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.

As carnivorous animals, dogs eat meat in the wild and their food as pets should always contain a good quality, meat-based source of protein. In the ingredients listing of your dog food, look for a named meat source, like beef or turkey, rather an a generic "meat". More than one of these should be listed in the first five ingredients on the list. Animal by-product, is another story and should be avoided, as it can contain meat from dying and diseased animals.

While dogs do require some carbohydrates in their diets, they have no biological need for grain products, and the presence of corn, corn gluten and wheat in a dog food can cause allergies and other health problems in our furry friends. Rice and potatoes do have some nutritional value, but should not comprise the largest part of the food.

Labels like premium and human grade may not mean much, as these labels are not highly regulated. Organic food should be raised without any chemical products and genetic modification, and eating these foods means we introduce fewer harmful chemicals into our bodies. Organic dog food should offer our pets the same benefits.

Many dog owners also opt to feed raw in order to ensure that their dogs get the same diets as they would in the wild. There is a lot of dog information out there on the benefits or raw feeding. However, for the more squeamish pet owner, home made dog food, while more time consuming than commercial feeds, may be the best and most cost-efficient way to give your dog the best nutrition we can provide.