Importance of Choosing the Right Food for Your Dog

Picking the right food for your pooch can be a bit challenging especially if you’re a new dog owner. More than the fact that your dog must eat something, it’s important what your dog eats. It’s crucial that you provide your furry friend with enough nutrition and keep their teeth and digestive system healthy.

Dogs food comes in many different shapes and various flavours. It can be pricier or more affordable, dry, semi-dry or canned, but you can also go for coated food which is especially loved by peaky eaters. Before you decide to transition from one dog food to another, or if you have a puppy who is developing teeth and is transitioning to food that isn’t mother’s milk, be sure to talk to your vet about it. The veterinarian should know exactly well what food works best for your furry friend and whether or not it needs to follow a particular therapeutic diet. That said, here are the types of dog food to choose from.

Dry Dog Food

This is an affordable commercial dogs food that most owners choose to get for their furry friends. It can last for a long time and is very practical if you have to take some food with you when training your dog in the park, taking it for a walk or on a vacation. It doesn’t need to be refrigerated and is excellent for the dog’s teeth health since chewing crunchy dry food helps reduce tartar buildup. When choosing dry food be sure to read the ingredients and see if it’s suitable for your dog’s age.

Semi-Moist Dog Food

Тhe semi-moist foods are shaped like burgers or pork chops and are not as nutritional as canned or dry food, but dogs love them. This is more of a treat and should not be a substitute for a meal. It can be a good way to treat your dog when they did something good, or when you take them for a walk and can’t offer them a full meal at the moment. As this food does not provide the nutrition that your pup requires, so always be sure to feed your dog with proper food that contains all the necessary nutrients.

Canned Dog Food

Dogs love canned dog food, and you have probably witnessed it so far. You can find it in most supermarkets and has a long shelf life. It’s pricier than dry food for sure, but it provides all the necessary proteins and nutrients your pup or older dog need. Make sure to feed your dog with food that is labelled as “100% nutritionally complete”. And remember – the more water the canned food has, the less quality it has and the lesser nutrients it has.

Although this food is pricier than dry food, most owners still get it because it is a great way to feed their dog once a day and then add some dry food as an addition. This way your dog will feel well-fed at all times.

The most commonly known benefit of giving your dog wet foods is their palatability. Canned diets come in many different flavours and formulas that can satisfy even the pickiest eaters. Also, this food smells amazing to dogs, which is an immensely large appetite booster that adds to regular and healthy eating habits.

Raw Dog Food

This diet consists of raw meat (with some bones preferably; but never cooked bones – only raw) and organs. Bones are a natural source of calcium and phosphorus and this diet works amazing for many dogs. Dogs have short intestinal tracts and powerful stomach acids, which makes it easy for them to consume raw foods. If your dog never had such food before, it’s best to talk to your vet before you switch to it. You have to be aware of potential benefits and risks.

Baked and Coated Dog Food

Baked dog food isn’t very common when it comes to dog food types, but it’s starting to become more and more available. Baked kibbles for instance are cooked at a lower temperature, which makes them denser with nutrients and flavourful (compared to extruded foods). Baked kibbles are a bit more expensive and not as available as dry food for example, but they are a great option for kibble feeders who want a more nutritious diet for their pet’s.

This food improves digestion and has a softer texture, which results from the manufacturing process (it produces a less compressed and more porous pellet, letting it break apart easier when the pet chews it and digests it). You may come across brands that use freeze-dried meat coating on their kibbles, which can be done in both baked or extruded formats. It’s usually added after the cooking process to give extra nutrients that are gained from the freeze-dried meat coating. Coated kibbles will increase nutrition and add flavour, which can be a great thing for picky eaters. It has extra addition to vitamin and mineral premixes.

You may also give your doggo home-cooked food. This way you will know exactly what food your dog will eat. A home-cooked diet requires time and more money, but if you are willing to put in some effort, your dog will appreciate it. Always talk to your vet before trying to cook your dog’s food at home.