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Top 10 Dog Foods in USA

A few who have lived with dogs will disagree that dogs do not have feelings and they have no trouble acknowledging them. When you are off to work every morning or have to go out somewhere, you have no option but to lock your dog in the apartment. However, what happens when you get back home? Your dog comes running to you and licks your face, doesnt he? In spite of the fact that you locked him alone inside, he eagerly waits for you to come back and welcomes you with immense joy. Dogs indeed are the most loyal and adorable pets to have. They are amazing stress busters as well. However, along with the perks mentioned above, comes a great responsibility of grooming them and regulating their eating habits. To regulate their eating habits is a little tricky, since dogs are very finicky about their food. Even dog food sometimes doesnt seem to please their palate easily. Moreover, some dogs are allergic to few dog foods or the food simply does not go down well with their system. On the other hand, the right mix of best dog foods work in favor of their coat and skin. Some even keep your dog active and energized throughout the day. So, what is the right food mix for your dog?

Given below is a list of top quality dog foods in USA, along with ingredients and a few other important details, which will help you decide the best dog food for your canine.

List of Top 10 Dog Foods in USA

EVO (Red meat)

Ingredients: Beef, lamb, eggs, herring oil, apples, carrots, tomatoes, chicory root, alfalfa sprouts, cottage cheese, sunflower oil, buffalo, potassium chloride, natural flavors, minerals and vitamins.
Weight: Available in 6.6lbs, 13.2lbs, and 28.6lbs bags.
Price: $56 for a 28.6lbs bag.
Brand: Proctor and Gamble
Bottom Line: EVO red meat is gained from the premium quality meats, protein rich and fortified with minerals and vitamins. It is nutrient dense and an energy product. Excellent for skin and coat health.

California Natural (Chicken meal)

Ingredients: Chicken meal, peas, pea fiber, sunflower oil, potassium chloride, chicken fat, natural flavors, minerals and vitamins.
Weight: Available in 5lbs, 15lbs and 30lbs bags.
Price: $22 for a 15lbs pack.
Brand: Proctor and Gamble
Bottom Line: California natural comes with pure and simple nutrition. They are grain free, hence maximizing energy and minimizing the food sensitivities in dogs.

CANIDAE

Ingredients: Brown rice, rice bran, peas, millet, chicken, tomatoes, cracked barley, sunflower oil, lecithin, sage extract, cranberries, blueberries, rosemary extract, flax-seed meal, chicory root, potassium chloride and vitamins (A, D, E, C and B complex).
Weight: Available in 5lbs, 15lbs and 30lbs bags.
Price: $40 for a 30lbs pack.
Brand: CANIDAE Pet Food Company
Bottom Line: Its slogan is "All Natural, High Quality Holistic Pet Food", and actually lives up to it.

Orijen

Ingredients: Chicken, turkey, lake whitefish, sweet potato, whole eggs, salmon meal, sunflower oil, alfalfa, spinach, carrots, peas, black currants, cranberries, blueberries, apples, tomatoes, rosemary extract, chondroitin sulfate, sea salt and licorice root.
Weight: Available in 5lbs, 15lbs and 30lbs bags. It also comes in a trial pack of 0.8lbs.
Price: $65 for a 30lbs bag.
Brand: Champion Pet Foods
Bottom Line: Orijen has won the "Pet Food of the Year 2009 - 2010". The catch phrase of this product being, the way dogs are supposed to eat.

Natural Balance (Reduced calorie formula)

Ingredients: Chicken, salmon, chicken liver, brown rice, carrots, potatoes, duck, lamb, oat bran, tomato pomace, chicken meal, potatoes, calcium carbonate, parsley, cranberries, carrageenan, yucca schidigera extract, vitamin E supplement, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin A supplement, vitamin B12 supplement and vitamin D3 supplement.
Weight: Available in 5lbs, 15lbs and 28lbs packs.
Price: $30 for a 15lbs bag.
Brand: Natural Balance Pet Foods
Bottom Line: Natural balance is a very good choice for your dogs overall nutritional requirements. It is the perfect formula for overweight dogs.

Wellness (Original formula)

Ingredients: Chicken, oatmeal, canola oil, ground barley, salmon meal, tomatoes, carrots, spinach, apples, sweet potatoes, rye, blueberries, flax-seed and minerals (zinc, iron, copper and potassium chloride).
Weight: Available in 4lbs, 12lbs and 26lbs bags.
Price: $55 for a 26lbs pack.
Brand: Old Mother Hubbard Company
Bottom Line: This formula is a protein rich one and grain free, without excess calories or minerals.

