Your dog’s diet must include the proper nutrients and enough calories to meet daily needs for growth, activity, and repair. Most dog food brands contain the correct balance of nutrients for your dog.

• The food must contain nutrients in a form that your dog can use.
• It must be palatable to your dog. If your dog doesn’t like the taste and won’t eat the food, it doesn’t matter how well-balanced it is.
• Your dog must remain healthy while eating any type of food. Consider changing your dog’s diet if their skin becomes dry, if they’re losing or gaining weight, or if they develop stomach gas.
• Protein requirements vary from species to species and can vary greatly during the rapid-growth stages. As a puppy, your dog should be eating food with a 25% level of protein and 17% during their adult phase. Generally, purchasing a reputable, quality brand of dog food that fits your dog’s activity level will be just fine.
• Remember that your dog cannot see the color of the food. Smell and taste are much more important to your dog than the way it looks.
• The word natural does not have a definite meaning when it comes to dog food. Natural could mean anything from organically grown to simply not having artificial preservatives.