Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Delicious & Nutritious

Choosing a dog food brand was serious business for me. I wanted to give my new pal the healthiest life I could. My goal: maximize nutrition and minimize payout. I did some internet research (is there any other kind these days?), and I learned that the first five listed ingredients should be meats and grains that I can pronounce. Meat should be first, preferably plain ol' meat, but meal would do and by-product would not. Supplemental dye of any kind is just a silly addition - the dog isn't going to turn up his nose because of aesthetics.


I found the best bang for my buck in Rachael Ray's Nutrish. Not only did it meet all of my criteria, it's also out there saving more doggies like Dasher! Rachael Ray gives her pet product proceeds to canine rescues around the country. One recipient is BAD RAP, a Pit Bull rescue group in the San Francisco Bay Area that has me considering a move or beginning a pit rescue of my own in the Southeast. Nutrish has continued to please me. Amid dog food & treat contamination scares from Chinese factories, Nutrish has continued its careful production in a family-owned factory here in the US of A. Less worries for me and yummy grub for Dasher. He and his pals gobble it up, so it must be tasty, too!
                               

Publix and Kroger carry the Nutrish line, as do other box stores. Find a store near you! 
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2 comments:

  1. wxfairyJune 7, 2012 at 7:59 AM

    Hi Kristen! I also am obsessed with finding the right food for my dogs. What websites did you use to do your research? I always look at www.dogfoodadvisor.com, as they do a pretty good analysis of most dog foods. Have you seen that one? I'd be interested to find other good resources though! Thanks for the post :)

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  2. KristenJune 7, 2012 at 10:53 AM

    Hello! Great to hear you're as interested in your pooch's well-being as I am. I didn't stumble upon dogfoodadvisor.com in my world wide web travels, but it appears useful.

    I am wary of websites that could be "bought off" by manufacturers, so I got information about what should and should not be on the ingredient list from .orgs - places like the American Kennel Club and the FDA. Then I read Consumer Reports reviews. The end of the Consumer Reports dog food report has links to several other helpful sites. Check these out:

    http://www.akc.org/

    http://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/products/animalfoodfeeds/petfood/default.htm

    http://www.consumersearch.com/dog-food/useful-links

    And if you're willing to pay, Susan Thixton has taken on pet food products in a publication entitled Petsumer Reports where she is constantly reviewing new pet food products:

    http://www.petsumerreport.com/

    To keep up with recalls, and I hope you never see your products on this list, go here:

    http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php



    Finding a dog food can be stressful. You want to do what's best for your dog. Remind yourself that it doesn't have to be the purest, most expensive thing out there. Find something that makes you comfortable and fits your budget. What product have you been feeding your little friend lately? I'm always up to try something new!

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