There is a strange, little known fact about pet nutrition that many pet owners are not aware of. It is that your vet may not be the best source of dog information particularly for nutrition. Veterinary schools' nutrition courses tend to be rather short and incomplete, and pet food companies tend to push their products on vets and patients rather aggresively.

The best thing for a pet owner to do is to learn what their dog needs in terms of nutrition from reliable dog information. This article will discuss, in order, the most important pieces of dog information that every pet owner should know when it comes to feeding their beloved four-legged friends.

Dogs are natural carnivores, and so require some meat based protein in their diets. A good dog food should always have at least one named meat source (chicken, lamb, rather than just "meat") listed in the first five ingredients. Meals are ground up meat and other animal parts, and though we do not eat these things, our pets can use the minerals found in bones and ligaments. Animal by-products, however, are controversial, and should be avoided, as unscrupulous manufacturing facilities can include dead, diseased animals and factory waste products.

Dogs need carbohydrates too, and a dog food should contain some vegetable starches to provide these. Rice, potatoes and oats are sources that a dog can easily process, while corn, corn meal, wheat gluten and similar items are not. These are not necessry for canine nutrition and can cause problems like food allergies in dogs.

Labels like premium and human grade may not mean much, as these labels are not highly regulated. Organic food should be raised without any chemical products and genetic modification, and eating these foods means we introduce fewer harmful chemicals into our bodies. Organic dog food should offer our pets the same benefits.

Many dog owners also opt to feed raw in order to ensure that their dogs get the same diets as they would in the wild. There is a lot of dog information out there on the benefits or raw feeding. However, for the more squeamish pet owner, home made dog food, while more time consuming than commercial feeds, may be the best and most cost-efficient way to give your dog the best nutrition we can provide.

Any pet owner needs the right dog information to educate themselves on what foods their dogs need in order to live happy and healthy lives. They need to learn to read labels on their pet food to know exactly what their dogs are putting into their bodies. Many commercial pet foods contain ingredients like grains and by-products, which provide little benefits to pets. Organic dog food, home made dog food and raw feeding are excellent alternatives to commercial feeds.