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Choosing the right food for your dog or cat is important to the overall health of your pet. There are many factors to consider when making the decision and each is important. First to consider is the age of your pet. Puppies and kittens have different needs than adult and senior dogs and cats. Pregnant dogs and cats or those with litters have other nutritional needs. The size of your dog when mature also needs to be considered. A dog that will be over 55 pounds will have different nutritional needs than a dog that weighs less than 15 pounds. Still another consideration when selecting the right food for your pet is how active it is. A dog who is kenneled for long periods each day will require less calories than a dog that has a large open area to use during the day. Is your cat heavier than it should be? Is it restricted to the house or allowed to spend time outside?

Other things to take into consideration when selecting pet food are specific health issues your dog or cat may have. Does the dog have arthritis? Is the dog overweight? Does the dog's coat look shiny and healthy or dull and dry? Is the dog considered a senior dog? Does the dog have a sensitive digestive system? Does your cat have problems with hairballs? Is it susceptible to urinary tract infections? Does your pet have unhealthy teeth and gums? There are pet foods available that will help with all of these pet health issues.

Another choice to make is dry food vs.wet food. Some pets, dog in particular, will eat everything you put out right away. Other dogs and most cats tend to eat off an on during the day (free choice feeding). Dry food works best for this because the food won't dry out when left sitting for long periods. Dry food tends to be less expensive per meal than canned, too. Believe it or not, pets can be finicky. Some will only eat certain flavors or brands of food. Others will eat only dry food, and still others will eat only wet food. Some dogs don't have that discriminating palette and they'll eat anytime, anything, anywhere!