If you’ve visted your local pet store lately, you might experience what I like to call “product overload.” With shelves and shelves of different products all claiming to be the best diet available, it makes what seems to be a simple decision into a fit of anxiety waiting to happen.

We all want the best nutrition for our pet, so they not only grow, but thrive. Since all of these foods claim to be the best, which is the absolute best one?

Dogs are individuals, just like you and me. Some by virtue of their genetics or breed, may be prone to obesity. Some may have sensitive skin or may develop food allergies, and some may have special nutritional needs based on their individual health status. Some of these things we don’t know until they start to show problems with the food that they are eating… sort of like a trial and error process.

So when it comes to recommending the “ultimate” diet or the “best” brands, the answer is “it depends.” Here is what we DO know:

You should feed your pup a diet that is meat-based instead of grain-based. While dogs are considered omnivores (both meat and plant eaters), proteins from meat are the basics for good nutrition for your dog. So when selecting a diet, turn that package around and read that ingredient list. It should have a meat source listed as its FIRST ingredient.

Avoid diets that have a lot of artificial colors, flavors, synthetic preservatives and fillers. We usually find that the more colorful the diet, the less true nutritional value it has. This seems contradictory… you know, the cool diets that have all those bright colors like vegetables should be healthy, right? Not really.

Here is a brief list (in no particular order) of some of the more reputable dog food manufacturers and their websites which can give you more detailed information about their line of products. If your diet of interest is not listed here it DOES NOT mean the diet is poor quality or not recommended. If you have specific questions regarding a diet, ask the veterinarians.

Royal Canin (www.royalcanin.us)

Solid Gold (www.solidgoldhealth.com)

Nutro (www.nutroproducts.com)

Innova (www.naturapet.com)

Wellness (www.wellnesspetfood.com)

Hill’s (www.hillspet.com)

Iams (www.iams.com)

So, how do you know if the diet you selected is a good one for your pet? After your pet has been eating the diet for about a month or so, ask yourself the following questions:

1) How does my pet’s skin and coat look? Is he/she itchy, flaky, greasy?

2) Are my pet’s bowel movements solid and regular?

3) Is my pet at his/her optimal weight?

4) Does my pet FEEL good? Is he/she energetic? Playful? Or sluggish?

5) Does my pet eat the food readily or seem disinterested at mealtimes?

If you have a negative response to one or more of the above questions it might be time to reconsider your pet’s diet. DO NOT FORGET that treats and table food COUNT. Do not necessarily blame the dog food if you are feeding other things that might contribute to problems. First, cut the extras and reevaluate in a couple more weeks.

What about the extras? Should you add vitamin or mineral supplements? Fish oil? A raw egg?

Many seem to think that adding extra vitamins, minerals, and other things will make their pet healthier. The truth is, if you are feeding your dog a good quality, premium dog food, the correct ratios of all of those things are already  in there. You may just be putting more into the body that it will have to eliminate because it can’t use it. There are definitely circumstances in which we might suggest a supplement for your pet. But these are generally circumstances in which we’ve determined your pet needs it due to an illness or deficiency. If your dog is in good health, a good quality diet is all he/she needs!

Filed under: You & Your Puppy