Is your dog very itchy or has recurrent skin infections? Food allergies are a rising concern with pet owners as they are the third most common cause after flea bite allergies and inhalant allergies. First, there is a difference between food allergies and food intolerances: Food allergies are true allergies and show the characteristic allergic symptoms ( itching and skin problems) that occur, because a dog’s immune system mistakenly identifies a particular food ingredient as harmful. He then creates defensive antibodies to fight the invading enemy (the food ingredient). Food intolerances can lead to diarrhea or vomiting. Both, food intolerances and allergies can be eliminated with a diet free from offending agents, the ingredients that cause the allergy. The most common ingredients, that cause your pup to be allergic are beef, dairy, wheat, egg, chicken, lamb, soy, pork, rabbit, and fish. And, most dogs are usually allergic to more than one thing. Also commercial pet foods often contain the following ingredients: emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, dyes, and preservatives, as well as the hormones and chemicals passed up the food chain in the meat found in pet foods. These can also trigger food intolerances. To find out, what your dog might be allergic to, you should feed “hypoallergenic” pet food, a diet, that typically shares one of three basic dietary designs: Limited ingredient diets Novel ingredient diets Prescription or veterinary diets Limited ingredient dog foods can make it easier to pinpoint the component in your dry food to which a pet may be allergic to. Novel ingredient foods however contain ingredients, especially proteins your dog might not have been previously exposed to — so, therefore, less less likely to be sensitive to. Prescription or veterinary dog foods are diets that have been designed by your veterinarian to contain hypoallergenic ingredients Whatever type of hypoallergenic pet food you use, make sure that you feed it for a minimum of 8-10 weeks, because it takes that long for a pet to adjust to a new diet, and hopefully your furry friend will be symptom free. It is important that you feed only the hypoallergenic dog food, avoiding all other foods and treats. Having a furry child suffering from food allergies can be difficult as it usually takes some time to find out, what they are allergic to. Make sure to consult with your vet and to rule out all other possibilities for your pet’s allergy symptoms before you change your dog’s diet. If, after a vet visit, your dogs issue turns out to be "only" an intolerance, have a look at our cold protein option Nutra Gold Lamb & Rice and our cold protein + grain free options:  Nutra Gold Whitefish & Sweet Potato  and Taste of the Wild Sierra Mountain . If you need any help in selecting the right food for your pup, we are ready to assist you at any time.

    Sources: http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/puppy-food-types http://www.petmd.com/dog/centers/nutrition/evr_dg_best-dog-food-for-dogs-with-food-allergies http://moderndogmagazine.com/articles/food-allergies-dogs/15131#sthash.aLRG2vZN.dpuf