Shih Tzu Diet
Best Dog Foods For A Shih Tzu

A healthy Shih Tzu diet is so important.  On this page we will discuss proper Shih Tzu nutrition, unsafe dog foods and the best dog foods available on the market, including holistic options.

Did you know that approximately 25 percent of all Shih Tzu dogs have some type of allergic reaction due to the dog foods that they are fed? Which is why choosing a premium holistic dog food is essential for the health and vitality of your Shih Tzu.

Dog food is a billion dollar industry in the United States and around the world. Ninety percent of dog food companies are selling unhealthy and unsafe "junk" that is making dogs sick, diseased and causing them to age prematurely.

Don't just take our word for it. Read what we have to say and then do your own research on this matter and see what you find out. If you love and care about the health of your Shih Tzu, which we know you do, please compare the dog food label ingredients on a holistic premium brand to that of a "popular" mass produced supermarket or national chain brand.

Most commercial dog food brands on the market today are, to be blunt, total garbage. If you are not familiar with the unhealthy ingredients found in these so called foods, let us educate you.

Unhealthy Dog Foods

Unhealthy Ingredients - By Products

Have you ever heard of animal by-products? Animal by-products are one of the primary sources of protein found in most dog foods. By-products are the "leftover garbage" found in slaughterhouses which are unfit or undesirable for human consumption. Some common examples would be kidneys, brains, intestines, sexual organs, etc. Throw in some chicken skull, chicken feet, road kill - combine them all together and you've got the primary ingredient found in most dog foods. Sound appetizing or healthy? Of course not! Then why make this crap part of your Shih Tzu diet or what you feed any other dog for that matter! Always look at the ingredients on the dog food bag and never buy anything that says "poultry by-products", "meat meal" or "bone meal".

Unhealthy Ingredients - Corn and Wheat

Corn is another widely used ingredient found in unhealthy dog foods. While corn may be okay for humans, a lot of Shih Tzu dogs are very allergic to corn. Besides corn, wheat is another grain to avoid when you are looking at dog food ingredients. Both corn and wheat are used as cheap protein fillers that supplement the animal by-products. On a typical dog food label, corn will normally be listed as corn gluten meal and wheat as wheat gluten.

Unhealthy Ingredients - Certain Oils, Fats and Preservatives

Other key ingredients that are found in unhealthy dog foods are certain types of fats. These are listed on the label as well. Non specific sources such as animal fat, vegetable oil and poultry fat are prime examples of what to avoid. Instead, look for dog foods that contain quality, healthy fats. These will be specific as to the source such as chicken fat, lamb fat, sunflower oil and herring oil to name a few.

Also, avoid pet foods in your Shih Tzu diet that contain synthetic preservatives such as BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin. Investigations and studies are currently under review that might possibly link these synthetic preservatives to cancer in animals.

Finally, don't purchase dog foods that contain artificial colorings such as caramel color and FD&C colors.

Healthy Dog Foods

Now that we've discussed unhealthy dog foods and what to avoid, we will now cover healthy Shih Tzu diet alternatives.

Our recommendation for a proper and nutritious Shih Tzu diet would be to feed a premium, human grade, holistic dog food. Holistic dog food manufacturers use high quality, healthy and scientifically-tested human grade food sources. Instead of using animal by-products, these premium dog foods contain real meat or specific meat meals(concentrated meat proteins). On the ingredients label, you will actually see the following: chicken, lamb, herring, salmon, beef, turkey or chicken meal, lamb meal, herring meal, etc.

Whole grains such as rice, barley and oatmeal are used instead of corn and wheat. Insecticide-free, fresh fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, apples and tomatoes are common ingredients in the best dog foods.

Healthy fats and oils from quality, specific sources are included as well. Examples include chicken fat, herring oil, lamb fat, and sunflower oil. These fats are essential in your Shih Tzu diet to maintain your pet's metabolism, organ function and shiny coat.

Instead of using synthetic preservatives and artificial colorings, holistic dog foods use natural preservatives and antioxidants to supplement their products. Vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A and mixed tocopherols are what you will find in premium dog foods and on their ingredients label. As an added bonus, some of these dog food manufacturers incorporate yogurt, healthy enzymes and minerals into their dog foods.

Recommendations For Your Shih Tzu Diet

After years of doing research on this subject, we have compiled a top 10 list of our favorite premium holistic dog foods. Most specialty pet stores carry these brands. Once again, we strongly urge you to do further research on this most important subject and to discover the benefits of a proper and healthy Shih Tzu diet.

More Information About Holistic Dog Care

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