Food

Each and every one of the six people who adopted the puppies I fostered recently asked me the same question: How much should I feed him?" I was surprised the first time

How do you choose a canned food for your dog? It probably depends on why you want to feed him a wet food – and it may even depend on how big he is or how old he is. Are you trying to build or rebuild a dog's health or help a starved dog gain weight? Tempt the appetite of a sick, depressed, (or just fussy) dog? Prevent further health problems in a dog with diabetes or kidney disease? Does your dog weight two pounds, 20 pounds, or 120 pounds? Is she two months old, two years old, or 20 years old? The answers you give will undoubtedly affect your choice, because top-quality canned dog food is extremely expensive.

such as "meat

On what do we base that ranking? While it's difficult to get nutritionists to agree on just about anything, it's likely that most would agree on the following general idea: that a diet that was formulated to be complete and balanced" and comprised of fresh

Occasionally we are asked to rate the various options that owners have for feeding their dogs, based on the relative healthiness" of each major type of food: home-prepared (raw or cooked); commercial raw

Recently I visited a fancy new pet supply store?* – seriously, the fanciest store I've ever seen. It boasts a fenced and rubber-matted area for patrons' dogs to play while their owners shop; an area where owners can bathe their dogs (with warm water, cross ties in the raised tubs, shampoo and conditioner on tap, waterproof aprons, cool blow driers, and plenty of towels); an area where visiting veterinarians can provide vaccinations and basic health exams; a climate-controlled, glassed-in area for puppy and dog training classes; and, oh yeah, aisle after aisle after aisle of toys, beds, treats, shampoos, and lots and lots of dog (and cat) food.

The following is an excerpt adapted from a new book that can help you make smart decisions about what to feed your dog.

The vast majority of dog owners feed dry dog food to their dogs – and quite a few of them select and store the bags of food in a way that turns a wholesome food into a health hazard for their beloved companions. Are you handling your dog's food in a safe manner? Or do you regularly make the following mistakes?

We've reviewed dog foods annually for 17 years now, and we try, every year, to tell you something new about the food you feed (or should be feeding!) your dog, something you may not have known before. We also tell you how we define and identify good-quality foods, and how to tell them apart from the products of lesser quality. And finally, we give you a list of foods that meet all of our selection criteria and meet our approval. We're doing all that again this year, but in a slightly different format.

We've reviewed dog foods annually for 17 years now, and we try, every year, to tell you something new about the food you feed (or should be feeding!) your dog, something you may not have known before. We also tell you how we define and identify good-quality foods, and how to tell them apart from the products of lesser quality. And finally, we give you a list of foods that meet all of our selection criteria and meet our approval. We're doing all that again this year, but in a slightly different format.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began receiving reports in 2006 regarding dogs becoming ill – sometimes fatally ill – shortly after being fed dried chicken “jerky” treats. Most, but not all, of the treats mentioned in these reports were made or sourced in China.

Three months ago, I asked, Why can't veterinary nutritionists design recipes that meet most nutritional needs through the use of whole foods