Ingredients Matter!

Hey guys and welcome back to the Live Life Off Leash Blog!

When was the last time you read a label at the grocery store? We live in a very health concious world right now. More than ever people are concerned about what ingredients go into their food. They are buying organic, local, scrutinizing ingredients and calories. But what about our pets? Keep reading for some tips on what to look for when reading a label on dog or cat food.

First and foremost you need to look at the protein source. Like humans, dogs and cats rely on protein to form good muscle, energy and even brain power. Protein is vitally important for all aspects of life. Unfortunately most generic pet food brands use low quality protein simply because it's cheap and will still meet the bare minimum nutrition requirements. Always look for quality protein sources like poultry, fish and meat and not byproducts.

Second is what is the "filler"? Often there is a filler in processed pet food. It helps keep the animals full and offers a source of dietary fiber. But often with commercial pet food it is sourced from some not so desirable or digestible sources. If the animals can't digest it, it goes in one end and out the other. Ultimately leading to wasted money. As well as fillers are often the main source of dietary related allergies to our pets. Keep an eye out and don't purchase products with corn, wheat or soy.

And lastly, you want to eat clean, and so does your pet. Unnecessary dyes and preservatives cause damage to the systems in the long run. Natural texture and color may not look as fun as a rainbow of colors but it's about guaranteed to be healthier. And pet food, like human food just shouldn't have a crazy long shelf life. Make sure the food has a reasonable expiration date.

That's why we feed pawTree. It was so simple and easy to find quality ingredients we could trust in one place for all our pets. Ask us about the pawTree promise and how it can help your pet's health and longevity!