There are so many different dog foods available that it is very hard to decide which is best for your dog or puppy. Some people say one brand is best, while others claim home made dog food is the only way to ensure your dog gets the best quality. There is also the raw food diet, which seems to really help dogs with constipation, as well as other problems.

Then what about vitamins, minerals and supplements? If you choose regular dog food, should you get dry or canned? The questions are almost endless.

Basically, start your dog on a high quality dog food (dry or canned, or home made) and watch to see how your dog does. A good indication is the health of your dog; how clear his eyes are, how shiny his coat is and how much energy he has.

A dog’s diet should include a combination of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats and proteins. If it does, then your dog’s needs for growth, tissue repair and exercise will be met.
To ensure your dog gets good nutrition, here are some tips to follow:

1. Ensure your dog always has fresh, clean water.

2. Avoid feeding your dog scraps from the dinner table. This can cause your dog to gain too much weight.

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More and more people are beginning to make their dog’s food at home rather than buying commercial formulas. Homemade dog food doesn’t contain any substances that could possibly be harmful to your dog’s health such as artificial coloring and artificial flavors.

Another reason to make homemade dog food is the preservatives added to the commercial dog food. Homemade dog food has the benefit of optimum freshness without preservatives.

There are dogs that would greatly benefit from a homemade diet. Some dogs who suffer from allergies that cause severe itching may find relief once switched from commercial dog food to a homemade diet.

Processed dog food is a relatively new product and scientists don’t fully understand the differences between commercial food and a diet of fresh food. There may be problems occurring in a dog’s health because he is being given food that has had the nutrients cooked out of it and then sprayed back on.

It’s also possible that the extremely high heat used to produce commercial dog food may alter the protein structure in the meats used. It’s not proven whether such protein alteration negatively affects a dog’s health, and since dogs seem to maintain their regular health during regulated feeding trials most people feel that commercial food is good enough to maintain their dog’s health.

What if you want more than to give your dog a food that is “good enough”. There are many recipes you can use. There are ebooks available with a variety of recipes that will provide your dog a well-rounded diet full of nutrition and every vitamin and mineral he needs.

There are certain foods you want to avoid, such as fatty meats, cured meat, (sausage, bacon, hot dogs), any fried foods and raw pork. You also want to avoid any milk, cream, ice cream, pastries, white bread, sugary foods, grapes, raisins and onions. Keep in mind that anything you consider to be junk food would not be good for your dog.

Healthy foods to give your dog would include raw or cooked lean cuts of meat: beef, poultry, lamb, whitefish and fatty fish (like salmon). Also included in a healthy diet are cooked grains, eggs (raw or cooked), finely chopped or ground raw vegetables (remember, no onions), and bits of fruit (again, remember to give your dog no raisons or grapes).

These are just the basics. There are books on the subject that provide great recipes and a full list of good foods and foods to stay away from.

A basic formula for a home made diet would be 50 percent protein, 25 percent vegetables (ground so they are easy to digest), and 25 percent grain (such as rice and oatmeal). Add to that some supplements of certain vitamins, minerals, and oils rich in omega-3 for healthy skin and coat.

There are some pets that do not do well on a homemade diet so be sure to check with your vet before making any changes to your dog’s diet. After making the change, pay attention to how your dog responds. Not all dogs thrive on a homemade diet.

Some dogs may have trouble adjusting and others might not like the food or suffer from temporary digestive upset. Slowly changing the dog’s diet, gradually giving more of the homemade food and less of the commercial, can help alleviate stomach upset.

Good health starts with good nutrition. It helps dogs fight disease, grow correctly, and age gracefully. Giving your puppy or adult dog the correct diet in the correct amounts makes for a happier, healthier pet.

Dogs need different diets as they age. Most puppies require greater amounts of protein, fat and carbohydrates than an adult dog. Their bodies are going through tremendous growth in a short amount of time and so foods rich in these items are very important.

However, different dog breeds require different amounts of protein, calcium and fat. It has actually been discovered that larger-breed puppies do better on adult dog food because puppy food promotes fast growth.

Breeds such as Great Danes, Irish Wolfhounds and Saint Bernards can grow at phenomenal rates, some gaining 100 pounds in a matter of months. When bones grow too fast they become less dense and more porous, leaving the dog more vulnerable to degenerative conditions.

In some areas puppy food is available specifically for different breed sizes. It’s recommended that owners talk to their vet about what food is best for their puppy.

Feeding schedules are different for the age and the size of the animal. Small-breed puppies such as Yorkies and Chihuahuas may not get the energy they need unless they are fed 3-4 times a day for the first few months.

