As a responsible pet owner you may be wondering how to pick the right dog Food for your fur babies. You are with them on a daily basis and ultimately it’s up to you to gauge their response to what you are feeding them.

I am not going to tell you exactly what you should and shouldn’t feed your dog, but I can give you some tips and guidelines to help you make the best choice possible.

Naturally I want you to steer clear of low quality, cheap foods, and even some foods that may be posing as top quality foods when they are really anything but.

Dry Food is Not the Healthiest Diet

The very best diet would be a natural, well researched and homemade diet made up of the freshest foods available.  But in this busy world, who really has time for that?  There are well made and formulated frozen or dehydrated dog foods on the market, which are also very expensive.

Surprisingly, dry kibble is actually one of the least natural foods you can feed your dog.  But it is also the most popular because it is the most convenient, shelf stable and least expensive option.  And while your dog may do just fine eating dry dog food, it is still not the most ideal canine friendly diet you can give him.

If you do feed only dry dog food, stop and consider–does your dog have persistent health problems such as itching, rashes, frequent vomiting or diarrhea?  Perhaps you’ve lost a dog or two due to illness such as cancer or other health problems.  If so, you might want to consider giving your current dog a more varied diet than just dry kibble.

Not One Size Fits All

Just as there is not one diet that fits all humans, neither is there one that is suitable for all dogs.  If you are in the process of switching up your dog’s diet, it might be a good idea to keep track of what your dog is eating and what his response is to different foods by keeping a journal.  This is a good way to eliminate anything he has a bad reaction to, as well as taking note of what he does like.

Switching Foods Regularly

This probably goes against everything you’ve ever heard before, and while it’s true there are certain precautions and guidelines to follow when switching foods to keep your dog from getting an upset stomach, it’s still a good idea to change it up occasionally.

Think about it this way.  Imagine if you only ate the same food day after day with no variety whatsoever.  Your stomach would probably get upset too.  Just like humans need a well balanced diet, so does your dog.

You see, different dog foods have different balances of vitamins and minerals so if your dog’s food contains more of a certain mineral than another food, over time the dog’s diet will be out of balance and that can contribute to the development of different diseases.

Guidelines for Switching

Never switch your dog’s food all at once, you need to do it gradually over several days.  Start out with feeding 75% of the old food mixed with 25% of the new food.  Every day gradually increase the amount of new food while decreasing the amount of old food.  I usually do 50/50 the second day, and so on, so that by the fourth day my dogs are eating the new food.

Also there is no need to feed your dog foods made up of more exotic proteins such as bison, rabbit, etc., as long as your dog is doing okay with the more common proteins such as chicken or beef.

Of course there are dogs that have a particularly sensitive stomach and in those cases you may need to switch to something has only a few simple ingredients such as one single protein and one grain, especially if your dog is prone to food allergies. But always check with your vet first.

The Best Ingredients

What you should look for is a food that has animal protein at the top of the ingredients list. Be sure that the animal proteins are listed by names such as “chicken, beef, lamb,” etc. and not simply as “animal protein” or “meal.”  Animal protein “meal” is cooked and dried muscle, bone, skin and connective tissue all rendered together, or as my kids refer to it, “lips and assholes.”

Look for whole grains, fruits and vegetables.  That is, whole ingredients and not processed or reconstituted fruits and vegetables.

Organic ingredients are best not only for the planet but for our dogs as well, especially for dogs with chemical sensitivities.

What to Avoid

• Meat or poultry by-products, remember they contain other parts of animals that have less protein and nutritional value, and also contain more fat.  Fat becomes rancid and not only smells and tastes terrible but also is a carcinogen.
• Added sweeteners, which are often added because dogs have a sweet tooth just like we do, and this can tempt a dog to eat more.  In particular sweeteners are often added to less expensive foods that contain by-products simply to stimulate the dog’s appetite.
• Artificial preservatives and colors.  There is no nutritional value whatsoever in these additives and really, does your dog care what color his food is?  Just as these are harmful to people, they are harmful to your dog as well.

Final Guidelines

Remember these is no one food that is right for all dogs, but follow these guidelines and you can select what is right for your dog:

• Consider the dog’s age.  I’m sure you’ve noticed there are foods for puppies, more active dogs, senior dogs, etc.  One reason is that the amount of protein and fat is adjusted to meet a dog’s needs at different stages of their lives.
• The condition of your dog:  Is he too fat, too thin, does he get a lot of exercise or is he a couch potato?  All of these things can effect what type of food he should be eating.
• The dog’s sex:  Pregnant or lactating females have much higher protein requirements than do a dog that is spayed or neutered.
• Health history:  It’s always a good idea to check with your vet if your dog has any medical conditions such as diarrhea, stomach upset, is prone to allergies or kidney stones, etc.
• Budget:  Of course this must be a factor as well.  But pick the best food you can afford following the above guidelines.
• Product availability:  What is available in your area stores?  I usually buy food for my dogs at our local farm supply store, where they have the best selection at the lowest price.  Occasionally they may be out of what I want and then I go to Petco.

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