Everyone knows the expression that a dog is a person’s best friend. But in the modern world this animal has become not just a friend, but also a full member of the family. And the owners are trying to provide their beloved pet with the best care, at the level at which they provide it for themselves. This also applies to dog nutrition.
Feed division
When visiting a pet store, the buyer begins to run up his eyes from a large number of bright packs of feed. Choosing a dry dog food is not at all simple, especially if you want to give the pet the best: advertising advises one thing, the seller advises another, familiar dog breeders third. Who to believe?
When choosing food, you first need to decide on the class.
Economy class
This is the simplest animal feed, containing little meat, a lot of cheap fillers - corn and wheat. The animal eats a lot of it, while it receives little protein and substances important for normal life, a lot of carbohydrates, which the predators practically do not need. It is inexpensive, often flickers in advertising.
Premium class
This is already a very good option, there is also corn and wheat, but meat is already about 20 - 30%. It belongs to the middle price category, it is also often advertised. Animals eat it with pleasure, but most often it is provided by a large number of flavorings (as, incidentally, in economy-class feeds). Dog food "ProPlan" some time ago, buyers everywhere belonged to this category.
Super Premium
This is the food of the highest category with a decent composition. Meat in a percentage ratio of about 30%, corn and wheat are most often replaced by rice, which is not so harmful to animals, as it has low glycemic carbohydrates and high protein content. In addition, dogs do not develop an allergy to rice, unlike corn gluten, which with prolonged use can become a strong allergen. Dry dog food "ProPlan" in the analysis of the composition and products used can be safely attributed to this class.
Holistic
This class appeared relatively recently and immediately became very popular. Manufacturers of holistic feeds use superior quality products to create nutrition for animals. Such components can be safely used by people as they correspond to the most stringent quality parameters. In addition, when developing holistic, it is taken into account that the animal must receive micro and macro elements in a complex, which has a beneficial effect on its development. ProPlan dog food is praised, and some pet owners note the presence of high-quality fresh meat along with dehydrated (dried) meat, which allows them to talk about the fact that the food belongs to the holistic class. Although this is not entirely true.
What kind of food is required for the dog
The dog, which in the process of evolution became a pet, is the closest relative of the wild wolf. Their DNA matches 99%, therefore, in choosing a diet that corresponds to biological needs, it is worth focusing on a wild relative who eats in the same way as nature and evolution have determined.
Dogs, like wolves, have a short esophagus, which is designed to process meat. After all, it is meat that the wolf eats in the wild, and this food is most suitable for him. Non-chewing type teeth are fangs that are designed to tear meat into pieces. A large mouth suggests that these pieces can be large enough and they are swallowed without chewing.
It is unlikely that anyone has ever seen a wolf gnaw a corncob in the middle of a field. But manufacturers of economy-class feeds persistently fill the feed with cornmeal, as the most inexpensive ingredients, and meat add a maximum of 6%.
Having found out that the natural food for the dog is meat, we pay attention to the ProPlan dog food.
The ProPlan line for dogs has many varieties that are designed for different ages and breeds.
According to the age
For puppies - it contains a lot of nutrients, is easily absorbed by an immature organism, and does not cause stomach problems. The optimal balance of proteins and fats allows the puppy to develop correctly during such an important period for him - the growth phase. In addition, the increased activity of the puppy is taken into account . Dog food "Purina" "ProPlan" for puppies happens with chicken and salmon.
For adult dogs there is a separate line of feed. Since the dog has already grown, she does not need as many nutrients as puppies do. Now it becomes important for her to maintain optimal weight. Given for the most part the domestic keeping of animals and their sedentary lifestyle, avoiding obesity is not so simple. When feeding ProPlan dog food to your pet, it is important to adhere to the feeding rate indicated on the package. It can also be reduced or increased, depending on the desired result - weight gain or weight loss.
For older dogs there is a separate line of feed. In old age, they need to maintain the body in a "working" state. It often happens that an elderly dog begins to refuse to feed, then he needs food that will be attractive to him in taste and smell. All dry ProPlan dog food is produced in a shell that the animals really like and attracts them to food.
By breeds
The division by breed is rather arbitrary, the main difference is the croquet size. It will be difficult for a small breed to gnaw a large dry croquet, and a large dog will have a small feed to eat, it will be simply inconvenient.
Therefore, feeds are divided into those that are suitable for small breeds, and those that are suitable for large breeds.
Of course, there is a difference in their composition. Small breed ceases to be a puppy from 10-12 months and passes into the category of an adult. The most sensitive places of small dogs are the intestines, teeth and skin. Therefore, for them, probiotics that have a positive effect on digestive fermentation, vitamins E, C and A, which boost the immune system, and complexes for oral and skin health can be added to the nutritional composition.
Large breeds are considered puppies up to 15-18 months, for them the high content of calcium, which supports a considerable skeleton, is important. A high content of proteins and fats should be compensated by physical activity. If they are not there, it is better to choose ProPlan dog food marked Light, it will be low-calorie.
Tastes
There are two flavors for this brand of dog food - chicken and salmon. In the composition, meat or fish is in the first place, which indicates that this ingredient is the most in the composition. In different ranges, from 28% to 35% of meat or fish is present. Chicken-flavored food is more attractive to animals, and this is due to nature - wolves often eat birds than fish. With salmon - this is a ProPlan dog food hypoallergenic. Less often than chicken, it is rejected by the body, and specially selected, easily digestible proteins are not rejected by the immune system. After all, it is precisely the fact that immunity perceives a certain protein as enemy and pathogenic, causes such a reaction as an allergy. Therefore, this food is calmly given to allergenic dogs and animals with sensitive skin. There is food in the line for small breeds, as well as in feed for large dogs.
The ProPlan food for dogs has a different composition, depending on taste and purpose. It has already been mentioned that on average 30% of the composition is meat. Second in the composition is rice, which gives proteins and low glycemic carbohydrates. In some types of "ProPlan" you can find corn, although it is much smaller than before. Feed is enriched with vitamins and minerals to the extent required by the animal. Fatty acids are also present without fail, thanks to which the pet’s coat acquires beauty and health.
Veterinary feed
The therapeutic food "ProPlan" for dogs is used in case of any disease that requires a special attitude from the owners and, accordingly, nutrition.
The most common diseases in our four-legged friends can be considered as urolithiasis, diabetes, kidney or liver failure, and obesity. These can be hereditary earned sores, but most often problems arise precisely due to an improper lifestyle or poor nutrition.
To prevent the occurrence of various diseases, it is worth giving your pets good quality food with a high meat content. But if your friend already needs treatment, you should pay attention to the ProPlan veterinary dog food. The reviews of veterinarians confirm that it is ProPlan that is prescribed by them most often as a diet for animals.
Given the composition of the feed, the high content of easily digestible proteins and fats, we can easily conclude that it is really of good quality. With this kind of nutrition, from childhood to old age, the dog will not only always look good, but also feel great. The studies that Purina conducted for 14 years confirm that proper feeding of dogs under the ProPlan program extends their lifespan by several years. At the same time, pets remain active and cheerful throughout the years. It is hoped that about ProPlan dog food, customer reviews will confirm this high opinion.