Have you ever stopped long enough to read the dog food ingredient list on your dog's food? Have you ever stopped to REALLY think about what you are feeding your faithful companion?
If your answer is no, then maybe it's about time you pull up a chair, grab Fido's bag of food and take a closer look.

If you think about it, your dog eats the same food day in and day out. And what he eats has a direct relationship to his overall health and well being. So it makes sense to look past all the attractive labels and marketing gimmicks when deciding on which food to buy.

Pet food manufacturers don't always have your dog's best interest in mind. The dog food industry is big business and there is a HUGE profit to be made in it.

The current pet food regulations allow manufacturers to use inferior (cheaper) ingredients that you would never think of giving to your dog.

Some brands of dog food have by-products (feet, bones and intestines), chemical preservatives (BHA and BHT) and grains that are often hard to digest (corn, wheat, gluten and soy).

And when something is hard to digest, fewer nutrients are absorbed into the body. And it's these grains that make up a good majority of dog foods on the market today ...

Soooo ... where's the beef?

Protein is essential and should be the primary source of animal protein, not vegetable protein or grain.

In fact, the first five ingredients in your dog's food play a huge role in the overall nutritional make-up of a dog food.

Make sure that animal protein is included at the top. Also make sure there are health-promoting ingredients like vegetables, minerals, probiotics, and grape seed extract.

So, what DID you find on Fido's dog food ingredient list? You say you love your dog ... well, do you really?

Next time you go to the store, take a few minutes to read the dog food ingredient list and make sure you get something nutritious for your faithful friend!