Introduction
Every dog has a specific dietary need. If you are a dog owner or know people that own one, you will certainly agree that different dogs require different meal portions or sizes. This is largely dependent on how active the dog is the dog’s age and health condition. Dog food adulteration with salmonella bacteria, bone china and melamine has made dog owners careful and alert. So, many of you may want to know explicitly, what goes into your dog’s food. One popular brand, in the dry dog food category, is Retriever’s mini chunks.
Retriever Mini Chunk Food — Primary Constituents
Retriever Mini chunk dog food essentially contains natural ingredients that provide linoleic acid, essential nutrients like proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fiber along with various minerals and vitamins. The linoleic acid ensures your dog’s coat remains shiny and healthy. Vital nutrients help to keep your dog muscular with strong bones and teeth. They also promote optimal growth. Vitamins and minerals boost the immune system and facilitate overall good health. (See reference 1)
Retriever Mini Chunk Food — Specific Ingredients
The formulation of Retriever Mini Chunk dog food includes a homogenous, powdered mix of soy meal, meat and bone meal, natural chicken essence, wheat and corn meal. Animal fat, tempered with citric acid for preservation is also a key ingredient. Dried pulp of beet root, rice and salt are added as well. Retriever mini chunk dog food is fortified with essential minerals and vitamin compounds like supplements of vitamin A, D3,B12, and E; biotin, niacin, calcium panthotenate, sodium selenite, copper sulphate, cobalt carbonate, riboflavin, folic acid and many more. The ingredients also include permitted color additives.
Retriever Mini Chunk Dog Food Analysis
Retriever Mini Chunk Dog Food is a high protein product. This is evident from the percentage of constituent nutrients in retriever mini chunks dog food. 21% of the mini chunks are crude protein, and 10% is crude fat. There is considerable moisture of up to 12 % in the food and it is hence suitable for consumption as dry or as a moistened meal for dogs. Fiber is at an optimal 4% of the composition. Linoleic acid, vitamin A and vitamin E with zinc, phosphorus and calcium are present in considerable amounts as well. This makes the nutritive content of the dog food appropriate for maintaining healthy appearance and ensures your dog has a good activity or energy level.
Feeding Retriever Mini Chunk Dog food
Puppies are more likely to eat softened moist food, while older dogs are able to have dry meals followed by water separately. Pregnant and lactating female dogs may have increased food intake and dogs that are very hard working and those in cold countries will have larger portions of food as well. Retriever Mini Chunk Dog food can adapt to all these needs. Mix warm water to moisten the mini chunks so they are soft for dogs that enjoy a softer meal. Based on your dog’s weight, small dogs might need a cup to 3 cups of food a day while larger ones may consume up to 5 or more cups. Always introduce new food brands to dogs in a slow manner to your dog. Replace the old meal with the new one gradually, a meal at a time and spread the complete change over a week or ten days.
A Word of Caution
In 2008 several pet food brands came under the scanner as production plants reported contamination due to salmonella bacteria. Retriever was also among other brands that asked for a voluntary recall of all its product batches that came from these plants. The recall was initiated by the Mars Company. However, there was no relation established between pet illnesses and food products from these plants.
References
- Tractor Supply.Com; Retriever Mini Chunk Dog Food: http://www.tractorsupply.com/pet-care/dog-products/dog-food/dry-dog-food/retriever-mini-chunk-dog-food-2258968
- Zootoo.Com; Retriever Mini Chunk Dog Food: http://www.zootoo.com/dogs_dried/retrieverminichunkdogfood
- Everything Natural Pet Food; Alert Pet Food Recall ‘” Mars Company: http://everythingnaturalpetfood.blogspot.com/2008/09/alert-pet-food-recall-mars-company.html
