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I’m a first time dog owner. I have a chocolate lab. When it was a puppy, I fed it the food its veterinarian prescribed. As he approaches 12 months, I’d like to know what to look for in a dog food?

Alice – Tacoma, WA

Answer

If you want to maximize the life expectancy of your canine, healthy dog food is a good place to start. Primarily, review all the ingredients printed on the back dog food. By law, Pet food labels are mandated by law and require a listing of ingredients according to weight.

Additionally, only consider dog foods that contain egg, fish, meat, or any meats with meal (fish meal or meat meal). The protein ingredient should not be buried at the bottom of the list. In fact, it should be one of the first or second ingredients. Because your dog requires foods that are digestible, packed with protein and beneficial amino acids, meat, fish and egg are vital nutrients.

Next, you may want to compare the Guaranteed Analysis. The information can be found on the back side of the bag. A chart will detail the percentages of each ingredient contained in the dog food. Alternatively, he Guaranteed Analysis does not account for the amount of moisture in dog food. Obviously, all dog foods are comprised of different moisture. For instance, canned canine food may contain as much as 80 percent of moisture; while, dry foods have only 6 percent.

You may want to read up on Dry Matter (DM) foods for your dog to learn which is best. However, your dog’s veterinarian will determine how much moisture is recommended for your pet. But whatever you do, transition the new dog food slowly by first mixing it in with your dog’s current food.