11 August 2018
Let’s bring some facts to the table about Pet Ownership: overall, Canada is home to roughly 5.9 million dogs and 7.9 million cats while in the US alone, a total of about 89.7 million dogs and 85.8 million cats live in households.
Now, in order to feed all these mouths, we are exposed to a never-ending pet food market that offers so many brands and types of food available, from kibble to wet, and more recently an increasing trend of raw food diets; not to mention the rise of many manufacturing companies to help produce that food so needed to feed our increasing pet population.
How can you tell which one is the best for your pet’s needs?
No matter what’s your pet’s preference, the first thing you can do to ensure your pet is receiving the right balance of nutrients is to read what’s on the labels of your current brand of choice. Some of the main labels will guide you to understand what’s actually inside the food as all the pet food in the market must meet the labeling requirements of The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), and which most companies in the world follow by heart. AAFCO guidelines require ingredients to be listed in descending order according to the weight of each item added to the mix, so what you read first is what’s inside in higher quantity and so on, so that’s a good place to start in terms of determining the quality of the food you are currently feeding.
The Ingredients
* * *Dogs & cats require several essential nutrients classified in 6 main groups: water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins & minerals * * *
To achieve the right balance of nutrients all dogs or cats need, some pet food makers include fresh meat and fish ingredients, fruits and vegetables, botanicals, vitamins and minerals, and essential healthy fats that will satisfy their nutritional requirements. You can both see and feel the difference when feeding foods of superior value like with any of our Nutrience formulas.
What you really want to avoid is the term “by-product” with any meat or poultry terms, the cheaper way some pet food producers increase the animal protein content in their foods from animal waste – you’ll never see it inside any of our Nutrience formulas. Other fillers are used on pet food such as corn, wheat or soy, which are ingredients that add little or no nutrient value to any pet’s diet.
Nowadays, many pet food manufactures have evolved, and have introduced newer, better procedures combined with top of the line technology to ensure they produce the highest quality pet food in the market considering all the latest advances in pet nutrition. Some premium pet foods are made from quality ingredients that are also ethically-farmed and locally-sourced.
A great pet food will contain nutritionally balanced, trustworthy ingredients made of fresh ingredients, be highly digestible so your pet can absorb all the nutrients, and very palatable, so it’s appealing & flavorful enough for your pet to eat it. That’s where the ‘Nutrience Difference’ comes into play.
Choosing the best type of food for your pet can still be overwhelming, to say the least. Try asking your vet for initial advice as he or she is the first source of knowledge when it comes to your pet’s health history. Your vet will determine whether your pet needs a special diet such as weight management, hairball control, or if your pet suffers from any food allergies like chicken, so you can take this into consideration when choosing the right formula.
Get to know the ‘Nutrience Difference’ and share your thoughts in the comments!