8 Trustworthy Tips for Selecting the Right Dog Food

Your dog deserves high-quality food that’s nutritious and healthy. Feeding your canine healthy, well-balanced dog food is one of the best things you can do for your dog’s health. Good quality dog food will keep your dog’s coat shiny and soft, strengthen your dog’s immune system and keep his or her digestive system healthy.

But how do you choose the best food for your dog? The options seem endless; it seems almost impossible to find the right food for your dog while keeping the cost within your budget. Dogs as a species are biologically diverse and need dietary concentrations that are based on their stage in life. Fortunately, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) publishes the Merck Veterinary Manual that lists nutrient requirements for dogs (and other small animals) during various life stages that can be referenced.

Dogs are not strict carnivores. While most domestic dogs in the U.S. primarily consume meat, their diet needs to consist of grains, fruits and vegetables as well. Non-meat ingredients in dog food are not just a filler; they also provide essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fiber. The best dog foods will include high-quality sources of these ingredients that are good for your dog’s health.

Here are 8 sensible tips you can use to choose the best quality dog food for your dog.

1. Consider your dog’s individual needs

It’s important to consider your dog’s needs before making a selection. Take into consideration your dog’s:

• Age
• Physical characteristics, including size
• Activity level
• Overall health
• Pregnancy or lactating nutritional requirements.

In general, you will want to match your dog’s individual needs with the type of food you select. For example, you will want a puppy chow for a puppy 4 – 14 weeks old or for lactating females.

2. Read the label

When choosing the best food for your dog, take into account the list of ingredients. Refer to the Merck Veterinary Manual for a guide to what ingredients should be included in your dog’s diet. Make sure the food you choose includes organ meat, gristle and muscle. Your dog needs the nutrition from these foods. Keep in mind that the ingredients on the label are listed by weight. Ingredients that contain large amounts of moisture (like beef, poultry or fish) will be at the top. Ingredients that contain key nutrients may be further down the list because they weigh less (often the water has been removed for a dry dog food).

3. Consider the guaranteed analysis

The guaranteed analysis is a calculation of the minimum amount of protein and fat by percentage as well as the maximum amount of fiber and moisture, also by percentage. The guaranteed analysis gives you the measurement of nutrient categories, but does not indicate how digestible or the quality of the ingredients. Be careful to compare dry dog food to dry and canned food to canned, though, because the moisture content can skew the results.

4. Animal by-products aren’t necessarily bad

Some animal food by-products are especially nutritious and easily digestible by dogs, such as liver and lungs. Reputable dog food companies do not include by-products like hooves, hair or horns in their food, so choose a company you can trust.

5. Talk to your veterinarian if you think your dog has an allergy

Canine grain allergies have been largely disproven by several peer reviewed research studies. Protein allergies are possible, but rare. Most allergies in dogs are due to environmental factors such as pollen, dust and mold. Feeding your dog a high-quality food will go a long way toward ensuring your dog maintains a healthy skin and coat.

 Purchase nutritional supplements separately

Don’t pay extra for added “supplements” like glucosamine and omega 3 fatty acids because they are useless as a food additive. This is because, to have any effect, they need to be administered in doses higher than what can be contained in food. It’s better to purchase and administer supplements separately where you can control the dosage (check with your vet on this).

7. Buy “Made in the USA”

In general, food that is made in the U.S. will be held to stricter standards. The dog food that was recalled several years ago was made in China. Food sourced and manufactured in the U.S. will be a little more expensive but will be better quality. Also, research the reputation of the food manufacturer to ensure they treat their testing animals ethically. Some brands treat their animals cruelly – poor living conditions, torturous testing and documented cases of abuse. Other brands source food testing animals from shelters and adopt them out after they have completed their “tour of duty.”

8. Avoid homemade diets

Nutritional problems in dogs occur most often when well-meaning owners provide inadequate nutrition for their animals by offering them a homemade diet. Many published recipes have only been crudely “balanced” by a computer and have not undergone the rigorous testing and scrutiny that has been applied to commercially-prepared complete and well-balanced diets. If you do decide to feed your dog a homemade diet, use recipes formulated by documented veterinary nutritionists.

Choosing the right food for your dog is an important decision. A good dog food will not upset your dog’s stomach, will give him or her plenty of energy, keep your dog’s coat smooth and shiny as well as eyes bright and clear. Hopefully, the above trust-worthy tips will make it a little easier for you to sort out some of the hype from the facts and select a good quality food product for your dog.

Did you know you can bring food from home for your dog to eat during lunchtime at daycare? Or, you can select from our lunch menu such as a hot dog, tuna melt, turkey sandwich or PB&J. Your pooch will enjoy our campus cuisine while taking a break from the pack mid-day. Contact us here or call us at 719-448-9600 to learn more about our top-quality dog daycare and boarding services at reasonable rates.