Your Questions About Dog Care

Dog Care Expert answers:

Try Science Diet, my dogs love it! And yes natural balance is a good brand.

Dog Care Expert answers:

Maybe its just me but i cant figure out which brand you are talking about… I googled it and im getting, purina one, iams and beniful for results…

My rule of thumb is the first ingrident must be a meat. Lamb meal, chicken meal..ect. If it says lamb/chicken byproduct that is the junk meat. I dont think corn is as bad as its rap, as long as it is GROUND corn, it IS digestible.

–one thing that is a big no no is Meat by-product. Its not specific for a reason. It can include dead, diseased and dying animal meat.. Mmm sounds yummy huh? Ick!
Here is what meat meal is: Warning gross futage:

Read the list of ingridents, everything before the “amimal fat” is what the food is mostly made up of. If you dont think their is enough meat content and cant afford a most expensive brand them suplement. Give your dog some egg (cooked) or peice of chicken breat with his meal.

I feed Nature’s Recipe. Its about $1 per pound at petsmart and has Lamb Meal.

I also really like Blue Buffalo (its more expensive though and was too rich for my dog causing loose stool, exen with a 2 week transition period.)

Dog Care Expert answers:

It’s not great. For the best long term health, your Peke should be on a good dry food for most meals. This helps maintain her teeth, and gives her the best nutrition.

Check the label. You want the first ingredient to be a meat. Chicken, beef, lamb, and venison are all good, as long as it isn’t meal or by-product. You also don’t want to see corn, wheat, or soy in the top five ingredients. Some dogs have allergies to those, and if your dog has a history of skin trouble, you shouldn’t see those ingredients on the label at all. Brown rice, fruit and vegetables are a plus.

Be careful on the table scraps. Anything very fatty, or that contains onions, chocolate, raisins, grapes, dairy products or any other ingredient that can be harmful should not be given to your dog. Steamed veggies like carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, or peas are fine, as are lean meats. My dogs get a few leftovers as treats now and then, but try to keep that down to once or twice a week, and put them in her bowl, so she doesn’t learn to beg.

Dog Care Expert answers:

As I said in your last question, Canidae may not be the most “premium” dog food but it is certainly much healthier than any of the foods you will find in the grocery store. People also like Canidae because it is available at more places than some other premium dog foods. Depending on how old the puppy is, if it is under 6 months I would keep it on the puppy food, over 6 months go ahead and switch it to the adult food. I actually don’t believe in feeding puppy food at all since it’s mostly a marketing ploy, but some people will throw a stink about that who feel differently.

Go to Canidae’s website and look at the ingredients for their food…if I had to feed one of their formulas I would pick the grain free, its a pretty well rounded food with a good protein percentage.

Dog Care Expert answers:

Diamond Naturals is also a good brand.