MEH Readers, meet Oliver.

Oliver the Shorkie, age 3 months

He’s a feisty Yorkie/Shih Tzu mix that joined our little family shortly after my husband and I were married two and a half years ago. As any smitten pet owner does, I like to spoil him, mostly in the form of daily walks to the park accompanied with rousing rounds of fetch with his favorite tennis ball. He also loves scratches behind the ears and early-morning snuggling. Yet despite all the adoration Oliver receives, there’s one area I have failed to give proper care and attention to: his diet.

At the risk of painting myself as a neglectful dog owner, I never gave much thought to feeding him regular store-bought pet food; Oliver’s not a particularly picky eater and he usually will happily devour whatever kind of food we gave him. Recently, however, Oliver’s had some digestive issues (the details of which I’ll spare you from) and the vet suggested switching foods, since what we were currently feeding him was apparently too hard on his stomach and likely lacking essential nutrients.

While it admittedly should have dawned on me earlier, it finally occurred to me that if I’m finicky about what I’m willing to put in my body, why wouldn’t that apply to Oliver? So I decided to do some research to determine what the best and most nutritious types of food for him would be, and while I was at, figure out what exactly is in commercial dog food (I found more than a few sources that offered the gruesome details). Whether you’re a current dog owner or plan to become one soon, here’s what I found that can help ensure you feed your pup nutritious, healthy food.

• Look for food that actually names the type of meat used in the ingredients, like “chicken” or “lamb” instead of just “meat.” This way you’ll know your pet is receiving a nutritious and dependable source of protein.
• Steer clear of foods that contain “byproduct meat” or “meat and bone meal;” such products are typically the most inexpensive type of animal protein and contents and quality can vary greatly between brands, making it an unreliable and insignificant source of nutrition for your pet.
• Speaking of byproduct meat, avoid feeding your dog any food that uses byproducts as the main source of protein. Byproducts are often comprised of animal parts, such as organs, that are not desired or deemed unsafe for human consumption (sounds disgusting, doesn’t it?).
• Stick with brands and foods labeled natural or healthy. They may not be 100% so (some still use a small amount of synthetic preservatives) but they’re typically a better, healthier alternative than regular store-bought food. We try to balance Oliver’s diet with a mix of dry and wet food; so far, he likes Flint River Ranch original oven-baked kibble and Innova canned food (known as “holistic” dog food). Since the canned food is extremely high in protein (its 95% meat), we limit how much he can eat in one serving to avoid stomach issues.
• Another healthy option for your dog is making their food. While it can be time-consuming and in some cases more expensive than purchasing pre-made food, it’s far healthier and better for your dog since you know exactly what’s in it. While I have yet to actually make Oliver homemade food, I have already created his diet plan, which I constructed on PetDiets.com, a free online tool from Veterinary Nutritional Consultations, Inc. Has or does anyone make their own dog food? I want to hear about it!

Since we've change his diet, Oliver's now a healthier, happier dog!