All dog food would be the same in an ideal world. Instead, dog owners are given a huge number of options, all of which claim to be the best dog food online available. It can be hard to sort through all of these options to find a brand of dog food that is healthy, cheap, and appealing to your pet. We’ve put together advice from experts to help you choose.
What makes food “good” for a dog?
Most people give their dogs kibble, which is dry food, or Best Wet Dog Food in a can. Even though we might not like these processed foods, they have everything a dog needs to stay healthy. Commercial dog foods that are good have been tested and regulated very carefully by veterinary experts. So what are these dog foods made of?
Dogs, unlike cats, don’t only eat meat. Even though most of their food is meat, dogs that live in homes can also get nutrients from grains, fruits, and vegetables. These non-meat foods aren’t just fillers; they can also be a good source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber that your body needs. There should be meat, vegetables, grains, and fruits in good dog food. The best dog foods have high-quality versions of these ingredients that your dog’s digestive system can handle.
What’s in dog food?
The best food for your dog should give him all the nutrients he needs. Even though most brands of commercial dog food are made to meet at least the minimum nutritional needs of dogs, it is important to remember that not every dog has the same nutritional needs.
Over the course of their lives, dogs need a wide range of nutrients in different amounts. A puppy has different nutritional needs than an adult dog, so it’s best to feed your young dog a puppy formula or a “all life stages” food. If you don’t know how the nutritional needs of puppies and adults differ, you can look at the Merck Veterinary Manual. It lists the nutrients that dogs need, along with how much they need based on their weight and age. Dogs and puppies of large breeds need different foods than dogs and puppies of small breeds.
Myths and false facts about dog food
On the Internet, there are a lot of false ideas about dog food and how to feed a dog. One simple rule can help you sort it all out: check your sources. Many well-intentioned people say things about dog nutrition that can’t be backed up by science. As you do research, always check to see if the information comes from a reliable source, like a veterinarian, a canine nutritionist, or a scientific study. Being sceptical never hurts, either. Usually, if something sounds too good to be true, it is.
Many people have questions about dog food with or without grains, dog food without peas, and dog food with animal byproducts. If your dog has been diagnosed with a grain allergy, you can choose a diet without grains with the help of your vet. Most dogs need grains because they give them healthy nutrients. Good animal by-products are also good for you. These include organ meats and intestines, which often have more vitamins and minerals than the muscle meat humans eat. Hooves, hair, floor sweepings, the contents of the intestines, and manure are not regulated byproducts. As with any question about your pet, you can talk to your vet about your concerns about your dog’s food.
How to Read the Label on Dog Food
Reading the label can help you figure out if dog food is good or bad. This is easier to say than to do since labels can be hard to read because the writing is small and it’s awkward to carry around big bags of dog food in the store. But, as the Merck Veterinary Manual says, labels can also be wrong. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that dog food labels must include eight important pieces of information. Some states may also have their own labeling rules:
- Name of the item
- The net weight of the item
- Who made it and where it was made
- The analysis you can count on
- List of what’s in it
- Intended species of animal (i.e. dog or cat)
- Statement of enough nutrition
- Feeding guidelines
- Name of the Good
The name of the can or bag tells you a lot about what’s inside. The word “beef” means that at least 70% of the whole product must be beef. For a product to be called a “beef dinner,” “beef entrée,” or “beef platter,” beef must only make up at least 10% of the whole thing. “With beef” only means that 3% of the product is beef, and “beef flavor” just means that there is enough beef in the product to make it taste like beef (less than 3 percent). The same is true for ingredients with names, such as “chicken.”
Ingredients
The list of ingredients on the back of a bag of dog food won’t tell you anything about the quality of the food or where the ingredients came from, and some companies split up the ingredients to make sure they are spread out more evenly. For example, different kinds of corn can be listed separately, such as flaked corn, ground corn, or kibbled corn. This moves corn down the list of ingredients, even though the food contains a lot of corn. Meat is also hard to work with. Whole meats have a lot of water in them, which means that the amount of meat left after processing is less than it seems. People don’t like the way “meat meal” sounds, but it has more meat than “whole meats” because it doesn’t have any water weight to throw off the calculation.
Even though the list of ingredients may not tell you how good the ingredients are, it does tell you what is in the food. This is especially important for dogs with special dietary needs or allergies. It is also helpful for owners who want to feed their dogs specific sources of fibre, protein, and carbs.