Merrick

Ingredients: Oatmeal, chicken, turkey, flax-seed, whole brown rice, barley, dried carrots, dried peas, dried apples, calcium carbonate, sea salt, blueberries, cranberries and vitamins (E and C).
Weight: Available in 5lbs, 15lbs and 30lbs bags.
Price: $50 for a 30lbs pack.
Brand: Merrick Pet Foods, Inc.
Bottom Line: Merricks trademark phrase is "simple, nutritious and healthy products", and they totally live up to it and are truly holistic foods for the price.

NOW! (Adult dog formula)

Ingredients: Turkey, potato, pea, apple, whole dried egg, pea fiber, tomato, potato, flax-seed, canola oil , Vitamin E , natural flavor, salmon, sun-dried alfalfa, carrots, pumpkin, bananas, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, papaya, pineapple, grapefruit, lentil beans, broccoli, spinach, cottage cheese, alfalfa sprouts, dried kelp, flax-seed, vitamins and minerals.
Weight: Available in 1lbs, 6lbs and 25lbs bags.
Price: $20 for a 6lbs pack.
Brand: Petcurean Pet Nutrition
Bottom Line: NOW! is a grain free pet food, strengthened with fresh fruits and vegetables, to add to its rich, quality meats.

Solid Gold (Beef and barley formula)

Ingredients: Beef, pearled barley, brown rice, millet, rice bran, canola oil, fish meal, tomato pomace, flax-seed, natural flavor, taurine, dried chicory root, parsley flakes, pumpkin, almond oil, sesame oil, blueberries, cranberries, carrots, vitamin (E, A, B12 and D).
Weight: Available in 4lbs, 15lbs and 33lbs packs.
Price: $55 for a 33lbs pack.
Brand: Solid Gold Health Products for Pets, Inc.
Bottom Line: Produced by Americas leading company in holistic pet nutrition, it is the perfect dog food for moderately active adult dogs.

Innova

Ingredients: Turkey, chicken meal, barley, brown rice, potatoes, rice, chicken fat, flax seeds, herring oil, apples, carrots, tomatoes, pumpkin, eggs, chicory root, alfalfa sprouts, cottage cheese, sunflower oil, buffalo, potassium chloride, natural flavors, minerals and vitamins.
Weight: Available in 2.2 lbs, 6 lbs, 15 lbs and 30lbs packs.
Price: $43 for a 30lbs pack.
Brand: Proctor and Gamble
Bottom Line: Healthful ingredients and includes fresh fruits and vegetables. A well-balanced nutrition for all stages of a dogs life.

Disclaimer: Please note that the prices mentioned above may vary according to location and offers available.

Pick one from these as they all have received excellent dog food ratings and reviews. After all, your dog deserves the best to grow well and remain healthy!

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Dog Foods without Corn

Having a dog as a pet brings us lots of happiness and contentment in our lives. His affection and faithfulness can make you love him in such an unconditional manner that you start considering him as one of your family members. And with this feeling, its not unusual that you want to give your pet the best, right from his resting place to the right kind of food. What you feed your pet has a dramatic impact on his attention span, energy level, and overall health. Hence, when it comes to his dietary requirements, I am sure no dog owner will compromise on it. But as you walk down any pet food aisle, in almost every store, you will come across hundreds of brands and varieties of dog foods that it becomes impossible to decide which is best for your pet. However, a healthy and balanced dog food is one which should be rich in carbohydrates, fat, proteins, minerals and nutrients.

Is Corn Harmful to Dogs?

Just like humans, even dogs can be allergic to certain food items causing adverse effects on their health. Corn is one such food item which is commonly found in many dog foods like Alpo, Beneful, Iams, and Kibbles n Bits. Corn and its products like corn gluten meal, ground corn, corn grits, corn bran, and cornmeal when given to your pet can lead to various health problems which are explained below:

• Cornmeal or any variation of corn is primarily used as a filler ingredient to add volume and weight to the dog food. Many dogs find it difficult to digest it, hence giving your pet food with corn will actually give him no nutritional benefits, rather your pet would get filled up with the stuff that he/she cant even digest.
• Since corn is high in carbohydrates, it can assault the sugar-controlling functions of both the liver and the pancreas, hence leading to medical conditions like dog obesity, pancreatitis, diabetes, and liver disease in dogs.
• Corn is also high in aflatoxin fungus, which is not only deadly to humans, but dogs, too. It primarily attacks the liver and can even cause death, hence pet owners should avoid giving their dogs food with corn.
• Many dogs develop skin allergies after eating corn for a long period of time. Frequent head shaking, skin irritation, hair loss, hyperthyroidism, butt biting, endless scratching, tumors, moles, warts, blindness, deafness, bloating, ear infections, inflamed kidneys, inflamed liver, heart diseases, etc., can be seen in dogs having corn allergies.

