WHERE DOES YOUR DOG’S FOOD COME FROM?

Have you ever thought to read the label closely on the dog food which you purchase for your cherished pet? Does it matter who manufactures the food, and where the product is even made in the first place? In many cases, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’, and the discussion below will point up why it matters both to you and to your dog, and why you should pay close attention to the ingredients, and the process used to make the food which is intended to keep your dog active and healthy for its entire life.

You Owe it to Your Partner

When you become a pet owner, there’s a certain implied responsibility involved, because that dog is trusting you to provide it with the nourishment that it needs to live a full, healthy life. For its part, the dog will provide companionship and loyalty, and depend on the breed and personality of the dog, it may even provide a good amount of affection as well.

You can count on your dog being a reliable partner in all your endeavors, and even just for quiet times at home, so you need to be just as reliable in your support of that partner. A big part of your dog’s natural motivation in life is to eat, both regular meals and the occasional treats, which you supply daily to meet their needs.

This makes a very important that you provide your pet with food which is safe for them, which is nutritious, and which is sourced from well-qualified manufacturers in the industry. To be sure that your pet is getting everything it needs from high-quality dog food, your best bet is to always look for American-made products, and which are almost entirely natural in content.

All-natural foods are best for your pet, as opposed to a lot of fillers and additives which provide almost zero nutritive value, and are simply meant to fill your dog’s stomach. That’s why it’s important for you to check the label on any dog food purchases you make, so you can be sure you’re providing quality food to your favorite pet. Here are some other advantages of being very conscientious about what you feed your dog.

Benefits of US-Manufactured dog Food

There are some very strict rules and regulations imposed by governmental agencies in the U.S. regarding the manufacturing of dog food and its distribution throughout the country. In fact, there are rules and regulations about affixing the ‘Made in the USA’ label to any product which is made for sale as pet food.

This is closely monitored by the Federal Trade Commission, and all pet food manufacturers are held accountable to this high standard. Absolutely everything which goes into the manufacture of dog food must be ingredients entirely produced in the United States, without even trace elements of any foreign products being included.

If the ingredients in any particular pet food product are not 100% produced in the United States, the label cannot be affixed to the package, or there must be a clearly visible disclaimer notifying consumers of the trace ingredients and their content volume.

This is one of the reasons why as a consumer, you should avoid all the flowery language on the front of the package, which makes extravagant claims about health benefits and nutrition, and go straight to the label on the backside. You can be sure that everything listed in the packaging label is 100% accurate because it’s completely monitored by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, relative to the accurate listing of all foodstuffs and ingredients, and the percentages of each within the package.

One other thing you should check on the label of your pet food is who actually manufactured the product. Many companies do not actually make the product themselves, but simply have it made for them, and cover it with their proprietary packaging.

The reason this is important is that those companies who actually produce the pet food products themselves tend to have somewhat higher standards which they adhere to in the process. Companies which simply purchase it from a source producer and apply their own packaging, are not quite as interested in high quality from the pet food producer.

Check with Professionals

If you’re having trouble finding just the right pet food product to feed your dog, and you’re finding it difficult to sort through all the claims and hype surrounding a number of those products, you may want to simply consult with professionals.

Keep in mind that many pet food companies are aware that consumers are seeking products which are ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ and ‘loaded with nutrition’, so they deliberately stuff those words all over the packaging, and in their commercials to get your attention.

Much of this hype can be misleading, and you could easily end up with an inferior product if you don’t take a little bit of time to research it. A good bet would be to consult your local pet shop management and find out from them whether a product you want to buy is a good nutritional product that would be helpful for your pet.

Most pet shop professionals are more than willing to share their knowledge with you, so if you are really at a loss, just ask them what they feed their pets in the store. Chances are that it will be a good choice for you and your pet as well.