Do you know what's in your dog's food? Many commercial pet foods may contain ingredients like animal by-products and preservatives that may be harmful to your beloved pet. These, in combination with "filler" ingredients like corn and other grains, and artificial colorings and flavorings are then often cooked at high temperatures, destroying much of their nutritional value.

With the popularity of today's dried and pre-packaged kibble, we have also seen the rise of many canine health problems, like diabetes and obesity. The preservatives and chemical ingredients found in many commercial dog foods have even been linked to such health issues as digestive problems and even cancers.

Today, many brands of premium and natural dog foods have entered the market, giving dog owners literally hundreds of choices for dog food, kibble and dog treats, each with it's own claims of superiority and quality. What is a pet owner to do in order to ensure that his dog gets only the best nutrition?

A pet owner might start by learning how to read and undertand the labels on pet food packages. In order to familiarize himself with the labels on pet products, a conscientious pet owner must know which ingredients a healthy pet food should and should not contain.

For example, animal by-products listed in the ingredients mean that the food uses, as a source of protein any by-products from the processing of animals - including hooves and hair, stomach contents, slaughterhouse waste, manure, meat from diseased animals and sometimes even euthanized pets. Certainly not ingredients we would want to feed our beloved pets in the form of kibble or dog treats.

The order in which the ingredients appear is also an important factor. A dog food is required to list its ingredients beginning with most important one, the one that the food is comprised of the most. One sure indication of a low quality pet food is one that lists corn, corn meal or other corn based products as its first ingredient. Many pet food companies use these fillers in order to cut costs, even though they offer little to no nourishment.

Pet owners should also take care not to overfeed their pets with dog treats like table scraps, which might contain ingredients that are harmful to their canine companions. High quality dog treats like flint river ranch dog food contains the same ingredients as their pet food, ensuring that what your dog gets is not junk and fillers, but a nutritious and rewarding treat.

Two Labradors and a Great Dane (as well as her veterinarian spouse) make up the rest of writer Melinda Smith's household in the Lake Michigan area. She tirelessly champions the cause for natural and nutritious food for her three dogs, and over the years has tried dozens of brands, with varying success. Dog treats and high quality pet foods like Flint River Ranch dog food have so far proven to be one of the best brands for her pets' health, well-being, and even the shine of their coats and their breath. When not wrestling one of her dogs she writes articles on dog care, and dog food online.