ahh yes, my favourite topic outside behaviour!

LABELS, LABELS, LABELS - The old rule, READ THE LABELS!! I don't mean the big writing on the front of the packaging that says "balanced and wholesome now with the best ex factor ingredients! Will make your animal win the Melbourne Cup/Crufts show/Sydney Royal/sheepdog trials all at once!!"

(No!! People!!) It's reading for FAT, PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATE, SALT and trace elements and minerals and vitamins.

The two most important labels are - first find something for your animals age, there is a difference between feeding with age, so please do ensure you look at that first on the front of the package. Then, read the ingredients list and the analysis panel and then where it's produced/made/product of or imported from.

WHA??? You say? well, what do I look for in those labels? You look for the most appropriate content of fat, protein and carbohydrate for your animals diet.

Making sure you provide the best possible balance of these according to the activity level, age and weight of your animals. The vitamins, Minerals and trace elements, generally speaking will take care of themselves. The vast majority of manufacturers operate by a code of practice and labelling laws, but unfortunately, the laws are a bit loose when it comes to making claims regarding the benefits of foods. This is where you need to look past the marketing and into the real detail.

However, in that, you also won't know the entire details of the ingredients, such as where they were sourced, the quality and whether they have been subjected to heavier processing - rendering some nutrients these "active" ingredients carry, inactive. Also, excesses of some minerals can cause other nutritional deficiencies, so be careful if mixing (processed) foods with differing ingredients and analysis, it does not work that way.

the best way to keep your animals diet safe, cheap and effective is simplicity! Single ingredient products like fish, vegetables, fruits, eggs, yoghurt, and other raw, fresh unprocessed ingredients with your processed food to provide variety without the excess. the processed is excellent for providing the trace elements and the correct balance of Vitamins and Minerals.

This includes supplements!

If you require supplements, or think they might work for a condition, RESEARCH, RESEARCH and ask DOG DOC or your Veterinarian for advice on supplementing, it's often a waste of money and can also be detrimental if you're feeding foods that already contain those particular elements.