Dog Food Ratings|Best Dog Food Ingredients

Get your bag of food. Look for the Ingredient Statement on the label. Then.......

1. Read the first five ingredients. They play a significant role in the nutritional make-up of a food.
Quality Protein? Protein is essential for all bodily functions including those of the brain, heart, skin, skeleton and many others.

The best dog food ingredients will contain at least 26% of high-quality protein such as chicken meal.

Chicken meal is better because it is a more concentrated source of protein, as most of the water has been removed.

Look for identifiable animal proteins such as "chicken meal" rather generic terms like "poultry meal," which can consist of any fowl (turkey, chicken, geese, etc.).

You should be aware that some manufacturers use grains such as wheat gluten or corn gluten as less expensive sources of protein. Dog food ratings on these foods would be quite low.

What about grains? Whole grains are an excellent source of protein, fiber, B vitamins, iron, zinc and other essential minerals.

The best dog food ingredients do NOT contain grains like soy, corn, corn gluten, wheat and wheat gluten that are generally used as inexpensive sources of protein. Also, these grains are prone to molds, which can be toxic.

* Are there by-products? By products are the leftover so called "proteins" like chicken beaks, chicken feet,and intestines. Pretty yucky, huh?

Some manufacturers consider by-products inferior sources of protein and, depending on the source, they can be difficult to digest.

What are the fat sources? The primary fat source in dog food should be animal-based because these fats contain a profile of fatty acids that are easily metabolized and generally more available to the body.

Animal fats can vary in quality, so look for a species-specific fat like "chicken fat" versus "animal fat" to be certain of the kind of fat your dog is eating.

Here's a site where you can see how the top 10 selling dog foods compare. Find out who has the
Best Dog Food Ratings.