As a dog owner, it’s my responsibility to keep my dog healthy. I spent a lot of time researching dog food and it was appalling how many pet foods include ingredients we would never want them to eat. I wasn’t about to feed my dog a substandard food, made from ground-up garbage parts at the butcher’s and full of wheat fillers. So, when I came across Wellness dog food, I was relieved to see a company that actually took their products seriously.
What to Look Out for In Dry Dog Food
When looking for a good dog food, I always check the ingredients list for the following problem ingredients:
Animal by-products. By-products are whatever is leftover from processing an animal for human consumption. This can include things like hearts, kidneys, and gizzards, but it can also include chicken feathers, intestines, and even beaks. It’s all ground up to be included in the dog food. Again, this is not the high quality I feel my dog deserves.
Corn. You might think that corn is a good ingredient for dogs, but it is just a filler that can cause diabetes in dogs. The high sugar content is just not great for them.
Meat meal. Whatever crud is leftover in the rendering plant is turned into a meat meal. This includes animals and meat that was considered unsuitable for consumption. The meat may be diseased, too old, or even from roadkill. They add in an assortment of restaurant discards, like grease, and then cook it all up and turn the protein that sinks in the vat into meal. Not something I want my dog eating.
Wheat. Wheat has been linked to arthritis in dogs, plus it can cause all kinds of digestive issues and skin problems. Dogs just can’t digest wheat and it can destroy their systems. I never purchase any dog food that includes wheat or wheat gluten.
So, if these ingredients are all bad for your dog, what should you look for? Ideally, the best food will include plenty of protein and no inflammatory ingredients like wheat. Look for specific animal meals, like chicken or beef meal. These tell you exactly what you’re getting, as opposed to general animal meal. Other types of protein could include fish, peas, flaxseed, and specific animal fats.
Fillers will bulk up food, which can be a good thing since you want your dog to be full. However, not all fillers are good. Look for brown rice, barley, oatmeal, and similar ingredients, since these include nutrients and aren’t going to cause health issues for most dogs.
Any dog food I select for my dog includes plenty of real meat and protein, along with some fat. It’s also a good idea to look for chelated minerals. These are easier for dogs to process and can be a good option for keeping your pup healthy.
Why I Prefer Wellness Pet Food
Wellness pet food is a line of high-quality dog foods. It’s specifically designed for different age ranges and breed sizes, so there’s something for each type of dog.
If you’re someone who takes their pet’s health seriously and doesn’t want to give your dog any more of that cheap food with iffy ingredients, then Wellness pet food is a good alternative. You get food that your dog will want to eat, plus something you actually want them to have.
Wellness dog food, like any product, has pros and cons to it.
Cons:
- It contains tomato pomace in trace amounts, which is a controversial ingredient
- Bags do not always come with a zipper opening, making it possible to spill easily
- Some dogs do not enjoy the flavors
- The fish version can be smelly
Pros:
- Easily digestible, even with sensitive dogs
- Contains healthy grain options, instead of wheat and corn
- Easily traceable ingredients, so you know what you’re giving your dog
- Recommended by vets
Of course, it’s up to you whether or not you want to give your dog a cheaper option or something that will truly keep them healthy. I prefer to pay a bit more and get the quality myself. There are a few more reasons you might want to consider Wellness dog food.
Quality Ingredients
Earlier, I talked about some of the ingredients you don’t want to find in your dog food. You won’t find those in Wellness food. They take pride in offering safe, healthy alternatives to the cheaper dog foods out there. That’s something I really like, since I can pick up a bag of food and not worry about it containing unknown ingredients.
Super Energy
My dog has so much more energy these days and I contribute it to the food. In fact, this is a common side effect of Wellness dog food. Many people notice a big jump in their dog’s energy levels, thanks to all the vitamins and minerals. The protein and fat content doesn’t hurt either.
Grain-Free Options
If you want to skip the grain completely, especially if your dog has allergies, Wellness has grain-free dog food options. There has been a lot of hubbub about this recently and how grain-free options can be dangerous for dogs. Wellness has alleviated my fears by avoiding high amounts of pea protein and including quality protein options that will keep the dog feeling full, yet packed with excellent sources of protein. They also use oats instead of wheat or corn, which is definitely a better option for dogs.
Mixed Proteins
You can select the type of protein you want in your dog food, but what I really like is that Wellness offers some options that mix them. With multiple forms of protein in one bag, you get a higher impact. It’s like a human eating one type of food all the time. You can become malnourished, even if the food is highly nutritious because we need variety. So do dogs and Wellness has taken care of that by including a variety of ingredients, such as chicken and salmon in the same dog food.
No Artificial Colors
You won’t find pretty colors in this dog food and that’s a good thing. The company is dedicated to providing fresh ingredients, sans artificial colors and flavors. This is one of the big things that sold me. We don’t know how those ingredients affect dogs, but I suspect many are sensitive to them. So a food that doesn’t include chemicals just to make it look nice is a winner for me.
Excellent Customer Service
This company responds fairly rapidly when you contact them and they are active on social media. It’s always pleasant to see a company on social media, since they stay up to date with their customers. However, it’s not just the responsiveness to messages that is impressive. Several people have had an issue or two with the food or packaging and they received a new bag to replace the damaged one. That’s a pretty good service.
Open Information Policy
Something I particularly enjoy about this company is the fact they are very open about where their food ingredients come from. The information is there on their site, including explaining what each ingredient does in their food. I really appreciate that openness and the ability to contact them if you have any questions.
Overall, this is a brand that I feel is trustworthy and worth using. It’s a good food, one that provides everything my dog needs and has a good company to back it. But I’m not the only one who thinks this!
Alternatives to Wellness
Not everyone wants to use this particular brand and that’s fine. However, you definitely want to pick a dog food that your dog will not only enjoy eating, but that will also provide the nutrition necessary to keep them healthy.
Wilderness is a popular brand that features more protein than Wellness. However, the majority of the protein tends to come from peas, which may actually constitute more of the protein in the food than the meat itself. Pricewise, both brands are very similar and have a similar range for different dog sizes and ages.
Taste of the Wild is another option and while it tends to be cheaper than many other brands, it is still high on the nutrition scoreboard. In fact, you can expect to get plenty of protein for your dog with this particular dog food. It generally contains a wide variety of ingredients, providing plenty of delicious nutrients for dogs. There are a few controversial ingredients, like canola oil and eggs, but overall, this is healthy, clean food for your pet.
Another popular dog food brand, particularly for dry food, is Natural Balance. This brand offers lower protein levels than the other options, but also has fewer controversial ingredients. The ingredients tend to be very similar to those found in Wellness dog food, but with less animal protein.
Feeding your dog the best food you can is a good way to ensure your canine companion enjoys a long, healthy lie. Wellness dog food provides excellent nutrition in a form that dogs love. With a high level of real meat and protein, this dry food is perfect for dogs of all ages and has a good fat to protein ratio. Ready to try it with your own dog? Click here to learn more.
Are you prepared for when your pet gets sick? Contact Pet Insurance Quotes today to find out how we can help you keep your dog safe and healthy.
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