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Mar
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READING LABELS, PART 3 |
READING LABELS, PART 3
NUTRITIONAL ADEQUACY STATEMENT
The nutritional adequacy statement is important when looking for a dog food because it states what life stage the product is formulated for, such as growth, reproduction, maintenance, senior, or all life stages. For developing Boston Terrier Puppies, look for the product that is specially formulated for growth. It should also tell you whether the product is “complete and balanced” or “complementary.” Complete and balanced means that it contains all the ingredients your dog will need on a daily basis, and that it can be served by itself. Complementary means that it is not intended to be used alone and must be added to another product to create a complete meal.
NET QUANTITY STATEMENT
The net quality statement shows the weight of the food in the bag or can in pounds and ounces as well as metric weight. Be careful, because some companies use 30-pound bags and then only put 25 pounds of food inside.
FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS
The feeding instructions on the dog food label are only suggestions; some dogs will eat more, some will eat less. Also, they are the amounts needed for the entire day, so you can divide it up the best way for you and your Boston Terrier. If you are not sure how much to feed, start off with the suggested amount and increase or decrease as necessary.
Although dog food labels tell you a lot about a product, there is a lot that they don’t tell you. For example, some wording used on labels can be misleading. Foods that use the words “gourmet” or “premium” are not required to contain any higher quality ingredients than any other product. Products that claim to be “all-natural” are not required to be. Some might think that this means the food is minimally processed or contains no artificial ingredients, but this is not necessarily true. In fact, all dog foods must contain some chemically synthesized ingredients in order to be deemed complete and balanced.
HOMEMADE DIETS
There seems to be a debate about whether a homemade diet is better for your dog than manufactured dog food. The downside to feeding a homemade diet is that you need to be very careful to ensure that you are providing your Boston Terrier with all of the necessary nutrients. It also takes a lot of time, effort, and energy to cook a proper diet for your dog on a daily basis.
Those who are in favor of a homemade diet believe that commercial dog foods contain contaminated and unhealthy ingredients and feel that it is worth the effort to give their dog a home-cooked meal. If you have the time, money, and believe that it is important to feed your dog a homemade diet, consult your veterinarian, who can give you a reputable and nutritionally balanced recipe. Although millions of dogs exist and stay healthy on commercially prepared dog food, the ultimate decision is yours.
Now that you have learned all you can about dog food and feeding options, you can make an informed choice about what to buy for your puppy.
