As the dog food companies exist to make profit they will try to cut down costs and to increase revenues. This can’t be a big surprise to you as this is true for most, if not all, commercial companies.

Dog food comes in different price ranges and hence in different qualities. Consumer behavior, so YOUR behavior, dictates to large extent what is being produced. As we see that pet owners care deeply for their furry friends we see an increase of the premium and super premium dog food range. As a consequence more niche products are developed that compete on quality statements and not price reductions.

In an environment like this YOU must learn to identify the best dog food and buy that for your pet, so the industry will recognize that you care for quality. So master the skill and start by learning how to decipher dog food labels. You then at least know that phrases like ‘dog food WITH beef’ only guarantee that at least 3% of what’s inside the bag is actual beef! So it’s not to mislead you, it’s just how the rules are made up. You better get acquainted with them, because the phrases indeed are misleading to the layman.

Next thing to learn is the ingredient list on the dog food package. The list is in order of predominance by weight, so the first ingredient listed is the main part of the dog menu.. you would think! Suppose meat is listed as first ingredient. Not knowing about the “splitting trick” you would conclude that it’s a good thing. But continue looking at the next ingredients on the list. When you see in the second and third position for instance ground yellow corn and corn gluten meal. Then it just might be the case that these two combined make up for the bigger part of the menu and not meat. Then corn is actually the predominant ingredient. Though corn is nutritious for some animals, your dog is just not that equipped to get to the nutritive value. As your furry friend is a semi-carnivore he lacks the required enzymes to properly digest plant materials. Meat is the first choice for protein for dogs as a piece of good meat will deliver more essential amino acids than any kind of cereal.

Meat is a more expensive protein source of course. But as it is more nutritious, you would need to feed less of it compared to grain based dog food. On a daily basis, costs can actually be lower. So don’t be tricked into buying the cheap stuff just because it looks cheap. Also, in the long run you will reduce costs when you can keep your dog healthy up to very old age.

Continue reading about dog food labels at Best Dog Food Guide and make an informed choice next time you’re at the dog food isle in the shop. Also visit the dog food ingredients 101 pages to learn which ingredients to avoid and which to look for when your out there trying to find the best dog food for your canine companion.