More often that we realize, our dogs become like children to us.
For some this happens instantly, from the minute they first take their pet home.
For others it comes slowly, after some time has passed and both pet and owner have gotten to know each other.
Either way, they become a part of our families, an important part of our lives, creatures we truly love.
And as part of caring for our pets, we want to give them the best we possibly can.
A big part of this involves keeping them healthy by giving them good quality dog food.
Often, people hear the term “good quality dog food” and think that we are referring to expensive food.
Others think we are referring to the raw feeding method.
It may come as a surprise to some that this isn’t true in either case.
Good quality dog food simply involves providing the right amounts of protein, vegetables, fruit, fiber, dairy, and other nutrients that your pet needs to stay healthy.
For any of these things to have good quality, they have to come from trusted sources that prepare their products correctly.
Preferably, however, they should be organic.
Feeding your pet with fresh organic raw dog food from reputable sources is one way to give them food of excellent quality.
However, if you’ve chosen to feed your pet with home-cooked meals, good quality food involves finding the right type of organic food for those meals, making sure you fulfill your pet’s nutrient requirements.
So really, its about finding and providing the type of food your pet needs.
For example, if your dog had diabetes, good quality can involve finding fresh and good sources of organic millet or oats.
When trying to make sure the quality of your pet’s food stays excellent, it is also important to keep your pet’s age in mind.
Very young and very old pets are the most susceptible to disease or bacteria, and because of this their food needs to be of excellent quality.
However, you can’t feed a puppy and an aging dog the same thing.
They will have different nutrient needs.
If you are practicing raw feeding, one way to make sure the food you are serving is of good quality is to look for a local raw dog food company.
Some cities have started opening special stores which prepare raw food meals for pets that owners can easily pick up and give their pets.
Some commercial pet food companies have also started preparing packaged raw food, and many of them are worth looking into.
However, you have to be careful because commercial pet food companies are still having problems with these products.
Primal has already had to recall one of its organic raw food products because of a salmonella issue.
Whenever buying commercial pet food, be sure you keep the package and receipt of the food so that you have record of what your dog has eaten, should anything go wrong.
Providing your pet with good quality dog food is easier than you realize and is not at all expensive.
It’s really just a matter of choosing a diet that works for your pet and making sure the components of that diet come from good, reputable sources known for producing excellent food.