Friday, April 27, 2012

Hi Everyone,

We're happy to be posting up here for the first time. We plan to use this space to post articles about pet health, training and nutrition, as well as updates on upcoming events here at Poudre Pet & Feed Supply.


How to Choose the Right Dog Food

Dogs are omnivorous carnivores. Dogs are members of the order Carnivora, but, unlike cats, are not obligate carnivores. The most current research indicates that dogs are capable of digesting a wide array of foods--both plants and animals--as part of a healthy and complete diet. Keeping that in mind that your dog still requires a meat-centered diet, plants can be a nutritious part of your dog's diet.

Look for high-quality proteins. Proteins can come from both plant and animal sources, but dogs are better able to process meat-based proteins. Raw chicken meat is about 20% protein, whereas corn, a common carbohydrate source in dog food, is only 3% protein. Since dogs are omnivorous carnivores, it is ideal when meat is listed as the first ingredient.  Dog foods that use list a carbohydrate, such as corn, as the first ingredient should be avoided, as this is not a sufficient source of protein. Sometimes dog food companies will list a meal instead of a whole meat source. This is nothing to be too concerned about. It just means that they have removed the water before using it as an ingredient. Companies that list meat by-products, however, can contain everything from beaks to feathers, which dogs do not digest very well.

Choose nutritious carbohydrates from whole grains or vegetables. All dry dog food has to contain some sort of carbohydrate source, which is used as a binder among other things. Dog food companies can use everything from rice, to sweet potatoes, to lentils in their foods. Ingredients such as corn, wheat, soy and gluten, in general, have recently come under fire as being potential allergens in dog food. As such, more and more companies are now offering grain-free, soy-free and corn-free options for your pet. It is important to keep in mind, however, that veterinary nutritionists estimate that only about one in twenty itchy dogs are actually reacting to any of the ingredients found in high-quality, natural dog foods. If a dog isn’t allergic, then corn, wheat or soy are unlikely to present problems.

Poudre Pet & Feed Supply does not sell junk. We stand by every food on our shelf and if for any reason you, your dog or your cat isn't completely happy with something you've bought at Poudre Pet & Feed Supply, please bring it back. We'll trade it out for something that may work better, or simply refund your money.