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Knowing the basics about pet nutrition is a solid foundation
for beginning to help pet owners select a food for their
special pet. The key to making successful recommendations
is asking the right questions to help owners realize
how their pet's age, body condition and life stage or
lifestyle along with their own preferences for cost
and convenience affect their choice. This section contains
a set of questions arranged in logical order for helping
pet owners choose products for their pets. You may not
always need to ask each question explicitly, but having
as much information as possible will improve your recommendation.
How Old Is Your Pet?
If the animal is older than one year of age they are
often considered adults and require consideration of
additional items prior to making a food recommendation.
Skip to the question: "Which activity level or life
stage most closely matches that of your pet?"
For pets less than one year of age: Pets less than
one year of age require foods adequate for growth. Recommendations
for these animals will be different than for adults
so it is best to identify the age of an animal first.
What Is The Body Condition Of The
Puppy?
If a pet falls into either the "Thin" or "Overweight"
group, it is recommended they visit a veterinarian.
Both of these conditions may be an indication of problems
which could require medical attention.
Categories Of Products
Based on an animal's age and body condition, a category
of foods with the appropriate nutrition to meet these
varying needs are indicated on the Decision Tree. These
categories are described based on the level of nutrients
they contain. It is these nutrients which are important
to the proper growth and continued health of the puppy
or kitten.
Dog Food Categories for Young Animals
Growth Foods - Growth or All Life Stages Claim
- Protein - 21% or greater
- Fat - 8% or greater
Adult Foods - All Life Stages Claim or Maintenance
Claim
- Protein - 21 - 26%
- Fat - 8 - 18%
For Pets Over 1 Year Of Age:
Which Activity Level Or Life Stage Most Closely Matches
That Of Your Pet?
Again, different activity levels demand different levels
of nutrients. Use the word descriptions to select either
sedentary, moderately active or active/reproducing.
This important piece of information will be a factor
in determining the correct category of foods for a specific
pet.
What Is The Body Condition Of Your
Dog?
These are the same as used with young animals, and the
same recommendation for visiting a veterinarian applies
to those pets identified as thin or overweight.
Categories Of Products
Based on an adult animal's age, activity level and body
condition, a category of foods with the appropriate
nutrition to meet these varying needs are indicated
on the Decision Tree. These categories are described
based on the level of nutrients they contain. It is
these nutrients which are important to the continued
health of the dog.
Dog Food Categories for Adult Animals
Growth Foods - Growth or All Life Stages Claim (appropriate
for reproduction and hardworking dogs)
- Protein - 21% or greater
- Fat - 8% or greater
Adult Foods - All Life Stages Claim or Maintenance
Claim
- Protein - 21 - 26%
- Fat - 8 - 18%
Reduced Calorie Foods - Maintenance Claim
- Protein - 14 - 25%
- Fat - 7 - 8%
Performance Foods - All Life Stages Claim
- Protein - 27% or greater
- Fat - 9% or greater
Owners of both growing and adult animals should answer
the next questions to further narrow their choice of
products, based on their own preferences for cost and
convenience.
Does The Pet's Current Food Fit
Within The Recommended Nutritional Category?
If the answer is yes, then jump to the question: Is
the pet owner happy with the current food?
If the answer is no, then the pet owner may want to
consider switching to a product which has the nutritional
characteristics of the recommended category. This provides
greater assurance the pet's nutritional needs will be
met.
Is The Pet Owner Happy With The
Current Food?
If the answer is yes, the owner is already making a
good choice and there is no reason for them to change.
If the answer is no, the pet owner may want to consider
switching to another food in the recommended category
which more closely matches what they would like in a
pet food. The following descriptions may help them in
choosing among the products in the recommended category:
- Palatability products - high palatability or variety
- Super Premium products - nutritionally dense formula
requiring smaller serving size
- Premium products or traditional "Grocery Store Brands"
- good palatability and good digestibility at a good
price
- Non-premium products - low cost
- Store Brand products - claim similar performance
to national brands, but at a lower price
Following this set of questions can be extremely valuable
when selecting a pet food. The more practice a person
has and the more experience making recommendations,
the more natural it will become. To start, practice
with friends and family members to get a feel for how
the questions fit together.
It is extremely important to keep in mind that these
questions are designed to help pet owners who have healthy
dogs and cats. If a veterinarian has made a specific
recommendation for a pet food or the pet is under a
veterinarian's care, the pet owner should always ask
before making any change in that product.
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Reprinted with permission by Ralston Purina Canada
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