Owning a pet is hands down one of the greatest privileges that one can have. There is just something about caring for a creature that is entirely dependent on you, and yet so unquestionably loving that makes our hearts melt at the sight of our four legged friends. Of course like anything in life, owning a pet comes with its own set of unique challenges and trying times *cough* potty training! Through it all though, no matter how they came into our lives, our pets are as much a part of our family as anything else…but then again, if you are reading this I am sure you know just what I mean!

This is the first in a series of, hopefully entertaining and informative, articles that we are writing designed to inform dog and cat owners, new and old on a variety of important pet health and nutrition topics. Our goal is to take the admittedly sometimes confusing topics and lay them out in a way that is easy to understand. We hope that you enjoy them, and we encourage you to join in on the discussion!

Question: Do you know what you are feeding your pets?

If we were to meet while walking our pets, or perhaps on a nice sunny afternoon at the dog park and I asked you what you are feeding your pet(s), how would you answer? Out of curiosity, we decided to approach other pet owners and see what they said. Most of the responses we got were the names of some of the more popular pet food brands such as:

• Purina
• Science Diet
• Taste of the Wild
• Orijen
• Etc.

No big surprise there as most people, myself included, would probably answer the same way. However, our question today is not about the brand of food that you feed your pets, but rather what that food is made from.

At first it was surprising to me how many people do not give the ingredients in their pet’s food a second glance or at best only a cursory one and thus really have no idea what they are feeding one of their loved ones. Then I stopped and thought about it, and I realized that prior to my involvement with K9Cuisine, I too fell for the lure of the flashy, colorful, and fancily worded labels that the more popular pet food brands use to encourage you to choose them from the overwhelming choices on the pet food aisle without first checking the label.   

What is good, what is bad, and what should I be looking for?

As humans we have probably all heard, multiple times, what foods we should we should, and should not, eat
 and what vitamins and minerals we need etc…

We all know that fresh fruits and vegetables are good for us, but they are simply just not as appealing as that extra-large slice of piping hot fresh pizza and all of its cheesy goodness. Well at least that the case for me… no judging :)

Our pets, are no different than us in that aspect. Like us, their bodies need certain nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, and just like us, your pet’s diet needs change as they age. If you are interested, you should read our last article on choosing pet foods appropriate to your pets age.

Just like us (or may be just like me…), your pet would much rather eat foods that are nutritionally bad for them because they are higher in fat, more flavorful, and just taste so much better. Plus, if you are really not careful they might just steal that slice of pizza!

Unlike us though, our pets really do not get a big say in what they eat, it is up to us to ensure they eat healthy so that they can live a long and healthy life! Understanding what your pet food is made from, how it is made and even where can help you make the best choice in food for your furry friends.

Now, I know some of you are probably thinking that this is going to be long and complicated, and to some extent it is, but we will try our best to make understanding your pet’s food a breeze! Each of the following parts of this series will tackle a specific topic and provide all of the key information that you need to know. We hope that you find these useful!  

NEXT PART - IS CORN BAD FOR YOUR PET? >>