Choosing the Right Dog food

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Perfect Dog Food: A balanced approach from a canine nutritionist.

As a dog nutrition specialist, I often get asked about the best food for dogs. With a dizzying array of options on the market, it can be overwhelming to decide what's best for your dog. In this guide, we'll break down the key factors to consider when picking your dog's food, including life stage, budget, storage, and health concerns.

1. Life Stage: Tailoring Nutrition to Your Dog's Age

Just like humans, dogs have different nutritional needs at various stages of their lives. Understanding these needs is crucial for ensuring your dog remains healthy and happy throughout their lifetime.

Puppies: Growing puppies require a diet rich in protein and calories to support their rapid growth and development. Look for foods specifically labeled for puppies or "growth" that contain higher levels of protein, fat, and essential nutrients like DHA for brain development. Optimum levels of calcium should also be supplied in the food. If your puppy is a large or giant breed look for protein levels no lower that 25% (dry matter) and fat not higher than 16% (dry matter) we want our large and giant breeds at a slower growth rate so that their body mass isn’t out growing their skeletal development.

Adults: Once your dog reaches adulthood, their nutritional needs stabilise. Adult dog food should provide a balanced mix of protein, fats, and carbohydrates, with appropriate vitamins and minerals if needed to balance the food. Maintenance formulas are designed to keep your adult dog at a healthy weight and energy level.

Seniors: Older dogs often have different dietary requirements, such as lower fat to prevent obesity and higher fiber for digestive health. It may also be beneficial to feed a senior dog a higher protein based food for muscle mass.

2. Budget: Balancing Quality and Cost

Your budget is an important consideration when choosing dog food. While more expensive brands often boast “higher quality” ingredients and superior nutrition you do not need to fall for cleaver marketing to make sure that you stay in budget and your dog is getting everything they need.

Mid-Range Options: Many mid-range brands offer excellent nutrition without breaking the bank. Look for brands that are balanced and complete, that are AAFCO or FEDIAF approved and avoid using bulk ingredients such as potatoes, beans, lentils, peas, chicken peas or pea proteins.

Bulk Buying: Purchasing in bulk can often reduce costs. Ensure that you have adequate storage to keep the food fresh (more on that below). You can also look at influencers accounts that may have discount codes. Setting up a subscription could save you up to 5%. Try going in with a friend who lives locally to save on delivery costs as well.

Combo Feeding: Combo feeding is a great option if you need to save money but still would like to opt for feeding fresh to your dogs. It’s important that you don’t over feed your dog this way. Typically, a good way to combo feed is to utilise the fresh food for main meals and the kibble etc for training or games.

3. Storage and life style

Proper storage of dog food is essential to maintain its nutritional value and prevent contamination.

Dry Food: Store dry kibble in a cool, dry place in an airtight container to prevent exposure to air, moisture, and pests. Avoid keeping food in the garage or outside, as extreme temperatures can degrade the quality. It’s easy to travel with as well and uncomplicated to feed if there is someone else that needs to look after your dog. There are many dried foods on the market but Eden Kibble, Alpha Spirit and Millies Wolfheart are some great options here in the UK.

Wet Food: Unopened cans of wet food can be stored in a cool, dry place. Once opened, wet food should be covered and refrigerated, and used within a few days to prevent spoilage. Great options when travelling, although can be a bit bulky to carry and once opened you will need a fridge. Check out Marleybones cooked shelf stable food for a brilliant travelling option

Freeze dried/air dried: Great for travelling with, training with and comes in handy small bags. The down side is price, so if you have a bigger dog it can become quite expensive.

Raw and Cooked: Some dog foods, especially raw diets, can be stored in the freezer but having the space is crucial. You don’t want to be ordering every week online and paying heavy delivery charges because you don’t have space for more food. Raw food also isn’t a practical option if you travel frequently with your dog. If your dog needs to stay in the vets overnight, you will likely find they will not store your raw food to feed either.

4. Health Concerns: Addressing Specific Needs

Different dogs have different health concerns that may require special dietary considerations.

Intolerances: If your dog has food allergies, you'll need to identify and eliminate the offending ingredients. Common allergens include beef, chicken, dairy, wheat, and soy but realistically your dog could have a reaction to any protein. Look for hypoallergenic or limited ingredient diets designed for dogs with sensitivities.

Weight Management: For overweight dogs, choose foods labelled for weight management or weight control. These foods typically have lower calories and higher fibre to help your dog feel full while losing weight. Not all diets are weight loss diets.

Joint Health: For dogs with joint issues, foods containing joint-supporting supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin can be beneficial but it’s really unlikely that they contain enough of the active ingredients to actually help. With joint foods you are looking for a good omega 3:6 ratio and you may be better saving money on the specific joint support food and investing in a great joint support supplement like Riaflex.

Digestive Issues: Dogs with sensitive stomachs may benefit from diets that include easily digestible ingredients, that have optimal fibre and are lower in fat. Problems such as IBS, pancreatitis, other forms of IBD and reflux can be some issues.

Medical Conditions: Always consult your veterinarian if your dog has a specific medical condition that requires a special diet, such as kidney disease, diabetes, or pancreatitis.

Conclusion

Choosing the right dog food involves a thoughtful balance of your dog's life stage, budget, storage capabilities, and any specific health concerns. By considering these factors, you can ensure that your dog receives the nutrition they need to live a healthy, happy life. Remember, when in doubt, consult with your veterinarian or a canine nutrition specialist to make the best choice for your furry friend. Happy feeding!

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