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Choosing the right dog food to buy can be confusing, at best.
Today, we’re talking about dog food again. This time, we’ll talk a little bit about some of the basic things you need to know when you’re buying dog food. Consideration was provided for the editing, review, and publishing of this guest post.
The Basics of Buying Dog Food
Isn’t it shocking how pet food has its own aisle in the supermarket? There are hundreds of varieties of pet food products for you to choose from; sometimes the decision can be overwhelming. Most of us go with brands we identify as safe and healthy, but do we really know what is in those products? Or are we even aware of our other options?
Here’s the thing about dog food: there are options to cater to everyone’s nutritional, and even political, needs.
The most important step in buying dog food is checking the ingredients list. This is especially vital when your dog has allergies to certain types of foods; always check with your veterinarian for recommended brands. Most processed dog food products contain bone and meat meals, which increases levels of amino acid in pet foods. Most dog foods also contain grain byproducts and offal, the entrails and internal organs of other animals.
We as consumers are most likely to purchase dry dog food. It can be relatively inexpensive and be purchased in mass quantities. It’s easy to store and has a long shelf life. Wet pet food, however, can be more expensive, and has a shorter shelf life because of the moisture contained within the can. Yet it works for some pet owners who monitor their dogs’ portion sizes.
For those pet owners who want a “greener” or healthier alternative to the run-of-the-mill pet foods, some pet food stores contain specialized dog foods. Frozen or freeze-dried foods do not go through the processing stage, thereby preserving some nutritional value that most commercial dog foods lose when processed. Several small companies online offer “homemade” meals for pets, which contain unprocessed foods that appear and taste as if they were cooked in-home. And for those of us who are opposed to using bone and meat meals and offal, there are specialty vegetarian dog foods available.
Always remember to check your ingredients to ensure you are buying safe and healthy yet delicious food for your four-footed best friend. And pay attention to food recalls in the news, as this could be a risk to your pet’s health. As with your own diet, you want your dog to get the nutritional value he or she needs, regardless of your budget.
Please feel free to leave your comments below. What do you look for when you buy dog food?
Photo Courtesy of Chris Harriot/Flickr.com
About Lorie Huston, DVM
Lorie Huston is a veterinarian, pet health and pet care expert, professional writer, blogger, social media and blogging consultant, and SEO strategist.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I am glad there are so many blogs like yours about dog food. Ten years ago we really didn’t know what we were putting in our dogs. Now, thanks to caring bloggers, we can make much better choices
Awww, thanks so much, Foley Monster and Pocket
Like Foley Monster, I didn’t know all that much about dog food. If the dog ate it, I was pretty happy. Since Jersey is a *super* fussy dog, I did a lot of research into dog foods and pet nutrition. I started to make my own food. I boil meat and add Honest Kitchen Preference for veggies and carbs.
What I did discover about dog food, in a nutshell is this; When buying a kibble, of the first three ingredients listed on the bag, two should be from a meat source. You’d be surprised at how many dog foods list carbs like corn or rice as the main ingredients.
Thanks for the comments and suggestions, Karen. I agree with you about corn or rice at least not being the first ingredient listed on the bag. Though many of the large pet food companies would have us believe that these foods are nutritionally balanced (and they probably are as far as that statement goes), I want my pet to be eating some meat.