Black Gold Explorer Original Performance 26/18 Dry Dog Food

Adult Dogs: Food requirements will vary depending on breed, environment, temperament and stress factors. Show dogs and working dogs will require additional amounts of food depending on their degree of activity or stress. Food intake should be adjusted to maintain optimum body weight. Follow the recommended feeding guide below or use the self - feeding method. Feeding instructions for an average dog with normal activity.

Feeding puppies: If fed dry, Black Gold Premium Dog Food Performance Blend may be kept before the puppies at all times. The amount fed should be sufficient to maintain steady optimal growth and weight, but not, so much as to stimulate excessive growth and/or weight gain at an early age. Puppies may begin eating Black Gold Premium Dog Food Performance Blend at about 4 weeks of age. Feed puppies all the moistened (with warm water, not hot) food they will consume 3 times a day until 6 months old, then twice a day until 9 months old. If fed moistened, do not serve more than puppies will consume in a thirty - minute period to ensure product freshness. If fed dry, food may be kept before the puppies at all times. After 1 year of age, follow Adult feeding instructions.

Pregnancy and nursing: Black Gold Premium Dog Food Performance Blend provides the extra nutrition needed by reproducing females in stages of gestation and lactation. Food consumption may vary during gestation, so feed the amount needed to maintain the pregnant female's good body condition. Food intake may double or even quadruple during lactation.

How does premium grade dog food differ from economy feed?What makes a premium feed premium?

Typically, premium grade dog foods use higher - grade ingredients. Higher - grade ingredients mean higher ratings in protein, fat & other nutrients plus a lower ash (ash is inert or unnecessary ingredients). Ingredients in premium food cost more but dogs get more nutrition from them. Therefore, a dog will perform better, look better, and maintain his condition easier on less food.

How does the higher cost per lb of premium food turn into money saved in the long run...?

Cheaper cost per lb foods usually mean more food is required to achieve the same results. When food is not digested, it ends up on the ground.

Does feeding a premium food increase endurance, speed recovery, aid in healing from injuries, etc...?

He will typically maintain his weight and muscle better. Just like a human, if the dog receives a good balanced diet, he will have better endurance, leaner muscle mass and perform better. Like an athlete. Most high quality foods utilize chelated minerals. These do a better job of building blood, which equates to faster recovery from fatigue and quicker healing of any field injuries.

How does the digestibility of dog food help keep working dogs healthy...?

They get more nutrient from what they consume. A lb of sawdust is not as nutritional as a lb of steak. If a food is 70% digestible, 30% of what he eats goes out as waste. A 90% digestible diet can either achieve the same results on less food or generate less waste. Example: An

18 bag of dog food may generate half as much nutrient as found in a

30 bag of dog food. You will spend

36 (2 x

18) to get the same result with the lower quality lower priced product

Dog foods often show the protein to fat ratio, what does that mean and how is that important...?

Different formulas are designed for different reasons. For example, higher protein is necessary for dogs in a cold environment whereas lower protein is better for the hot months. In addition, smaller breeds need higher protein than larger breeds because they have a higher metabolism. Contrary to common belief, fat, not protein is converted into energy. Protein is essential for growth, reproduction, and maintenance. As in humans, the higher the intake of fat, the more exercise is needed to burn it off. Therefore, a couch potato pet needs lower fat than a hunting dog.

How should a dog owner determine the best ratio feed or best feed to use...?

Experience. If your dog typically loses weight during an active season, he needs either a higher quality food or a higher fat food. If the temperature is below freezing, he may also need a higher protein ration. As well as conditioning, this also applies to performance. A high quality food generally improves speed, stamina, appearance, and longevity. If your dog experiences any of these performance problems, it is possible the he has a health problem (worms for example), you are using a lower quality product, or you are using the wrong protein/fat ratio for the performance desired. In addition, if you are seeing excessive stools in the kennel, it is possible you are using a lower quality food or you are overfeeding.

So why does Black Gold Still use meal...isn't that bad?

Fresh meat listed as the first ingredient is a pretty good sales pitch. However, consider this, fresh meat (chicken, lamb, or beef) contains up to 70% water, and meal (chicken, lamb, or beef) is simply fresh meat with the moisture already removed. The equivalent weight of “meal” is always more nutrient dense than “fresh.” For example, if a 1 - ton batch of a chicken first product has 600 lbs of fresh chicken, this drops to approx. 180 lbs or 9% after cooking. In reality, this will make the first ingredient fall down the list behind the second, third and possibly the fourth ingredient. This is also the reason these secondary protein sources are necessary so that the minimum protein guarantee will be met. If the same formula consisted of the same amount of meal, it would still contain 600 lbs of meat protein or 30% of the total product after processing, thereby maintaining its number 1 position, and eliminating the need for additional protein sources. By FDA and AAFCO guidelines, ingredients are required to be listed on a pet food label in order of pre - cooked weight. Almost always, when a fresh meat is listed first, it will be followed by additional protein sources to make up the difference when moisture and weight is lost during the cooking process. Don’t be misled by fresh meat at the top of the ingredient deck. Look a little further down the list to see what’s really in there.

Why is this bag a lighter kibble color than the 1 I bought before...?

Black Gold doesn’t use any artificial coloring in their dog food, so the color varies at times due to the