The Patio Expert Pages

Proper nutrition is the most important thing that you can give your pet. Because our dogs depend on us to feed them, it becomes our responsibility as owners to provide for them the food that they'll need to live happy, disease-free lives.

So what exactly is the stuff that comes in cans and plastic bags made of? What are we feeding our pets in their dog food and dog treats. To be a conscientious owner, you have to know how to read those ingredient labels. These labels list the ingredients by weight: from heaviest (which is what the food is mostly made of), to the lightest.

Don't buy foods and dog treats that list "meat byproducts" or a lot of wheat and grain ingredients like "potato product" or "grain fermentation solubles." These grain by-products tend to add large amounts of carbohydrates in your dog's diet. Many of these foods have up to 70 percent of carbohydrate ingredients, while the dog's body is typically made to handle a diet that is less than 30 percent carbohydrate. The reason that so many pet food makers put wheat byproducts is simple: they're cheap to use. These byproducts act as filler: they will result in more dog food produced, for a lower price. But too much carb can seriously shorten your dog's lifespan - it leads to digestive problems and obesity, along with all the obesity-related health problems.

And animal byproducts aren't any better. What "byproducts" means is that this is the stuff that would otherwise have been thrown away: lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, liver, blood, bone, and stomach and intestines from different animals. And the sources of these byproducts aren't even very regulated - they can (and have, in some cases) come from roadkill, or livestock that's been labeled 4-D: dead, diseased, disabled, dying.

So read those labels carefully, and get to know what your dog is really eating. There are many premium dog food brands out there that primarily whole foods like meat from chicken or lamb, which are the best sources of nutrition for your dog. Wellness dog food and dog treats are a good example of brands whose ingredients will help your companion along for a healthy, happy life.