Why Is Corn Difficult to Digest for Dogs?

Corn is considered by many plant-eating animals (herbivores) as a part of their daily diet and till date it hasnt had any harmful effect. Then why is corn indigestible for dogs? The reason is in the presence of an enzyme called amylase. The herbivores have salivary amylase which helps break down carbohydrates into simple sugar at the beginning of the digestive system itself. Hence, by the time the food reaches the intestines it can be easily digested.

Carnivorous animals (e.g. dogs) do not possess salivary amylase. The enzyme gets added into their system only when the food reaches the small intestine, and hence there isnt enough time for corn to get digested.

Dog Food ...
.. Without Corn	.. With Corn
AvoDerm	Alpo
Blue	Authority
California Natural	Beneful
Chicken Soup for the Dog	Bil-Jac
Trader Joes	Eagle Pack
Innova EVO	Eukanuba
Royal Canin	Nutro Max
Canidae Grain-free	Purina (all brands)
Wellness	Nutro Natural Choice High Energy
Natures Variety	Ol Roy

Giving food with corn to your pet will not do good to his health, rather the pet may put on excessive weight, develop illnesses and may even have a short lifespan due to lack of nutrition. Hence, the next time you go buying dog food, first examine the label for the first three ingredients as they will make up 75% of the contents of the food you will be giving your dog. However, before making any change in your dogs diet, do consult your veterinarian to avoid any additional health complications in your pet.

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Top 10 Dog Foods for Puppies

Dogs, among other animals, need their dietary nutrition like us humans. They too rely on meals and snacks that are nutritious and contain all the vital vitamins to help them grow and function effectively. The biggest mistake that people make when bringing up pets, is feeding them human food. You need to understand that they cannot eat what you eat, because there are certain elements in these foods that are damaging to a pets system.

Animals and humans do not function in the same manner, and opting for foods that are meant for our consumption is not ideal for a dogs diet, or any pet for the matter. You need to provide for them specially made pet food that is prepared by companies that cater specifically to pet edibles. The best dog foods for puppies that are making it big among dog owners who own pups, should be on your list of things-to-buy.

Top Ten Dog Food Brands - Choose One that Fits Your Pups Requirements

These are some of the top dog foods that are crowding pet stores and convenience store outlets, that check out for yourself in your neighborhood. If at all these are not available, theres no need to fret, since these are easily attainable from online. You should know how to pick out your dog food by reading the ingredients to familiarize yourself about what it contains and what it lacks, because it needs to be the embodiment of all things nutritional to help your little puppy grow into a strong, healthy full-grown dog. It would ensure that its coat of fur is well maintained with minimal shedding, gums and teeth are taken care of, health is ensured and that energy levels are prolonged.

Blue Buffalo
This one scores big ones on the organic front, being enhanced to meet all of a dogs needs in one fulfilling package. It is made from only organically grown harvests with a hard to match combo of life source bits which contain all of a dogs vitamins and essential antioxidants with nutrients. These are available in all kinds of blends including formulas which you can buy depending on the age of your pup. You can find a whole array of their products based on different meal plans, which are also gluten-free.

Karma Organic
You wouldnt believe how carefully this dog food brand is put together with people only thinking about how a dog would benefit, pampering their systems to get only the best of the best. These come with antioxidants from sources like green tea and rosemary, with whole grain mixtures of brown rice, kamut and quinoa. Seeds that provide essential fatty acids are also included, from sunflower and flaxseed, with no dried fruits and vegetables included, but completely organic add-ons of the two, with poultry as well that has been holistically brought up.

Natural Balance
Theres a whole range of food products meant for pets of all kinds including large carnivores like lions as well! They cater not only to household pets but to the wilder ones that trained people care for. Every animal needs that balance in its diet and NB knows how to meet all those different areas when it comes to a pets nutritional requirements. So for puppies, there is a sectional area for them that advises buyers on feeding them dry dog food from their wide range of products. There is a well planned out spread of how to feed your puppy, which buyers should also look through. Theres a whole also a ton of varied canned foods which are also available for puppies, with instructions available on their homepage about how to feed them and in what quantity.

