Welcome to the world of responsible dog owners! From now on dog food will be one of expenses in your budget. The information in this post can help you make informed decisions when it comes to choosing a food for your new family member. To select a well-balanced food for your dog, you have to learn about ingredients and what to look for.
While you can try to save on a dog food, you will quickly learn that buying better food saves money in the long run. Better dog food usually comes with better ingredients for your dog and that can translate into better health. It will result in fewer trips to the vet with your dog. Sometimes even fewer middle-night walks. It is not always the case and some expensive foods are not worth they price, but more often than not higher price means better quality.
We recommend to start looking for a dog food in specialized pet stores, even better in pet food stores. If you do not follow this simple tip and simply start your search from a next corner grocery store, you can end up with something bright looking but made from ingredients you do not want to feed your dog, something causing bad skin, greasy coat, and eventual health problems. Do not forget, you committed to provide your dog with the best nutrition you can find. When you select a dog food there, you can always compare prices for the exactly same brand/type in other places - something like starting with "Wal" and ending with "mart" - if they offer this item.
Dog food comes in multiple forms. The most popular are dry food (in bags from small to very big) and canned food (as you can guess, those are sold in cans). If you are a proud owner of a big or to-be-big dog, focus on the dry kibble. It takes a lot of cans to feed a large dog and high quality canned foods are very costly by the ounce. Plus, carrying huge cases of canned food is cumbersome and heavy. You can also consider sharing your food from the table, but in this case you take additional responsibility of controlling right balance of fat, protein, vitamins, etc.
There are many options to pick from. Luckily, there are 3 major filters you can apply to reduce this variety: by age (for puppies, adult dogs, senior dogs), by size (for small breeds, large breeds), and by special needs (e.g. dogs with sensitive stomachs or overweight dogs on a diet). Puppies have different needs than senior or adult dogs and that is a reason to avoid dog foods claiming that they are complete and balanced for all life stages. You also look at how active your dog is to choose between "maintenance" and "performance" types of food. The first is for pet dogs who spend most of they time waiting for their masters at home. The second is for dogs performing and getting lots of exercise - they need a food with a higher protein and fat content to supply them with the energy they need.
If you have friends with a dog or two, ask for their advice. Also consult your veterinarian. It is always good to start with something recommended and proven. There is a chance it will work for your dog as well, but that's not always a case. These days, many dogs have allergies and food intolerances, so, as an example, you might have to switch to "grain free foods" or browse for products with salmon ingredient rather than beef. Many experts recommend rotating diets every 2-6 months if you are feeding commercial dog food. This typically means changing to a new food company.
Keep in mind that ingredients are listed by weight, so do not stop after the first row. What it means is that ingredients with large amounts of moisture (such as beed, poultry, fish, and chicken) are likely to be at the top of the list, but some ingredients further down the list often offer more key nutrients such as protein. Premium dog food will include meat/fish for protein, vitamin-packed vegetables and fruit, and omega fatty acids for a shiny coat. It is also likely to have fewer fillers such as corn, wheat and soy. Grains are used in many dog foods and provide an excellent source of carbohydrates. Dogs can easily metabolize these carbohydrates and use them as an energy source. If the food is said to contain a single ingredient, it must contain at least 95% of that ingredient, not including water. If a combination of ingredients is advertised, that combination has to make up at least 95% of the food.
Do homework on your brand. Search for information on ingredients sourcing and quality control in manufacturing (it is a good sign if the company manufactures in its own facility rather than outsourcing) as well as other customers' feedbacks. If that food is not good for anyone, it won't be good for your dog either.
We wish the best to you and your dog. Stay smart.
2019-09-25, Umka.Dog