There are special formulas for small breeds. They typically come in smaller kibble so it is easier for the dog to eat, as well as being higher in nutrition so the dog gets the necessary energy they need for their higher metabolism.

Canine athletes or working dogs need extra calories to provide enough energy for each day. There are formulas that are custom-made that contain a high percentage of calories from protein and fat.

Elder dogs have completely different needs than puppies, younger dogs and working dogs. They need less protein while at the same time the protein needs to be easily assimilated into the body and easily digestible. Too much protein can lead to burdening the renal structures and may damage the kidneys.

Arthritis, heart disease and other age-related conditions could mean less exercise and so less food. However, senior dogs that remain active, have a healthy weight, and are free from serious health problems don’t necessarily need a senior diet.

Some senior diets have reduced protein levels. But healthy seniors need sufficient protein to help maintain muscle mass. Owners need to check with their dog’s vet to determine the best formula and the correct amount for their elderly dog.

A stage that some female dogs go through is the pregnancy stage. This requires a different diet and schedule. Females in the pregnancy stage require a balanced nutrition with proper supplementation of vitamins and minerals.

Later, when they are nursing the puppies, they need enough calcium so the bones of the puppies will be strong.

As your dog goes through each stage it is important to evaluate how your dog is doing. Any change in weight, coat quality, mobility, or other health aspect in your dog needs to be discussed with your vet for a possible change in diet.

by:Brigitte Smith

It goes without saying that your dog needs suitable nutrition to remain healthy. Vets and pet food manufacturers often have differing views on appropriate nutrition for your dog.

Although commercial pet food manufacturers are motivated in large part by profits, commercially prepared foods are routinely recommended as part of an adequate, or good, diet for your dog. Sometimes your vet or dog breeder may approve of commercially prepared foods as your dog's sole diet.

Many experts, however, tend to prefer a largely natural diet which for dogs is invariably comprised of meat and bones. Raw is preferable to cooked, as some of the minerals are definitely lost in the cooking process.

The reason why the commercially prepared pet food is so often fed to our dogs, is because, apart from the convenience, it can (depending upon the quality) actually contain many of the nutrients which are essential to your dog's wellbeing. The key word here is quality.

There are in fact very, very few commercial manufacturers which produce nutrient-rich food. And they're not the brands you find in your supermarket, or even in most pet stores or vetinarians.Raw bones with a little dry food as well as occasional rice or pasta, and perhaps the odd quality food scrap from your table, will generally contain most of the nutrients which your dog needs.

All dogs must obtain reasonable nutrition from their food to maintain excellent health and performance. The main nutrients required by your dog are water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins.

Vitamin or mineral deficiency in dogs fed a commercially manufactured diet today is not widely publicised. But then again, the slosh and dried formulae which are readily available from your vet or the local supermarket are not your dog's natural diet.

If your dog was left to fend for itself in the wild (assuming it could manage to adapt, that is), would choose raw meat. And one of the reasons why meat, and especially bones, are so good, is the chewing action and the teeth cleaning function which the bones perform.

Of course, there are also commercially prepared substitutes which can also effectively clean your dog's teeth and satisfy his/her need to chew. A lesser known fact is that to feed your dog only meat (with no bones and no cereals or other carbohydrate source) can cause severe deficiencies: your dog is likely to become lethargic, sick, and even death has been known to occur from an all meat diet.

But what about dogs in the wild, I hear you ask? Isn't meat a dog's natural diet? Isn't that what you just said, Brigitte? Well, yes and no: in the wild dogs eat the whole of their prey, not simply muscle meat - they thus obtain vegetable matter from the digestive tract of their prey, and calcium from the bones.

As well, wild dogs occasionally, but routinely, add to their diet with plants, fruit and berries. Most dogs relish some raw fruit and vegetables in their diet, so long as that's what they're used to.

A dog who has been fed commercially prepared dog food all of its life won't be used to the taste of fresh food, so may well turn up his/her nose if you introduce such healthy food later in life. But persevere - try hand feeding pieces of carrot or apple to begin with. And if your dog is still very young, all the better.

Start as you mean to go on and feed him/her some raw fruit and vegetables from time to time. Your dog's health will benefit!

(c) 2005, Brigitte Smith, Healthy Happy Dogs

Brigitte Smith is a dog lover with a special interest in natural health for dogs. For your free special report, as well as weekly tips, information, strategies and resources for a healthier happier dog, click here for your dog health report: http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com.