Due to the various brands and types of dog food, choosing one can be difficult. First of all let’s talk about what dried dog food is and how it compares to other types of dog food.
Complete dried dog food has been baked into hard biscuit sized pieces. It provides a great source of nutrition and can help keep teeth and gums in good condition as the crunching and chewing of the dried food acts like an abrasive against the teeth, removing plaque and stimulating the gums. Complete dried dog food doesn’t tend to have the same smell as the canned, wet food. It is also easy enough to serve as you simply pour the required amount directly into the dog’s bowl, no mixing required.
Most leading dog food brands such as Eukanuba Dog Food develop many ranges of their dog food depending on whether your dog is puppy, adult, senior, specific breed or even having a sensitive stomach. But which is really the best for your dog?
If your dog is still a puppy (or under 18 months) look at the various brands of food for puppies. These are usually non-breed specific because puppy food contains different levels of ingredients. ALL puppies, just like human babies need more and less of certain nutrients and vitamins. Puppy food also tends to be split by the breed size such as small (Shih Tzu), medium (Border Collie) or large (Bull Mastiff). So by now you should at least be able to narrow the choice down by the age and size of the breed of your puppy.
Many dog food manufacturers split their ranges by specific breeds and size of breeds so choosing food for an adult dog is sometimes a little easier depending on what your priorities are. If you decide to choose by the breed size, assuming there are no health considerations all you then need to do is select a brand and flavour (e.g. beef, chicken, fish, rabbit). Samples are ideal for finding out your dogs preferred flavour!). Or opt for ranges specifically developed for breeds such as labrador food.
The other factors that can be considered in your choice include personal preference. Brands such as Arden Grange are animal friendly i.e. not tested on animals during product development. Price is also an important factor; it is far better for your puppy or adult dog to be fed the same brand and not to switch too often because it can cause an upset stomach or your dog to go on ‘hunger strike’. So do make sure you will be able to keep up the costs of the dog food on a regular and ongoing basis.
Handy tip: If there is more than one dog living with you it might help to get them all eating the same brand of dog food.
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