Fulfilling your dog’s nutritional requirements and giving him a healthy and balanced diet is one of the most important things for you as a pet parent. In an ideal world, dog food would be created equal, but there are innumerable choices available on the market, from dry dog food to wet dog food, high-protein to gluten-free diet and many others. All of them claim to be the best, leaving you overwhelmed and confused.
To make your task easier, we have compiled a few things to keep in mind while procuring dog food.
1. Size does matter
Every dog is not the same size. There are large breeds like Bull Mastiffs, Great Danes and at the same time, people have small breeds like beagles. Feeding a dog as per his size is critical as their body composition varies.
For instance, a large breed should have a higher content of glucosamine, an amino sugar, for healthy joints. On the other hand, small breeds should have less protein in their food and have small, bite-sized kibbles for ease of eating.
2. Consider age for healthy composition of dog food
Age is another important thing to factor while choosing dog food. Like humans, their nutritional requirements change at different stages of life and feeding your fur baby as per his age will ensure he is getting a well-balanced diet.
For a puppy, choose a high-quality protein diet for his muscle growth and DHA, an essential nutrient found in mother’s milk. With progressing age, give your pet a senior formula with less protein and grains to maintain a healthy weight.
3. Choose as per activity level
If your pet is a show dog participating in competitions and is athletic, he will require a nutrient-dense formula designed especially for such dogs. However, if your dog is more of an indoor baby with walks as the only form of exercise, get him dog food for weight management.
4. Consider health conditions
Does your dog have any particular health condition like sensitive skin, lactose or gluten intolerance? It is best to look for brands that cater to his specific health condition in such cases. Offering targeted nutrition can help improve the condition.
5. Choose brands with wholesome ingredients
Look for brands offering the goodness of tried and tested, familiar ingredients like chicken, turmeric, ginger, coconut oil, flaxseeds, etc. These age-old ingredients have proven to be beneficial over many years.
Brands like Fidele+ use these natural and familiar ingredients in all their dog foods, giving your pets the taste of “ghar ka khaana” (home-cooked food) packed with all the nutritional requirements.
To sum up
Providing your canine companion proper dog food is one of the most crucial aspects for a long and healthy life. However, it can be quite a daunting task to home onto a particular brand when the market is flooded with so many, each with an exhaustive list of ingredients.
The underlying truth is there is no “best brand” because every dog has different nutritional needs and health conditions. The best thing to do is consider the factors mentioned above while doing your research and finally, consult your veterinarian for approval.
