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There is a strange, little known fact about pet nutrition that many pet owners are not aware of. It is that your vet may not be the best source of dog information particularly for nutrition. Veterinary schools' nutrition courses tend to be rather short and incomplete, and pet food companies tend to push their products on vets and patients rather aggresively.

A pet owner's best course of action in terms of canine nutrition then, is to seek out reliable dog information to learn what exactly is necessary for their dogs to eat. In this article, we will highlight the most essential pieces of knowledge that every pet owner should have in order to provide the best nutrition to their favorite canine companions.

Dogs are natural carnivores, and so require some meat based protein in their diets. A good dog food should always have at least one named meat source (chicken, lamb, rather than just "meat") listed in the first five ingredients. Meals are ground up meat and other animal parts, and though we do not eat these things, our pets can use the minerals found in bones and ligaments. Animal by-products, however, are controversial, and should be avoided, as unscrupulous manufacturing facilities can include dead, diseased animals and factory waste products.

Some amount of carbohydrates is required in a balanced canine diet, and rice, potatoes and many vegetables are good sources of these. However, dogs do not need grains like corn, wheat gluten and these may cause more problems than they are worth. Allergies and obesity are often attributed to corn and wheat products in dog food.

There are a lot of labels like premium, organic and human grade that are used on dog foods. Premium and human grade are regulated very little, if at all, and may not be very beneficial for your dog. Organic dog food should follow the standards for organic food, meaning they should be grown without chemicals. Organic foods are thought to prevent things like cancer by not introducing possibly dangerous chemicals into the body.

Raw feeding is also becoming more popular among pet owners who want to replicate their dogs natural diet in the wild. A wealth of dog information can be found about raw diets, which can also be more cost-effective for the pet owner. There is also the option of home made dog food, which, while more time consuming, is also cheaper than commercial food, and a good way to know exactly what your favorite pooch is eating.