Dog Foods that are “Complete and Balanced”
On the label of dog food, one of the first things you should look for is the phrase “(Name of product) is made to meet the nutritional levels set by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.” This isn’t just a catchy ad line. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has strict rules to make sure that a product is really complete and balanced for dogs (or cats). Diets that are complete and balanced must have the minimum amount of each nutrient that dogs need. This is also shown in the “guaranteed analysis.” This analysis shows the least amount of crude protein and fat and the most amount of crude fiber and water. But the analysis does not say how much of each of these things there is, so there is a lot of room for change. Most of the time, the average nutrient profile from the manufacturer is a better way to judge a product.
You can always call the company that makes dog food to find out more about it. A trustworthy company that cares about your dog should be happy to answer your questions and will often give you more information than what is on the website or product label. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association has a helpful sheet with questions you can ask a company rep.
The best food for small and big dogs
Small dogs and big dogs have different needs when it comes to food. Large breed dogs are more likely to have problems with their muscles and joints than smaller breeds. To keep their muscles and joints healthy, especially as puppies, they often need large-breed dog food with different amounts of certain nutrients. Small-breed dogs, on the other hand, can choke on big pieces of kibble, and they have different nutritional needs that can be met with food made just for them. Find out more about the breed of your dog to see if there are any other dietary needs you should be aware of.
- A small poodle dog eating his food.
- ©duncanandison – stock.adobe.com
- The best food for young dogs
Dogs have different needs for food at different stages of their lives. Adult dogs have different dietary needs than puppies, and older dogs also have their own dietary needs. Most companies that make dog food have special puppy foods for each stage of a dog’s life. This makes it easier to choose. If you’re not sure what the best dog food is for your dog’s age, you can talk to your vet to find out what stage food is best for your dog.
Your puppy requires a different nutrient balance than an adult dog. This is especially important for big dogs. Feeding a large breed puppy food can help, since their growth needs to be closely watched to avoid problems with their bones and joints. Some puppies do well on both “puppy food” and food that says “for all life stages.” The best food for your puppy will depend on how big and what kind of dog it is. Talk to your vet about how to feed your puppy and how to make the switch from puppy food to food for adult dogs.
Best Dog Food for Senior Dogs
Senior dogs, which are usually over 7 years old, have different dietary needs. Older dogs may have trouble with being underweight, while younger dogs may have trouble with being too heavy. This is why there are so many different kinds of senior dogs.
The best food for an older dog may come down to what your dog likes to eat. Many older dogs like their food to be wet, while others may need their food to be warmed up to make the smells better. In the end, your vet can help you decide what the best food is for an older dog.
The best food for dogs with special dietary needs
Both people and dogs can have allergies, upset stomachs, and dietary restrictions. It can be hard to feed dogs with special dietary needs. The best thing to do is to talk to your vet about what kind of food will help your dog’s condition the most.
Best Food for Dry Dogs
Dry dog food is the most common and cheap type of dog food. Dry dog food doesn’t need to be refrigerated, which is its main benefit over wet dog food since it is mostly dry matter and only has about 10% water. So, it’s easy to put away. Dry dog food is made by cooking together meat and grains, among other things. This process changes the food’s starches into a form that is easy to digest. It also gets rid of toxins and quickly sterilizes the ingredients. On the shelves, there are many different kinds of dry dog food. Which dry food is best for your dog depends on what it needs to eat. In general, a higher quality dry dog food with the right ingredients for your dog’s age and breed is the best choice, but you should talk to your vet or a veterinary nutritionist about the healthiest choice for your pet.
Best Wet Dog Food
Wet dog food, which comes in cans, is a good alternative to dry dog food. Wet dog food is usually a little bit more expensive than dry food, but it tastes better and can help picky eaters get hungry. Many of the same ingredients are in both dry and wet dog food, but not in the same amounts. Wet food has more fresh meat, poultry, fish, and animal by-products, as well as more grain-based proteins with different textures. Canned dog food can last for a long time, but it needs to be put in the fridge once it has been opened. Just like with dry dog food, the best wet food for your dog depends on its age, breed, and any special dietary needs or allergies. Ask your vet what kind of wet dog food he thinks is best for your pet.
What should I give my dog to eat?
Veterinarians worry more and more about dog obesity, which has been linked to many health problems in dogs. We are usually more careful about our pets’ diets than we are about our own, which is good news for them. It can be hard to figure out how much to feed your dog and what a healthy dog weight looks like. Many people overfeed their pets by accident, which is why it’s important to take your dog to the vet for regular checkups and talk to your vet about the right amount to feed your dog. The instructions on the bag are just that—instructions. Some dogs may need much more than the amount suggested, while others may need much less. How much a dog needs to eat depends on many things, like how active it is, what time of year it is, if it is nursing or sick, and so on. People who know a lot about dogs will often tell you to “feed the dog in front of you” instead of strictly following serving-size guidelines for dog food, which may or may not be what your dog needs.
