Why a Quality Pet Food Matters

By Linda Cole

The good people at CANIDAE produce premium quality pet food that helps keep our dogs, cats and horses healthy. They've gone through extensive research to offer pet owners reliable, natural and nutritious food choices. But this article isn't about a company who provides pets with the best diet possible; this is about why we, as responsible pet owners, need to be aware of why our pets need the best food possible. It’s also about something many pet owners may not realize – which is, that buying a premium quality food like CANIDAE can actually be more cost effective than grocery store brands.

On the CANIDAE website you can find a Cost to Feed Calculator which figures the daily cost of feeding CANIDAE Natural Pet Foods based on your dog’s weight. Just answer a few questions about which formula and size bag you buy (or would like to try), your dog’s weight and the amount your independent pet store charges for it. Then click the “calculate” button to see how affordable premium dog food really is! For a dog weighing between 51 to 75 lbs, you can pay an average of only $0.52 to $0.78 per day.

Any pet food will fill up a dog or cat, but most of the non-premium pet foods contain fillers with little nutritional value. It takes more pet food to satisfy their hunger, which makes that inexpensive brand not as affordable as you might think. “Premium” dog food, on the other hand, means a higher standard in both nutrition and quality. Each serving contains high quality ingredients that are more nutritionally available than in a typical grocery store pet food, making premium pet food the better buy in the long run. With more nutrients in every bite, your dog does not need to eat as much premium food as they would a brand that contains fillers.

A premium quality pet food like CANIDAE helps dogs and cats maintain a healthy immune system. A poor diet affects a pet inside and outside. Some skin conditions and medical problems can be dealt with by feeding your pet a premium food. Stinky ears and ear infections, itchy skin or feet, a thin coat that has an odor and feels greasy or flaky, bad breath and tarter build up, runny eyes, gas, diarrhea or constipation and lack of energy can all be signs of an unhealthy diet.

Some pets can develop health issues when not fed a premium diet. A premium quality pet food like CANIDAE gives dogs and cats all the essential vitamins and nutrients they need to maintain their energy level, a healthy coat and skin, bright eyes, strong bones, and overall good health because the food they eat is working for them and not against them. Because a premium quality food provides a pet with what they need, the dog or cat eats less, it's easier for them to digest and they have fewer bowel movements. On average, a healthy dog or cat should have one or two bowel movements a day.

It's up to pet owners to decide which brand of food to feed their pet. With all the choices available in different price ranges, a pet's good health can sometimes be lost in deciding which brand to choose. Sometimes, a pet owner makes a decision based on price. They may not realize that a premium quality food is affordable, because when you compare the amount of lower quality food it takes to satisfy the pet, the cost can be about the same. I know my pets' good health is related to the food I feed them. I also know that certain medical conditions which can make a pet's life miserable can be eliminated with a healthy diet. It makes more sense to me to feed them a premium pet food that provides them with a better quality of life and saves me money with fewer trips to the vet.

It really is true – when it comes to pet food, we get what we pay for. If you're a runner who competes in marathons, you wouldn't eat junk food and expect it give you the nutrients and stamina you need to compete. The food we feed our pets does matter, and it does make a difference to their overall good health.

Lexiann Grant wrote a related article for this blog, titled “Is Premium Dog Food Worth the Cost?” In it, she shares her experience about learning the difference between a quality dog food and cheaper brands.

Read more articles by Linda Cole