Diet is perhaps the most important aspect to maintaining a dog’s health, besides of course, LOVE. Reading the ingredients on the package can go a long way in helping your dog eat healthy.

Scanning ingredients printed on commercially available dog food you might think, "How can this be healthy?" You may think pet foods are so highly processed and full of preservatives that they aren't any better for our dogs than potato chips are for us. However, unlike potato chips, pet foods must prove it can provide all the nutrients needed by the dog, cat, puppy or kitten before it is sold. So before your dog takes another bite, read these tips on how to find the healthiest food for your pet.

• The best recommended ratios for a healthy dog's diet are about 40% meat, 50% veggies, and only about 10% grain or other carbohydrate. When possible choose pet food close to this ingredient ratio. The present of protein should be higher for cats.


• Ensure that protein sources from meat are high in the ingredient list. Three of the first five ingredients listed on the label as a form of protein such as chicken, lamb, venison. Although by-products can include chicken beaks, feet, bones, etc., reputable manufacturers will select ingredients processed to remove such indigestible material.


• Often, manufactures of low quality dog foods will list a meat ingredient first, which will be followed by several by-products and fillers. Although meat is listed first, there are probably fillers, which changes the ratio noted above.


• Consider this rule of thumb: If you wouldn't eat it, your dog probably shouldn't eat it either.