A dog’s diet is crucial. While there are several ways to feed your dog, most pet owners prefer to buy DRy dog food. It has many benefits over wet or canned food, such as being less messy and more convenient than the other types of food. However, not all dog foods are created equal, and it’s essential to research before buying a bag of kibble for your four-legged friend. This article will explain some things you should consider before purchasing a bag of dry dog food:
Take into account your dog’s physical condition.
If your dog has an existing health condition, you should consult your vet before changing the diet (and vice versa). For example: if your pet has diabetes or kidney disease, the needs will differ from those of other dogs whose kidneys are working fine; if the dog is overweight or obese and needs to lose weight, the pet will benefit from lower-calorie foods rather than higher-calorie ones; etcetera.
Read labels carefully.
The first step in choosing the right food is to read the labels.
- The ingredients are listed in order of weight, so they’re an excellent way to judge whether a product is high in good stuff or poor quality fillers.
- Check out the calorie and protein content; ideally, you’ll find a food with 400 calories per cup (calculated as kcal/kg) and 20 per cent protein. The more calories you feed your dog per cup, the more it will eat and grow. Protein helps build muscle mass and keep dogs healthy. Meat byproducts are acceptable if they don’t exceed 25 per cent of their total weight; avoid corn gluten meal products at all costs.
- Don’t be fooled by fat content—it’s only part of a healthy diet for dogs. Fatty acids such as omega-3s have been shown to benefit heart health; some experts recommend feeding your dog at least 1 per cent fat from fish oils like salmon oil or flaxseed meal every day if possible.
- Avoiding too many artificial preservatives (such as BHA) can help prevent health problems down the road—and remember that any ingredient ending in “eth” means it contains ethoxyquin which has been linked with cancerous tumours in rats but has not yet proven harmful to humans.
Check if it meets PFIAA industry standards.
The Pet Food Industry Association of Australia (PFIAA) is responsible for promoting prepared pet food as the preferred pet nutrition technique and supporting this with the creation and self-regulation of industry standards. It is essential to check if the ingredients and preparation match the guidelines of the PFIAA. This ensures the safety of consumption and nutritional benefits, thus making the pet food suitable for the particular purpose.
When you see this label on a bag or box of dog food, there are certain things you should know about what’s inside:
- There will be a list of ingredients, including at least one animal-based proteinsource (more on those later)—for example, chicken meal.
- The nutritional claims listed will match up with those approved by AAFCO—for instance, if your bag says “95% fat-free”, then you know your dog won’t get sick from any extra calories coming from fats.
Consider flavour and texture.
- If your dog is a picky eater, buying a variety of flavours may help get him interested in eating.
- If your dog has allergies, consider grain-free food.
Is there a nutritional guarantee?
When looking for DRy dog food, you should ensure that the product is high quality. You can do this by looking for a guarantee that the food meets AAFCO nutritional standards and has been tested for quality, safety, and nutritional value.
There are many options for dry dog food, but you should be careful in choosing the right one. It’s essential to consider your dog’s needs and preferences. Be careful when reading labels so that you don’t end up with something that doesn’t fit their needs or tastes well enough.
