How To Choose The Right Dog Food

Have you just gotten a new dog? Maybe your current pet is getting tired of the dog food he’s been eating for years. Or, are you simply nearing the bottom of that dog food bag and ready to go out and buy some more? Whatever the reason, the time has come again to make a decision which dog food to buy. Surprisingly, this choice can be quite an overwhelming one. Entering the pet store, you quickly make your way to the dog food aisle. This should be a simple in and out procedure. Right? Wrong. What awaits you is actually five or more aisles stacked full of wet foods, dry foods, canned foods, bagged foods, large kibble, small kibble, and melts-in-the-mouth-not in-the-paws-kibble; and all in every flavor you could imagine. Bison flavor is my dog’s personal favorite. Bison is a delicacy, I must confess, I have not even indulged in myself. Needless to say, shopping for dog food can become a bit of a daunting task. So, I am providing you here with a list of tips on how to make this, in my opinion, a simpler and more beneficial experience.

                                                                                                                              
                                                            Dogs Have Allergies Too

                                                            

Have you ever noticed your dog licking its paws incessantly? This is actually a common sign that your pet may be allergic to his food. Allergies are more frequent in purebred dogs; as are upset tummies. So, if you have a pure breed on your hands take extra precautions. Food allergies are most often related to corn, wheat, soy, or gluten. So, if you think your dog may be a victim of itchy paws try avoiding foods with these products.
                                                             
                                                But, It’s So Expensive

                                                                 

I know the prices of dog food can be intimidating. It is very tempting to head towards the cheapest end of the aisle. However, the cheapest foods (that are ,sadly, usually the most popular brands) are not always the best choice for your dog. The reason these food manufacturers are able to keep the prices so low is that the food is loaded with fillers. These do a good job a leaving your dog satisfied for a short period of time while providing no nutritional value. On top of that, the toll it takes on your dog’s body will leave you with a better chance of having to pay a visit to the veternarian’s office or needing to buy the even more expensive dietary dog food. So, if it seems expensive now just try to tell yourself that you will be saving money in the long run. Your dog will be healthier and happier and you will avoid some unnecessary vet bills in the future.

                                                      Read The Labels!

Before you pick up the first bag you see and carry it to the checkout please do your dog a favor and turn the bag over. Take a moment to read the labels. You can usually determine from the first few ingredients if the food is a winner or not. The ingredients are listed in order according to content. So, if you see corn meal or meat by-product listed as the first ingredient then that is the most predominant substance in that particular food. If you know that your dog is sensitive to grains you should stay away from foods with that as one of the main ingredients. Also, if you want the most for your money look for dog foods that have an actual meat as the main ingredient. By-product is not meat! It is simply parts of a slaughtered animal ground up and processed. It could be a mixture of blood, bones, stomach, and brain, but it does not in fact include meat itself. Dogs are carnivores by nature. They need meat. Meal, on the other hand, such as chicken meal or beef meal is meat. It is dried and processed, but it is indeed meat. So, when choosing between chicken by-product and chicken meal, choose the meal. Check for healthy sounding ingredients. Would you eat it? For me, I like to see at least a few words I am familiar with and that sound somewhat tasty. For example, chicken, oatmeal, tomato would be a nice start. Corn, animal by-product, bone meal, would not. Again, corn and grains are fillers. They will be present quite often, but they do not need to be the main ingredient. And, remember, some dogs are allergic to these types of things.

                                                   Am I Buying Water?

Another fun label to glance at is the Guaranteed Analysis or Nutritional Information. Here you can see the minimum and maximum amounts of certain nutrients such as crude protein and crude fat present in the dog food. Here is where you should look for the moisture or water content. If your guaranteed analysis says “moisture 18% maximum” that means that close to, but not more than 18% of your dog’s food is water. So, you need to ask yourself how much moisture is too much. I’m sure you all have water at home if you want to add it later. So, I think the lower this number is the better.

                                                       Wet Versus Dry


The common dilemma of wet versus dry is really just a matter of choice. It has been proven that dry food helps keep your dog's teeth clean and healthy and their breath fresher. Also, dry food tends to be cheaper. I will say that if you are feeding your dog wet food only because he is a picky eater you may want to reconsider. I believe picky eater is more accurately called spoiled. If he is hungry he will eat eventually. If you feel your dog would like some variety simply change the dry food flavors on occasion.

It really is true that we are what we eat. Our pets are greatly affected by the food that goes into their bodies and as their humans we are responsible for keeping them healthy. As a domestic dog, unable to hunt and feed in the wild, your dog relies on you to keep him satisfied. Don’t disappoint him.

What I feed my dog:

I usually buy Nature’s Recipe dry dog food. It has a good meat base, healthy ingredients, and is low in moisture. It is also on the cheaper end of the scale. I can usually find a 35lb bag for around $40 and that lasts my 50lb dog over a month.

I’d love to hear what you feed your dogs. Please share your thoughts and comments on what the best dog food is below.