Dog Food - What's Best For Your Shih Tzu?

I have had dogs all my life. As a child my family had dogs that basically belonged to no one in particular but rather, they belonged to the family in general – they were simply a part of us. I remember that little thought was given to what the dogs ate. Whether it was scraps from the table or whatever commercial dog food that happened to be on sale.

My dogs lived long and full lives without anyone worrying if they were getting the proper nutrition needed. But fast forward to nowadays and things are very different. We know much more about nutrition and the specific needs of our dogs, and even how that changes at various stages in their lives.

Are Dog Food Promotions Correct?

Most dog owners prefer to feed their pet commercial dog food. This method is convenient and most people trust that the dog food will meet the nutritional requirements of their pet. These owners are doing what they feel is the best thing they can to provide a great diet for their dog.

Dog food has been promoted as being everything your pet needs. Dog owners that choose commercial dog food over feeding their pet human food are confident that they are doing the right thing. In fact, some would argue that owners that cook for their pets are neglectful of some of the nutritional needs of the pet. After all, dog food is especially formulated for dogs, right?

Processed Food is not a great choice!

Try convincing one of these people that a dog and a human both need similar nutritional foods. It's not that easy. However, no matter how you look at it, or what you believe a dog should eat as opposed to humans, processed food is still processed food! This stuff is manufactured, which means it goes through various steps of processing, preservatives, and other additives before it hits the can and is packaged. Every step that is taken to get this food to the store shelves reduces its quality and nullifies most of its nutritional value.

I cook for Molly and Ben (my Shih Tzu) daily. They mostly eat a mixture of vegetables, rice, beef and gravy. It’s a sort of beef stew concoction. They seem to be very healthy and I do not have any plans of changing their diet to commercial dog food. However, I do supplement their diet with a vegetarian dog food by mixing a small amount of it in the stew mixture.

Feeding your pet a great food regimen is a decision that should not be taken lightly. Talk to the breeder you purchase your Shih Tzu from as well as your veterinarian. But ultimately the decision is yours – you have to decide what is best for your pet! Learn more about the nutritional requirements of your Shih Tzu and how they change over the lifespan. This knowledge will enable you to make wise choices when it comes to feeding your pet, visit: Just Shih Tzu