In addition to containing what is generally thought about the bottom of the barrel ingredients in terms of nutritional density, most conventional dog food products contain giant amounts of sodium to make them palatable, as well as dairy, by-products, chemical preservatives, artificial colors & other potentially harmful ingredients like dead animals. The carbohydrate ratio is high in some dog food brands as well is leading to obesity, which is increasingly becoming a serious problem with canines. In fact, obesity is five of the greatest health concerns facing our dogs; it can cause unnecessary suffering as well as a shortened lifespan in your pet.

According to veterinarian Dr. John Stakes, the maximum life span of canines is estimated to be around 25 to 30 years, yet the average dog generally lives no longer than about 13 to 14 years. He says that this deficit is due largely to poor nutrition. For example, canned food is about 75 to 78 percent moisture, which leaves little room for nutrition, also with over 87% of commercial dog food company's using euthanasia dog's, cat's, and road kill as there #1 filler, no wonder dogs only live that long.

Renowned research scientist Dr. Barry Sears believes that dog food should have about the same 30-30-40 ratio as the human Zone diet. This means a relatively little amount of carbohydrates. Not only do plenty of dog food brands have a particularly giant amount of carbohydrates, they are mostly grain based, which are exactly the ones the Zone diet tries to minimize. It's best to make the dog food at home if you can, and if your looking for some Free recipes to get started with try Richie's Pet Hangout .com.

Another problem, according to the USDA Agricultural service, is that mites often get in to dog food pellets, which can cause a quantity of problems such as disease. They recommend keeping dog food in dry ice, & vacuuming in the places where the food is stored the food is stored a least five times a week. In addition keep the area around the dish where the dog food is served tidy. Also, do not leave any dog food in your pet's bowl on warm, humid days, plus clean it at least twice a day.

It should be noted that harder working canines require more protein & fat in their diet to maintain stamina & lovely body form. A dog food that is complete & balanced & includes at least 26 percent protein & 1650 kilo calories of metabolized energy per pound is ideal. During the seasons when canines are not working, their energy requirements decrease. Feed less of the high calorie food or change to a less nutrient-dense dog food.

In short ! always keep track of your dog's food intake, try and avoid commercial dog food at all cost, and if your not already you should be feeding your dog healthy homemade recipes. These few things alone can help your dog live up to 8.3 years longer, plus healthier and happier for the rest of his life.