Use These Criteria When Shopping for Your Pet's Food

With so many brand-name selections and dogs' often indiscriminate appetites, it can be tempting for many pet owners to simply shop for the most cost-effective food to fill Fido's dish.

But what is best for your dog?

Tyler Zonca, dog food specialist at Specialty Pet Supplies in Plymouth Township, says pet owners should pay careful attention to the ingredients listed in many brands of dog food before choosing a food for their dog.

Zonca says to look for meat as primary ingredients on any selection of food and avoid foods advertising soy, corn and what he considers "fillers." 

Because dogs digest foods differently than humans, he said, foods such as corn do not provide nutritional value to dogs, yet often are among the primary ingredients in name-brand dog foods.

Zonca also said consumers needn't necessarily pay top dollar for the best foods for their pet. Many independent and family-owned brands, he says, offer a top-notch product at a cost comparable to similar portions of name-brand foods.

Check out the video above for more tips on finding the right food for your dog.