Food

When dog lovers switch their pets from commercial food to a well-balanced, raw diet, they typically report improved health, brighter eyes, a shinier coat, calmer behavior, and easier yard cleanup chores. A puppy's first eight weeks set the stage for a lifetime of health or illness, so it isn't surprising that puppies weaned on raw food grow up to out-perform dogs weaned on kibble or canned food, even if both are fed raw food as adults. Raw-weaned puppies nearly exhaust their breeders' vocabularies, for these are the healthiest / strongest / liveliest / calmest / smartest / most wonderful pups that ever lived.

Caring guardians of companion canines often wonder whether one form of commercially prepared food – kibble or canned – is better than the other. The truth is, both types of food have relative advantages and disadvantages in terms of palatability, digestibility, and necessity for preservatives or other chemical additives. While they generally meet the same chemical composition standards in terms of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, these types of food provide very different nutritional value.

and activity level? Is she a fast young Greyhound whose skinny frame carries no fat whatsoever? She'll probably need a higher-fat

energy value

reduce pesticide residues by washing well

Every commercial dog food maker includes macronutrients – proteins, fats, and carbohydrates – in varying percentages in their products. But in recent years, some companies have begun formulating dog foods with higher percentages of protein and/or fat. While there is no regulated definition of the word premium

There are many kinds of proteins, which are made of complex, organic compounds. Each type of protein consists of a varying mix of amino acids attached to each other with peptide bonds. Dogs can manufacture some of the 22 amino acids found in their bodies, but need a dietary source for others. Amino acids build body proteins, which in turn function as components of enzymes, hormones, a variety of body secretions, and structural and protective tissues.

Feeding your dog fresh