Every dog owner wants what is best for their fur babies. This means that feeding them the right food is essential for them to grow up happy and healthy. The problem is that a dog’s diet can be very confusing. Some people insist a raw food diet is best, while others insist that dry food is the answer.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario that works for every dog. Every breed, size, and age of dog has its own nutritional requirements. Healthy dog food is going to look different for just about every dog lover and owner. In this article, we will go over how to settle on the right diet for your dog.
The 3 essentials when trying to find the right diet for your dog
1. Know the dog food types
There are a lot of different types of dog food that you can choose from. As long as the diet provides the necessary nutrients for your dog based on its age, breed, size, and health status then you can feel good about the choice. The key is to know what you are able to choose from.
Commercial dog foods are the most common and come in various forms. Dry food is popular due to its convenience and long shelf life. Wet food, or canned food, is often preferred by dogs for its taste and consistency.
Preparing your dog’s meals at home lets you have complete control over what they eat which makes home-cooked dog food popular. This is a good option if your dog has any allergies but it can be tricky to make sure the diet is balanced.
2. Evaluate commercial dog food
Before settling on a diet for your dog, you have to make sure that the food you plan to feed him is right. It’s important to know what’s in the food you plan to use.
The first thing to look at is the ingredient list. Ingredients are listed in order of weight, so those at the top of the list make up the majority of the food. Look for high-quality protein sources as the first ingredient. Avoid ingredients like meat meal which is a questionable animal by-product.
Quality control and food safety standards are also things to look out for. Reputable brands will have quality control measures that ensure the safety and consistency of their products.
3. Starting a new diet
Switching your dog to a new diet needs to be done with care. Jumping right into a new food can cause a lot of problems with their digestion. The key is to make the change gradually. Start by mixing a small quality of the new food with the old food. Over the course of a week or so, gradually increase the proportion of new food while decreasing the old food.
When you first begin the new diet, make sure to keep an eye on any changes. If you see signs of diarrhoea, this is a sign that something is wrong. More subtle signs to look out for are changes to the coat, energy level, and how much water they drink.
