What is the best dog food?

It's not easy to determine exactly what is the best dog food. However, as this is one of the issues that most concerns guardians, it is important to review the different types of dog food that exist, detailing the advantages and disadvantages of each.

At The Pretty Pets, we give you the keys to determine which dog food is the best and what you should base your choice on. What does a dog eat? What a dog eats is not a minor problem, as its health will depend on it. A correct menu corresponds to a diet that covers all the nutritional needs of the dog, thus avoiding deficiencies that can lead to pathologies. Read our article to the end to learn more about how to feed your dog healthily!

 

1-Nutritional needs of dogs

When selecting the best diet for our dog, the first thing to consider is what stage of life he is at, as his nutritional needs depend on it. Thus, we can distinguish the following vital moments:

- Newborn: Puppies, as mammals, feed exclusively on milk. If, unfortunately, they don't have a mother, to feed newborns, you must offer them only milk specially formulated for them for at least the first three weeks of their life.

- Puppy: at this stage, the puppy grows very quickly, so it is very important that its nutritional needs are covered, as deficiencies could cause important alterations such as rickets.

- Adult: after one year of life, although there are variations according to breeds, it can be considered that the dog has completed its development, therefore the dog's diet should focus on maintaining its body condition.

- Pregnancy and lactation: the diet of the pregnant or lactating bitch must also be adapted, as at this stage the bitch again suffers an increase in her nutritional needs due to the overwork involved in breeding. Therefore, in order to avoid deficits that could lead to pathologies such as eclampsia, it is necessary that they are fed growing puppy menus.

- Old dog: although this will also depend on the breed, as a general rule, we can consider that after 7 to 10 years of life, a dog will be considered old. For some, this implies the need to offer them a food that is more digestible, tasty and easier to eat.

- Sick: at any age, a pathology requiring an intervention in the diet may occur. Food allergies, liver or kidney diseases or the presence of crystals in the urine are some of the frequent alterations that will require a specific diet for their treatment.

Taking into account the stage of life in which the dog is in is the first step to obtain a correct diet for dogs. The second would be to consult a veterinarian for nutritional information, i.e. the percentage of protein, carbohydrates or fat that the animal should consume on a daily basis. Of course, it is just as important that the dog has clean, fresh water available at all times.

2-Feeding your dog without kibble - Home-grown dog food

If we ask ourselves how to feed our dog naturally and what is the best dog food, the answer is, without a doubt, homemade meals. And at this point, it's important that we make it clear that homemade meals are not the same as giving the dog the leftovers from our plate. A menu that we cook ourselves, selecting the ingredients, without preservatives, colorants or other additives, will always be the best option at any stage of the dog's life.

In recent years, the so-called BARF diet has become widespread, an alternative to home cooking that is characterized by the fact that the ingredients are generally presented in raw form, without subjecting them to cooking processes. Its advocates argue that it is a natural option, more respectful, therefore, of what the dog's diet would be in nature. Critics, however, argue that nutritional deficiencies could occur and, in addition, raw products would contain parasites that the dog would contract and that could even affect humans. Bones or bone fragments can also cause injuries such as choking or internal injuries.

In any case, feeding your dog naturally with home-cooked food forces us to develop a balanced menu, so that he can cover all his nutritional needs at any stage of his life .

To do so, we must seek the advice of a veterinarian with knowledge of nutrition. 

3-What is the best dry food for dogs

Our current pace of life means that very few tutors have time to cook. They therefore resort to dry food, composed of croquettes. The advantage of these products is that they are divided into different ranges according to the dog's stage of life: puppy, adult, old dog, sick dog, etc. All are formulated to cover the needs of any dog. In addition, they are presented in easy to store containers and their administration is as simple as opening and serving the indicated quantity. In the case of puppies or dogs with biting difficulties, these products can be soaked in water to soften them.

To find out what is the best dry food for your dog, in this case, it is necessary to look at several aspects and not only the price. The first step is to read the label of the composition of the dog food with the ingredients and nutrient percentages. These are generally similar, so the fundamental difference lies in the ingredients used.

The first one that appears on the label is usually the one that is found in larger quantities. In the case of meat by-products, they will be of lower quality than if fresh meat is used, because they will include all parts of the animals that are not fit for human consumption, including hooves or beaks. Therefore, the best food will be that made with fresh meat, especially if it specifies the species of origin. In other words, for example, if we read "chicken" instead of "poultry" we will know that the list is more specific. You can use this criterion to choose the type of kibble you should buy.

You should also look at the carbohydrates, where they come from and the fat content. The processing to which ingredients are subjected for the manufacture of animal feed involves adding fat to improve the taste. It is also important that these foods are healthy, as unsaturated fats are more advisable. Dry dog food also includes vitamins and minerals, but it is important to know that some are lost during storage, so the amount that can be used will not be what is on the label.

4-Croquettes or homemade meal?

There's no doubt that when it comes to determining the best dog food, homemade food is without a doubt the best, as long as you offer a balanced menu. If you choose the kibbles, in addition to selecting good quality ones, you can regularly include a homemade or canned dog dish, always separated from the kibbles, as their digestion will be different. This increases the amount of liquids that the food provides since the kibbles lose moisture during the drying process for storage.

Among the advantages of the kibbles, as a reminder, are their ease of use, conservation and storage, and the guarantee, in general, that they contain all the nutrients necessary for any type of dog, whatever its circumstances. As disadvantages, we have the excessive processing, the low quality of the ingredients in some cases and the low humidity. On the other hand, homemade foods can produce deficiencies if they are not well formulated and must be eaten immediately or refrigerated, at most, for a few days, if not frozen. It also requires more preparation than opening a bag.

5-Other dog food options

We cannot conclude the search for the best dog food without mentioning other options, in addition to kibbles and homemade food :

- Canned food: with a composition similar to that of kibbles they have the advantage of maintaining humidity, in addition to being more tasty.

- Dehydrated foods: to prepare them, the ingredients are subjected to a dehydration process that will allow them to retain their nutrients. They are administered to the dog after adding water to hydrate them, which promotes their palatability and moisture.