Tips To Choose The Right Dog Food in 2020

Proper nutrition is one of the essential needs of dogs and selecting the right dog food plays a major role in helping them to stay healthy and happy. The right dog food should cause no issues on their digestive system, provide them with energy, maintain their coat smooth and shiny, cause no excess fat and keep them full of excitement. The best dog food for your dog is not necessarily the best food for another dog. Age, size, weight and any special needs must all be considered when choosing the right product to purchase, leave alone whether you should choose dry or wet food. Luckily, these tips should help you choose a healthy dog food that is perfect for your pet’s lifestyle.

Tips on Choosing Dog Food    

With so many options of dog food brands currently on the market, dog owners might be confused about choosing high quality food for their four-legged companions. To help you select the right food for your pet, here are tips on how to choose the right dog food for your best friend.

Consider the Breed and Size of Your Dog

Your dog’s breed and size are extremely important when choosing the best dog food. Highly active dog breeds need more calories than less active breeds. The kind and amount of food you feed them will help prevent health problems associated with obesity. Similarly, lactating mothers and puppies need more calories than senior dogs. Therefore, you should consider your pet’s physical traits, behavior and health when choosing your dog’s food.

Some pet food manufacturers formulate foods for certain breeds, such as food options for the Malinois breed, but most of them will only differentiate between large breed food formulas and small breed dog foods. The difference is due to the size of kibble, but it is important to make sure your dog is eating safely and comfortably.   

Wet Or Dry Dog Food?  

When choosing dog food, you can opt for either dry or wet dog food. Dry dog food is advantageous over wet food because it doesn’t require refrigeration once it has been opened. Additionally, it is generally more affordable than wet, canned dog food options. Both dry and wet dog food contain the same ingredients, but the wet food varieties might contain a higher amount of animal protein and byproducts. You may also opt for dehydrated dog food, which tends to be more expensive than both wet and dry food. However, dehydrated food may be of higher quality and is intended to be mixed with water for turning it into a meal. There are numerous highly quality options available for each of these varieties, and you can find the best recommendations by Well Pet Coach, which can be purchased either as dry kibble or in cans.

Food Allergies

If your pet has signs of food allergies, you need to be extra careful when picking out dog food. Thin coat quality, sensitive skin, itchiness and skin redness are some of the signs and symptoms to watch out for. You can begin by feeding your pooch good sources of protein and carbs for the first three months. You can find a wide variety of nutritious dog foods that provide such a particular diet. This induces a stronger immunity against allergies. Certain dog food products are designed to break down protein and carbs into tiny sizes for improved digestion and absorption. That way, you can help eradicate allergy triggers.

According to experts, pets with allergies should consume a specialized diet for a minimum of 21 days for a stronger immune response. For the best results, it is recommended to select the appropriate ingredients. There may be several reasons for your dog’s allergic reaction, but the most common one is food sensitivities. If you feed your dog a poor diet for a long period with harmful ingredients and artificial additives, an allergic reaction will most likely occur.

Depending on your dog’s breed, age and gender, choosing the right dog food with the right ingredients is a must to avoid such serious food sensitivities. This will help improve your pet’s immunological mechanisms.

Check the Ingredients

How do you ensure that the dog food you choose for your dog is beneficial to them? Some dog owners are tricked by the phrases “human quality” and “human grade” written on the product labels, which are not always reliable. Those are just marketing gimmicks. Therefore, make sure to check the ingredients listed on the product label carefully. Read the ingredients list to see if the product is inspected, approved and certified for human consumption. Canines should eat meat items. Therefore, make sure the product you choose has meat as its number one ingredient.

Paying special attention to everything your pet eats is vital. When it comes to commercial dog food, many dog owners simply open up a can or a bag of food and feed it to them, as it is easy and convenient. Unfortunately, this may cause serious health problems. Regardless of the product you choose, there are certain ingredients you should avoid at all costs. These include grain meals, wheat gluten, corn, by-products, sugar, Propylene Glycol (PG), rendered fats, food colors and artificial sweeteners. Be sure to do enough research on the various ingredients you should avoid; your findings might shock you!

Take Note of the Expiry Date     

The expiry date is also an important factor to consider when looking for the best food for your pet. As with us humans, when your pooch eats expired food, he may ingest food poison, which could lead to serious consequences. The dog food you choose must not be expired, so you need to check the expiry date of each product you’re considering before making your purchase. Since you don’t want to lose your beloved pet prematurely, you need to feed him food that has not expired.

Research the Product Brand

Not all product brands are reliable. The commercial dog food industry is largely unregulated. Some brands are untrustworthy and will use all tricks in the book to make sales. So, don’t assume that the pet food is of good quality and that the manufacturer has listed all the ingredients on the package. It’s advisable to rely only on dog food products that are formulated in human-grade kitchens rather than purchasing food made in untrustworthy factories. Research the product brand first to ensure it’s trustworthy before making your purchase.

Conclusion

Choosing the right dog food for your pet means finding a trustworthy brand that utilizes high quality ingredients. The food should also strike the right balance of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and fiber your pup needs depending on his age, health and lifestyle. Look for a nutritious dog food product that has met the above guidelines and your dog’s individual needs as advised by your veterinarian. Spending more time selecting the right dog food might mean much more fun and pleasure with a happy and healthy canine friend.