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The Jerusalem Post

Best Dog For Labradors: The Do’s And Don’ts In Taking Care Of Your Dog

 
best dog food (photo credit: PR)
best dog food
(photo credit: PR)

Taking care of a dog is a commitment of love. Once you commit yourself as a dog owne, you oblige yourself to provide them with the best of everything that they need, including the best food for them!

Taking care of a dog is a commitment of love. Once you commit yourself as a dog owner, you oblige yourself to provide them
with
the best of everything that they need. You just don’t settle for anything less for your love one, you only want the best for them. Choosing for the best dog for labs is one of the many challenges in taking care of this breed. There are lots of brands in the market to choose from. You may get overwhelmed when you walk into the grocery stand and see hundreds of dog food products in the grocery racks. Once you are there, it would be a tough job to look for the one product that will outshine the rest. In choosing for a dog food for your lab, there are some important points that you need to bear in mind.

At the end, you may find some tips about the popular brands in the market to help you in your decision making.

Not All Dogs are the Same

⦿ Keep in mind that every dog is different!  Choosing for the best food is in fact not at all easy.  You have to consider your dog’s preference and what food formula works best for them.

⦿ There are some dogs that develop intolerance for particular ingredients while other may simply not like the taste of the foods. Even if you choose a premium brand of dog food, if your dog develops an upset stomach while taking it in, then you must stop feeding it.
⦿ Some may even develop allergic reactions to a particular brand even if that brand brags that it has been tested for years. You see, not all dogs reacts the same in a particular product, although they are one and the same species, they are still individual pets with their own preferences, adaptations and immune system.
⦿ Just be prepared for some trial and error when choosing for the right food formula that suits your pet.  Feeding can be challenging, in the sense that their food requirements varies in their activity, and age level.
⦿ For puppies you need to give them foods that are designed for their growth and energy requirements. While older dogs can easily adapt with the foods designed for their age level.  If your Labradors are particularly active, giving them high protein diet is a great choice.

The good thing now is that there are a number of products offered that suits for working and active dogs like yours.

How to Feed Your New Lab - Do’s and Don’ts

If you’re new in taking care of Labrador, it is but helpful to know the dos and don’ts:

⦿ Once you bring your new pet home, you should immediately introduce your pet to the dog food. Introducing a new food can be stressful to your pet; it’s just like the same stress you feel when you move into a new home.
⦿ It would be better if you ask the breeder what brand of food the dog eats before you take them home. Ask them also how long they have been eating it. If the Labrador has been used to that brand of dog food, try to use it first for a couple of weeks, even if it is not your first choice.
⦿ Once, the labs have been settled into their new home, you can slowly introduce them to their new food.

The Best Food Choice for Lab Puppies

Lab puppies have special nutritional requirements that warrant special attention. Young as they are, their needs are not the same as adults. So you have to be choosy in finding a product that contains high quality protein to support their needs.

Mind you, choosing for the best product can be quite overwhelming.  The thing is, there is no single best choice, you actually have to pick a few products and try them on and see which one they like best. There is no such thing as the correct or incorrect dog foods.

Premium or Cheaper Brands?

Most dog owners make a common mistake of choosing the brand instead of looking into the ingredients. Although, most premium brands actually contain more essential nutrients that your dog needs as compared with the cheaper brands who has a limited ingredients. But take note, they are also owned by large multinational companies who are more after for the profit than the quality of the product.

So you have to be very wise in buying for the food stuff. To be safe, take note of the ingredients instead of the brand. Compare each brand from the other and observe which one provides the best offer.  Then you still have to try it out with your pet whether they will like it or not.

How to Read the Labels Properly:

⦿You may think that reading the labels is just an easy task, but mind you it is not.  It is not enough that you read what is written in the label, but you should know what are these ingredients for? For example, when the label mentioned powdered cellulose or digest of beef, do you know actually what is it for? 

⦿ It is still best if you read about the meanings of these label, so you would know the kind of product your buying for your pet. If there are more products in the label, is it better or not? Actually, premium products contain lesser ingredients as compared with cheaper brands. Low quality products contain lots of unrecognizable or vague ingredients in the label.
⦿ Just don’t be fooled by these, because they might be actually low quality fibers.

Highly Recommended Dog Foods for Labradors

There is no such thing as one best food, but there is a big difference when it comes to high quality and low-quality dog foods. If you are not sure, what to buy, here are some of the highly recommended brands:

Wellness Core Original Formula

The Wellness Core Original Formula contains an above average amount of proteins, thus, making it an ideal dog food for Labrador.  It is also noted for its protein to fat ratio and lower level of carbs in the diet.  It is also grain-free so it is easier for the dogs to digest and absorb the food.

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon Recipe (Dry)

The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon Recipe contains high levels of protein and low carbohydrates.  It doesn’t contain any corn, wheat, soy and grains which are considered as allergens to some dogs and it has no nutritional value.

The main protein component of the product is deboned salmon. It also has healthy veggies like white and sweet potatoes which are excellent sources of complex carbohydrates for energy.  It also provides vitamins and antioxidants from carrots, cranberries and blueberries.

Taste of the Wild High Prairie Formula

The basis of this dry dog food is venison and roasted bison. It is a grain free formula which supports easy digestion.  Aside from the meat, it also contains healthy fruits and veggies like sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peas, raspberries and blueberries. This brand is best for your Labradors because it provides the essential nutrients that they need for their daily activities.

#1 #2 #3
Core Wellness 
Dry Dog Food
Original Formula
Blue Wilderness
Adult Dry Dog Food
Salmon Recipe
Purina Pro Plan
Dry Dog Food
High Prairie Canine Formula
This is a sponsored article. The article should not be considered as advice.