Dog Food

It is important what you give to your dog during meal times. Dogs need nutrients like you and me. All dog owners should be informed on the right kind of food to give to their dogs. Breeds of different ages, health and nutritional needs are fed with different food. The temperament and activity level of your dog and the environment also contribute to a dog's nutritional level. As a dog owner, you should feed your dog well to ensure good health and longevity.

Changing your dog's food

Time required: A total of 3 weeks

1st week: 25% of new food, 75% of old food

2nd week: 50% of old and new food

3rd week: 75% of new food, 25% of old food

By the 4th week, your dog should be eating its new food with little or no stomach upset.

WARNING!!! Do not change your dog's food immediately. It will result in gastrointestinal disorder. Symptoms are stomach upset, vomitting and diarrhoea. Feeding spoiled or low quality food, leftovers and if your dog raid the garbage will also result in such disorder.

High and Low Quality Nutrient Sources
Ingredient	Purpose	High Quality	Low Quality
Proteins	Build muscles, connective tissues; influence enzyme and hormone production	chicken; poultry and turkey by-product meal; eggs; liver; fish; skim milk; pork meal	meat and bone meal; feather meal
Carbohydrates	Provide starches for energy, promote intestinal health and proper stool formation	corn; rice; oatmeal; oat flour; wheat	soy flour; soybean meal; corn gluten meal; wheat gluten; wheat middlings
Fats	Store energy, provide essential fatty acids, enhance palatability	poultry, chicken, turkey, pork fat	vegetable oils; corn oil, lecithin; soy oil; wheat germ oil; sesame seed oil; linseed oil

Sources of Vitamins
Vitamins	Most Common Source
Vitamin A	dairy products, leafy green vegetables, fish liver oil, carrots
Vitamin B Complex	brewer's yeast, whole grain cereals, liver
Vitamin C	fruits and vegetables, especially broccoli, cabbage, leafy green vegetables
Vitamin D	sunshine, dairy products, fish liver oil
Vitamin E	cold-pressed vegetable oil, meats, raw nuts and seeds, leafy green vegetables, soybeans
Vitamin K	kelp, alfalfa, yogurt, egg yolk, fish liver oils

Sources of Minerals
Mineral	Most Common Source
Calcium	meats, bone and bone meal, milk and milk products
Chloride	salt (sodium chloride), kelp
Copper	liver, whole grain products, leafy green vegetables, legumes
Iodine	fish, kelp
Iron	liver, oysters, fish, lean meats, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, legumes, molasses
Magnesium	green vegetables, raw whole grains, oil-rich seeds and nuts, soybeans, milk
Manganese	whole grains, eggs, seeds and nuts, green vegetables
Phosphorus	meat, fish, poultry, eggs, whole grains, seeds and nuts,
Potassium	all vegetables, potatoes, bananas, whole grains, sunflower seeds
Selenium	yeast, organ and muscle meats, fish, whole grains
Sulphur	eggs, meat, cheese
Zinc	whole grains, brewer's yeast, wheat germ, pumpkin seeds

Nutrition Comparisons
Company/Food	Protein	Fat	Fiber	Moisture
Puppy/Growth Dry Foods
Breeder's Choice Growth	28	17	4	10
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice for Puppies	26	14	4	10
Natural Life Pet Products Puppy	26	15	4	10
Vet's Choice Select Balance Puppy	26	17	3	10
Adult/Maintenance Dry Foods
Alpo Beef	21	8	4.5	12
Breeder's Choice Maintenance, Lamb & Rice	25, 23	15, 12	3.5, 3.5	10, 10
Iams Mini Chunks, Eukanuba Original	26, 30	15, 20	5, 4	10, 10
Kruse's Country Perfection Adult	18	8	3	10
Super Pro Adult	26	15	4	11
Performance Dry Foods
Alpo Protein Plus	28	11	4	12
Purina Hi Pro, Pro Plan Performance	27, 30	10, 20	4, 3	12, 12
Super Pro Performance	27	22	14	11
Reducing/Less Active Dry Foods
Breeder's Choice Lite	17	8	7	10
Purina Fit & Trim, Pro Plan Lite	14, 14	5, 8	10, 5.5	12, 12
Senior/Geriatric Dry Foods
Hill's Pet Nutrtion Lite	17	17	17	17