Even though it is suppose to be a benefit, the book was written in 2008, and there is no indication that it has been updated. This is not an issue with the rest of the information, but the cost per bag may not be up-to-date.

This book has other benefits. It has simply and easily explained what carbs, calories, fats, and proteins are and how they relate to choosing the best dog food. It has also included a handy formula for determining how many calories are in your dog's food. And, it talks about the controversial ingredient, garlic. Actually there is over a full page dedicated to understanding this little vegetable.

One of my favorite aspects of the whole book is that it gives advice for pet parents who can't afford the very very best. Sometimes you can read, learn, and understand how to choose the best dog food, and yet not be able to provide it and pay the electric bill. The author explains what proteins and carbs will be nutritionally suitable on a budget.

Choosing the best dog food comes down to knowledge. The more you know, the better you can choose a dog food that is just right for your dog, your budget, and your lifestyle. The Complete Guide to Your Dog's Nutrition is a valuable resource to help you gain the education you need to help your dog live a long and healthy life, right by your side.