Dogs need amino acids found in proteins, that’s a fact. These amino acids are essential for their immune and musculoskeletal systems as well as help them to maintain the replacement of hair, skin, and nails. A dogs’ system can produce half the amount of the needed amino acids, but that is not enough, so basically, they need more, and it comes from the foods they consume every day. The best dog training treats must contain enough protein. These facts make some people think that the more their dogs eat protein sources, the better. That’s how some brands of store-bought dog foods appear on the market.
Facts about Store-Bought Dog Food
Many pet food companies claimed that their high-protein product -usually the meat-based dog food, is the best. This means that it was made of healthy and high-quality ingredients. But is that the truth?
The truth is some companies ‘naughtily’ used other ingredients as filler to replace natural proteins they claimed as the basic ingredients of their products. For example, several brands of so-called high protein dry food contain more corns and grains to help keep costs down. Actually, there is no problem with eating corn or grain. The problem is dogs’ digestive system is not made to consume these ingredients, even more, to eat them on a daily basis!
Furthermore, in order to make the products have a longer shelf life or more enticing, many pet food companies use preservatives, dyes, and other synthetic ingredients, which are totally unnecessary if not dangerous for dogs’ health.
How to identify crappy proteins
Now with the wide variety of brands on the market, the question is: how to identify that a store-bought dog food contains crappy proteins?
Firstly, you can carefully examine its ingredients and the packaging. Usually, the first 5 ingredients represent the whole product. Pick the one with the “Balance and Complete” phrase on it.
Then, try to understand the nutrition table. This is necessary to make sure that the dog foods contain all nutrition your dog needs.
Next, find the protein chart and see if the amount of protein contained in the dog food is enough for your four-legged baby.
If you are not sure of the ingredients, packaging, and nutrition table of a product, leave it there and look for another brand that meets the criteria. Even better, if you ask your veterinarian how to choose the best products for your pets.
What is more important
According to the Petfood Industry, what matters is not the quantity of protein but its quality. A good product is focusing on the digestibility and bioavailability of amino acids within the product.
Besides, providing the best training treats for your dogs is not always about protein. It is true that protein is important, but protein alone cannot cover what your dog needs to grow and keep healthy. So make sure that your dog also has the other nutrients it needs, such as minerals, vitamins, and other components from fruits and vegetables.
