Does dog food really matter so much?

Does it matter what kind of dog food you get for your pet. I get that some food do not hold much nutritional value and all that but does it really extend your pet's life but a great amount?

Actually, the type of dog food you feed your dog does matter. Iams is the best, according to our veterinarian. If your dog eats a cheaper brand, he or she may be more vulnerable to all kinds of illnesses.
Feeding your dog well is a good way to protect your pet and extend your pet's life.

Yes, It does matter. If you are not feeding your dog with proper nutrition or other necessary foods will effect on your dog's health. There are so many variety of foods for dogs according to their breed, I suggest you consult with the Vet in your area and they will help you more.

Dog food choice is incredibly important if you want to be able to make an educated decision when choosing what kind of food to feed your dog. I wish I could agree that Iams was the best dog food out there. I would save so much money! Unfortunately this is NOT true. Don't take the advice of friends and family or even your vet. Check this information out for yourself. It is totally unbiased and completely reliable.

I think most pet owners would croak if the knew of the dog food ratings list. No more discount and grocery store dog foods for me. I opted for better choices after flipping over endless bags and searching for ingredients that were actually healthy for my dogs. I wish I could indeed afford the best but just like most people, I can't. I can however get a better food than what I am feeding.

Below is a link with a wonderful yet exhaustive list of rated pet foods. Guess what? If you do not see your pet food on the list then it is so bad that they didn't even list it.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com

I have been told my uncle (who is a professional dog breeder) to feed your dog with as much natural, preservative and chemical free food as you can. He told me you should treat your dogs diet like a healthy diet you would advise a human to eat.
The main things are checking all the ingredients in the store bought food and to look for human grade ingredients. The best thing would be to prepare food at home and using a ratio of 40% protein, 30% grains, 30% vegetables and of course added oils.

Your dog will be much healthier, happier and long lived

I believe that it does matter. Just like with humans, what you eat can affect your health. You have to think back 30 years or so when there was very little choice on the market. If your dog lived to be 8 years old, that was considered a good long life. Today 12 to 14 years old isn't that far fetched for a large dog (smaller breeds can live even longer).

You can attribute some of it to improved medical care. But, I believe improved dog food has made a big difference. If not for the longevity, then for the quality of life.

Case in point, my sister's dog has epileptic seizures. She is on medication. About 3 years ago, they switched her dog food. Then, 2-3 months later the dog began having cluster seizures after not having any for a year or more. The doctor tried moderating her medication, but it didn't help. They focused on the dog food and found that one nutrient (I'm guessing, but I think it was protein) was too high for a dog with seizures. When they switched her to a food that had a lower amount, the seizures went away.

Also, my brother's dogs who were on one of the Purina varieties. They all broke out with horrible bumps. It took awhile to realize it wasn't something in the environment, but it was the dog food. They switched to a better brand and the problem went away.

I always remember when my first dog was on Science Diet. It made her produce so much stool. I talked to the vet about it and she thought it was way too many times a day. I switched her to a Nature's Recipe variety and she had more normal stool production.

I know that cost is an issue for many. I think it can be worth it to do the research and try to get the best quality dog food that you can afford. It may save you hassles and medical bill costs.

Iams is NOT the best out there just many of the other insanely expensive "natural" foods. Just like with human foods, READ THE LABEL. If grain or some type of "meal" is the first ingredient it's not "the best". The first ingredient should be some type of protein.

Dogs, like humans, CAN live on unhealthy food, but that doesn't mean it's best for them. Also, wet food has a far lower fat content that dry food. I was surprised when I learned this., but it's true. Try feeding him a wet and dry combination. This is really important when they get older, the wet food helps keep the bowels working easily.

Also, for treats give them NATURAL human food nothing processed. My guy loves carrots, apples and sugar snap peas as much as he loves a good piece of chicken. Again, plain, no sauces or condiments.

Yes, dog food really matters. You need to feed your dog proper nutrition and other necessary foods because if you do not, it will effect your dog's health in the long run. There is a huge variety of dog food that is according to their breed. It's best though to consult your Vet before choosing what brand of food to get.