Canine dog food can be purchased in dry chunks or canned food. Some pet lovers actually cook for their dogs and some feed their dogs table scraps. All these methods deliver nutrition to the pet but certain very important and essential factors should be considered for optimal results. A correct balance of protein, fat and fiber is essential. These dogs are unable to forage for what their system needs since they are housed or kenneled by us for most of their lives. This balance is just as important as the quality of diet your pet recieves. Age and activity levels can also influence changes in these required balances.

PROTEINS- Not all proteins are created equally. Since canines are carnivores, they require meat proteins. Avoid ingredients listed in canned or dry dog foods within the first six listed ingredients such as soybeans, corn gluten meal and other glutens. These are not essential proteins for a carnivorous animal. Purchasing a product with 20-30% protein can be misleading if one of these products are top 6 listed. Your dog is not recieving that percentage of protein. I like to choose meat products that are similar to what carnivores ate in the wild. HINT-what they could catch, kill, and eat. Chicken, fish, turkey, eggs, etc.processed into various types of meat meal and meat by-product meal. This is what canines evolved on. Meat by-product meal can be as good or better than meat meals if only internal organs are considered the only by-products. Obviously by-products in some cheap formulas contain feathers, feet, bone, and connective tissue. These are not very digestable proteins and are reduced to potentially unhealthy ash when processed. Meat products should be the first listed product on the ingredients label. An active dog or a growing puppy should recieve 26-30% protein in their diet each day. Less active or over weight dogs should recieve 20-25% protein each day. Remember the quality and the freshness of the protein factors in the optimal requirements. Non-digestable leather shoes are protein and would be considered in the percentage of protein in your dogs food. Six month old dog food is not as nutritional as freshly processed dog food.

FATS- Not all fats are healthy for your canine. Unlike humans, fats in a canine diet are the primary energy source. Like humans, fats make food more palatable and unsaturated fats are much healthier than saturated fats. I prefer chicken fat over beef tallow since it consist of less saturated fats and are a more natural food souce during canine evolution. I prefer chicken fat to vegetable oils even though vegetable oils are less in saturated fats, it is not what canines evolved on. Active and growing canines should recieve 16-20% fat in their diet. Less active and overweight canines should recieve 9-15% fat in their diet.

CARBOHYDRATES- Processed dog food on todays market consist of approximately 50% carbohydrates. Canine diet requirements are less than 10% carbohydrates. Confused? Join the Club. When is the last time you witnessed a dog eating grain in a grain field. Grain mills are the primary manufactures of dry and canned dog food. This makes an excellent filler and even sounds good to some consumers on the ingredients label. Until someone, bold enough, with alot of money to spend, manufactures and markets this product, we will probably never see this 10% or less carbohydrate formula on the market. This would change all the percentage balances of protein and fat mentioned previously. However, this knowledgeable Club is growing every day. Volume of food required would decrease by ~40%. Digestive efficiency would improve dramatically yielding far less waste elimination. Furthermore, the price of this diet would decrease. Many more canine health benefits would be experienced from this more efficient diet. On the negative side, your lawn may not be as green but would obviously smell much better.