Newmans Own Organics
This premium dog food brand is the epitome of all things healthy and wholesome when it comes to what a dog needs, to provide for them their daily dose of nutrients. It contains natures finest in soy meal, kelp, carrots, chicken (natural), barley, taurine, oats, chicken fat, sorghum, brown rice, peas and so much more. All these are organically harvested and produced with no pesticides or harmful agents that are artificial in nature, hampering its overall naturalness. What youll not find here is artificial flavorings, antibiotics or steroids of any kind, preservatives, chemical fertilizers and other agents that could harm your dog.

California Natural
These foods contain only the best there is in carbohydrate, protein and fat sources, which have no fillers or other additives that could damage a pets system. It ensures that pets arent put through an ordeal of a meal that doesnt include all of natures abundance, since pets cannot handle the inclusion of ingredients that are meant to harm than cater. Youll find foods here rich in omega 6 fatty acids and omega 3 as well, with added taurine to provide them a healthy dose of this essential amino acid. Other brands that made it to the top dog food for puppies are just as hard to come by when it is a question of what works best to help pets grow and maintain healthy unhindered lives.

Natures Variety
The company knows that pets need a diet that is optimal on nutrition, and caters to the needs of your pet not just in matters of health, but taste too. The products that Natures Variety provide, are free of artificial colors, wheat, preservatives, soy, corn, and other harmful add-ons, and is rich in lean meat and other healthful ingredients, to round it all up in one perfect packaged good. Check out their varied products, and find one which suits your dogs requirements.

Blue Buffalo
The products are devoid of wheat, corn, or soy, but most importantly it doesnt contain preservatives, by-products of the meat included, or cheap fillers. It has a secret blend of BLUEs LifeSource Bits, which is a coalesce of important antioxidants, minerals, and vital vitamins. Also packed into this carefully planned dog food ensemble, are a rich source of veggies, grains, fish, chicken, and fruit. Even for pups who are food-sensitive, theres a special product that is now available by BLUE called BLUE Basics, in a mix of turkey and potato.

Authority
An impressive array of dog food meets your eyes when you set out to purchase a product that is meant for your puppy, under Authority. As the name rightly suggests, the company strives at taking charge in providing meals that are enriching and free from artificial inclusions, or preservative-based add-ons. You can rely on this company to give you quality food produce for your dog, where real meat is a priority to help your puppy get its required protein supply. When your pup does grow, you can always go back to Authority to take advantage of their adult, large, and senior breed product varieties.

Natura Pet
This massive company portal provides a huge array of dog food that you can pick and choose from. It may confuse you at first, if you stumble upon their website to check out their products firsthand. All you have to do is type in the search bar, "puppy food", where it will take you to an advanced search page, where you can choose options on the left panel to take a look at your desired results. Youll see that the results contain a complete list of everything youll need to feed your pup, from canned foods to dry, youll be spoiled for choice when picking out what works well for you. Take comfort in knowing that all foods are natural, additive/preservative/chemical free, and extremely nutritional.

Nutro
Now this is one company that knows how to pull you in, and keep you hooked and loyal to their mammoth platform of dog food, and other pet produce. Take a look at their online portal and youll know that care and attention to detail, are practiced with loyalty, to make sure your pups system isnt deficient in any way. Here you can choose the puppy option, under the tab dog food where a wide selection of their products titled "Dry Formula", "Cans", "Trays", "Biscuits" and "Treats", will appear at your service.

Top Puppy Food Brands Also Worth Looking Into

• Canidae
• Solid Gold
• Wellness
• Royal Canin
• Long Live Your Dog (Purina Dog Chow)
• Pedigree Little Champions
• Iams ProActive Health
• Cesar Puppy
• Wellness Super5Mix
• Eukanuba Naturally Wild
• Bil-Jac

Dog food may probably seem like an ordeal for some to constantly stock up on, with many owners not really caring what it is they feed their pets. This isnt how one should approach the idea of taking care of a pet since this in itself is a big responsibility. Taking care of one is just as important as caring for a person; you wouldnt feed a person bad food now would you? Think of your pet as a member of the family and bring him/her up the way that they need to be. After all this is a commitment you made, and now you have to see it through.

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