What is the best food for dogs?

What is the best food for your dog? We consulted experts to help you choose the best food for your dog, from the various options, from raw and natural to organic, canned and dry, with or without grains.

How to buy the best dog food? Learn to read labels!

First and foremost, one of the most important steps in finding the best food for your dog is to look at the ingredients list. Always check the first three ingredients, as they are the most critical. This will help you determine whether the food is plant-based, like corn and rice, or meat-based, like chicken, fish, or lamb. While every dog ​​is different, they generally do best on a high-protein, meat-based diet.

Next, look at what type of meat is used in the food. Look for brands that specifically name the type of meat, such as chicken or lamb. When it only says meat, it could mean a lot of things, such as bone meal or meat by-products that could come from any animal. Similarly, "poultry meal" means any bird. Be careful!

The ingredients will also highlight some of the things you want to avoid. Avoid dog foods that include: Colorings - Dogs don't care what color their food is, and colors don't mean anything and can be toxic. Also avoid high salt content (which can be used as a preservative) , as well as other solvents and preservatives such as propylene glycol, BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin.

Types of dog food you should consider

The market is wide and so are the options. You can find wet food, dry food (with or without cereals) and homemade diets (BARF).

Natural food for dogs

While buzzwords like “natural” aren’t regulated, there are some solid suggestions you might find with the “organic” label. With this label, the dog food is certified to be free of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, toxic pesticides, and preservatives.

And according to certification, its ingredients cannot be genetically modified, grown in chemical fertilizers or irradiated.

Dry food, what you need to know

If you are looking for a quality dry food for a healthy adult dog, you should check the percentages indicated on the packaging. Follow these guidelines:

• Dry food should have at least 30% or 40% protein. Although it usually comes from just one type of meat, it is good for your dog's health to have a variety of meats and even fish. If the food contains both types of protein, even better!

• When it comes to vegetables and fruits , 20% is completely acceptable, fats and oils should make up around 10% or 20% of your dog's total food.

• The percentage of cereals in the feed should preferably be low and, if possible, contain rice (preferably wholegrain).

• Avoid foods that contain corn, as they cause slow and difficult digestion.

• If you see the word “meals” in the nutritional information of the food, then it is an indicator that both the meat and vegetables include all sorts of extras: intestines, bones, leaves... surprise! Avoid them.

• It is correct that the feed offers between 200 and 300 Kcal for every 100 grams.

• Avoid by-products and meats that provide collagen.

• The food helps to remove tartar from the dog's teeth.

• Choose foods that contain chondroprotectors (chondroitin and glucosamine) that help prevent joint problems and slow down cartilage degeneration.

Wet food

Wet food is usually made up of 3/4 parts water and is very well accepted by most pets, as it is easy to chew and appetizing. Even so, we should not offer it daily, only occasionally.

What should it contain?

Like kibble, wet food should have a high meat and fat content as well as a lower proportion of vegetables and fruits.

It is important to note that wet food contains half the calories of traditional dry food. However, it also helps your dog's fluid intake, which reduces the risk of urinary infections.

Why grain-free foods?

The manufacture and sale of this type of food arose from the following logic – “If dogs descend from wolves, which do not eat cereals, why should dogs eat them?”. Sounds like a pertinent question, right? In fact, there are other factors involved.

Although dogs descend from wolves, they evolved differently due to their domestication and coexistence with humans. This led to changes in dogs' habits and bodies, including their digestive processes.

Even though there are dogs that are gluten intolerant , which is another reason why grain-free food is offered, it is also true that not all dogs should avoid grains.

Recent studies confirm that the evolution of dogs (as mentioned above) allows them to assimilate complex carbohydrates contained in cereals. In fact, since dogs began to live with humans, they have been eating cereals through dog food and the BARF diet.

Grain-free foods, yes or no?

Gluten intolerance is one of the main reasons for the existence of this type of food , however, there is only one family line of Irish Setter that has a disease similar to Crohn's, so gluten intolerance depends on many factors.

Everyone already knows that, just like in humans, carbohydrates make you fat and can cause obesity, which is why many owners choose grain-free foods to help control their animals' weight.

However, there is something you need to bear in mind – a food that does not contain cereals does not mean that it does not contain carbohydrates, as these are an important part when it comes to preparing the food and giving it shape. It is like making a cake without flour!

And this is even worse, because the carbohydrates present in cereals are called complex, that is, they are natural and are easy to assimilate and digest. The dog can maintain its weight and good health without any problems through a balanced diet and regular physical activity. However, there are other carbohydrates used in cereal-free foods that are artificial and difficult to digest, which end up turning into fat and exactly the opposite of what is intended happens.

Healthy carbohydrates are found in foods such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and legumes such as chickpeas or lentils. If your dog does not have a gluten problem, these foods may be beneficial.

What about allergies?

To date, and as previously mentioned, it is known that gluten intolerance has been diagnosed in Setter dogs. Among other types of allergies, it is estimated that only 10% are of the food type, among these, allergy to cereals, being an almost imperceptible minority.

Even if you choose to choose a grain-free food for your dog, we recommend that you buy a high-quality brand – super premium or ultra premium – that undergoes exhaustive controls and is certified. Remember that a good, high-quality food is always an alternative for a balanced diet.

Don't skimp on your dog's food, offer him the best and save on vet bills later.

Now that you know the essentials for choosing the best type of food for your dog, check out our Guide to Natural and High-Quality Foods from Bark&Miau, designed for the different stages of your dog's life.