PRESERVATIVES- The good, the better, and the ugly. Preservatives do what the name implies, preserves the protein and fats from oxidation (spoiling). Good preservatives are chemical anti-oxidants that can preserve processed dog food for up to 18 months without being unhealthy to the dog. Some chemically processed anti-oxidants on todays market are suspected toxins or worse suspected carcinogens. I cannot mention these formulas for obvious reasons. Natural and chemically processed vitamins such as vitamin E and C make excellent preservatives. Some of the process vitamins listed as ingredients are natural and mixed tocopherols(E), citric acid and ascorbyl palmitate (C). Natural preservatives are obviously our preference. The preservatives battle rages on, with anecdotal evidence supporting a closer look at the antioxidant ethoxyquin and more and more companies formulating one or more foods preserved with vitamins. Just as "natural" is in the perception of the beholder, so is the "danger" associated with chemical preservatives in the absence of scientific study. Actually, in the case of ethoxyquin, several studies attest to the benefits of its use as an antioxidant, including cost efficiency and increased shelf life for the product. However, chemical additives of all sorts from pesticides to coloring and flavoring agents to preservatives are undergoing increased scrutiny as potential culprits in a plethora of canine and human health problems. News stories abound with stories of dangerous chemicals. This causes cancer, that collects in the fatty tissue, and the other can cause nerve damage. Toxic dumps, contaminated water, residue in food -- it all adds up to a growing fear of chemicals. But without some use of chemicals, food will spoil, even dog food. Preservatives are necessary in foods that contain animal fats to prevent rancidity. The fats used in dry kibble for palatability, a source of fatty acids, and a carrier for fat-soluble vitamins can cause dog food to become toxic if they break down. Dog food manufacturers use several chemicals called antioxidants to prevent that breakdown, including BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, and Vitamins C and E. Vitamins are used in "all natural" and "organic" feeds. They are more expensive than other chemicals and not as efficient at the job. Foods preserved with vitamins have a shorter shelf life than food preserved with BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin. BHA and BHT are often used in concert and are Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration although very high doses have been implicated as carcinogens in some studies. These are the most common preservatives in human foods. Ethoxyquin is an antioxidant that has come under much criticism in the past few years. Like many chemicals, it comes in several forms. One form is used to prevent breakdown of rubber; another has been used to protect apples from scale insects. Food grade ethoxyquin is used as a preservative in dogs foods. Ethoxyquin is manufactured by Monsanto Chemical Company. It has been used in dog food for many years in the US but is banned in Europe. Some vocal breeders and competitive dog food manufacturers have blamed ethoxyquin for a variety of maladies, including skin, reproductive, and nerve problems. The complaints led to a review of the scientific literature on ethoxyquin studies by the FDA and a recommendation of new tests. However, the chemical was not removed from the market. As with most chemicals, the story of ethoxyquin is surrounded by anecdotal evidence and emotional reactions. There are many things that can cause skin problems and reproductive failure; even if a change in dog food clears up the problem, there's no way to tell without controlled scientific research if the chemical was at fault. Reproductive problems can be caused by nutrient imbalance and environmental conditions; skin problems can be caused by poor diet, allergies, and autoimmune disease. Since no two dog foods are alike, the mere fact that a condition improved when the diet was changed means nothing except that the new food is more balanced for that particular condition. The preservatives battle rages on, with anecdotal evidence supporting a closer look at the antioxidant ethoxyquin and more and more companies formulating one or more foods preserved with vitamins.

VITAMINS and MINERALS are necessary for proper absorption of fats and carbohydrates and for the chemical reactions in the body. Not only do organisms need these nutrients, but they need them in proper amounts and ratios for optimum health. For example, unless calcium and phosphorus are in balance, neither will be properly absorbed or utilized, which can lead to bone or muscle problems. Some dogs may need vitamin or mineral supplements at some time during their lives. Some breeders give extra Vitamin C to dogs recovering from injury and boost bitches with Vitamins C and E during pregnancy. However, dogs manufacture their own Vitamin C, so this may be redundant. Dogs with dry skin may benefit from daily doses of Vitamin E, and dogs under stress or bothered by fleas or biting flies may improve if given Vitamin B-complex. The operative word is "may"; brewer's yeast, that oft-touted, but essentially effective treatment for flea problems is high in B-complex vitamins. Vitamins are divided into fat-soluble and water-soluble types. Water soluble vitamins are excreted from the body if they are not used; fat soluble vitamins are stored in fatty tissue. Water-soluble vitamins are the B-complex, including thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, niacin, pyridoxine, biotin, folic acid, choline, and B12, and C, ascorbic acid. B-vitamins help convert food to energy; C can be manufactured by the dog and supplementation is not necessary. However, some breeders insist that Vitamin C is helpful for dogs that are under stress. Fat soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K. They are involved in several body functions, including eyesight, bone formation and strength (with calcium), cell stability, and blood coagulation. Vitamin K can be synthesized by bacteria in the dog's intestine and does not need to be added to the diet under ordinary circumstances. Deficiencies of Vitamin E can cause muscle tissue breakdown, reproductive failure, and impairment of immune response. Vitamin A deficiency can cause several eye problems, including dryness, corneal ulcerations, and inflammation of the conjunctiva. Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets. Fat soluble vitamins can build up in tissues and become toxic. Excess Vitamin A can lead to bone disease; too much Vitamin D can cause calcification of soft tissue, lungs, and kidneys. Evidence of toxicity in Vitamin E overdose is sketchy; there may be some adverse effects on blood coagulation or thyroid function, but more study is needed to ascertain the extent of such effect.

The above information is based on the studies, observations of German Shepherd dog and puppy diets, Doberman Pinscher dog and puppy diets, and the opinions of Svetdanhaus canine trainers. You know the saying "every one has an opinion" We also pride ourselves on the fact that we remain open minded and strive to learn more everyday to better our lives and the lives of our no speaking canine companions. If you have comments or suggestions that can help us improve the information on this page and site, PLEASE send us an E-mail through the auto-responder provided below.