How can we be assured that we are serving our four-legged companions a quality source of food? For me, it took some time to understand that all dog food is not created equally. With so many brands out there, promising me outstanding results, I realized that I had to do further research to ensure my pet was obtaining the essential nutrients for a healthy lifestyle. I will be examining this topic with the best dog food reviews article that will hopefully bring some clarity to this question.
Premium and All Natural (Not So Fast)
When I started my research, I was under the assumption that any brand of dog food that advertised as being ‘premium’ and/or ‘all natural’ must be of superb quality. Don’t believe it! Sadly, dog food manufacturers are subject to minimal regulations and the ingredients inside the food are far from being a premium or all natural source. Some of these brands can actually be harmful and dangerous to our pets, so please proceed with caution!
Best Dog Food Reviews … So What Is A Natural Dog Food?
As I researched the answer to this very question, it became quite obvious to me, that I was going about it the wrong way. Instead 
of examining which ingredients made for a healthy, natural food, I soon realized that it was much more important to examine what wasn’t in the ingredients. This made my choice in selecting a quality food for my pet a much easier one.
Ingredients that were not contained inside the bag of food now became a point of emphasis. Any brand of food that contained artificial flavors, soy protein, gluten, corn syrup, flour, wheat, rice or any or many form of corn gluten meal went right back on the shelf. Many of these ingredients may be used as a filler, and provide little to no nutritional value to my dog. With that said, the first ingredient that I look for has to be meat, the most important element to my dog’s diet!
After doing quite an extensive research on various types of dog food, and comparing commercial dog food to so called ‘natural food’, I have determined the best dog food for my pet. Notice here that I specified ‘my dog,’ because any choice of food you decide on, must be centered around the needs of your pet. With that said, however, it is my belief from reviewing numerous brands of dog food that you must look at some concrete evidence in making a healthy choice.
As mentioned above, I refuse to purchase any food that contains harmful ingredients. With that out of the way, I then started a comparison amongst various brands in beginning my reviews. I actually spent a few hours at our local PetSmart store studying and taking notes of the vast number of brands filling the shelves at the store. Furthermore, I spent countless hours reviewing various journals, forums, and other sources available to me to begin my research. I indeed found a number of dog food brands that were labeled as being ‘ all natural’ and/or wholesome on the front of the package. Turning these bags over and reading the labels made me hesitate. Artificial this, artificial that is not my idea of natural.
Best Dog Food Reviews … Big Three For Me
I knew when I began my review that there were three factors that were a must in finding the appropriate food for my pet. They are: 1.) nutritional value 2.) cost 3.) made in the U.S.A. I was able to eliminate quite a few brands immediately based on these three factors. Any food that didn’t have ‘meat’ as the number one ingredient was also quickly eliminated. You may be surprised how quickly this reduced my list as well! Cost was also a major factor in doing my research as well. Don’t get me wrong, I am a big believer in you get what you pay for, so I was more than willing to pay more for a quality food, within limits. Being produced within the U.S.A. was a no brainer.
My Choice
After countless hours of conducting this review, I finally decided on a brand of dog food that seemed to fit not only my criteria, but my dog’s as well. The three factors that I mentioned above were all considered in the final decision, and to be honest, a number of 
brands met this criteria. After consulting with my vet and considering the needs of my pet, I decided that the best brand for my dog was Natural Balance Limited Ingredient product. I can honestly tell you that this product has worked very nicely for my nine year old Afghan Hound. With that said, you want to be sure to do your homework as well, and consult with your vet to make a wise decision.
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