How to choose the best dog food? This is probably the first question a dog owner asks himself in order to ensure the health and vitality of his faithful companion. Here are the 5 basic rules to help you choose the right dog food.
1 The price, a first indicator of quality
In order to make a first selection without needing more precise information, the price of the product is a good start. Just like for humans, the more noble the ingredients used in the recipe, the higher the cost. Conversely, a very cheap reference will not suggest quality raw materials.
Be careful, the price alone is not enough, because expensive kibbles are not necessarily synonymous with high quality!
2 Kibbles well adapted to his needs
Kibbles must take into account the breed, the physiological or dietary needs, but also the lifestyle of your pet. Is it a puppy or a senior? Is it a small or large breed? Is it spayed or neutered? Is it slightly overweight? Does he have any health problems? Is it active or a couch dog?
All these criteria should allow you to make a second selection and to choose only the kibbles that really suit him.
3 A high protein content…
Prefer kibble references with a good protein content, at least 25%. But be careful, if this criterion is important, you should make the difference between animal proteins and vegetable proteins. Dogs are carnivores and therefore need proteins from animal sources such as meat, fish or offal, which are much more interesting nutritionally speaking than proteins from vegetable sources.
Also, if the quantity is important, so is the quality. To know the quality, it is necessary to refer to the list of ingredients. Vague names such as “meat”, without further clarification, or “by-product” are not a guarantee of quality, because it means that the ingredients can be substituted, while a label that shows transparency by specifying the precise nature of the meat commits to using only that meat.
4 …and low carbohydrate
If the protein level is often indicated, this is not the case for the carbohydrate level, which is commonly referred to as sugars. In kibbles, they are provided by ingredients such as cereals, vegetables, legumes, potatoes and sweet potatoes. This carbohydrate content, which you can easily calculate, should be around 20%. Why should this be the case? Because the metabolism of the dog is not adapted to assimilate carbohydrates in large quantities. Also, this can have a long-term impact on his health.
5 With or without cereals?
Cereals are the main source of carbohydrates, so the best choice is a cereal-free product, if your dog can tolerate them, or one with a reduced rate.
You should also avoid kibbles where cereals are placed at the top of the list of ingredients, which means that their content is important in the recipe. Finally, beware of references that present all the cereal ingredients broken down in the list, because when added together, their presence is high.
How do I know if I’ve made the right choice?
First and foremost, you need to observe:
- A good appetite: Because his opinion counts, your dog must appreciate what he eats.
- A perfect digestion: Not necessarily pleasant to look at, but extremely important parameter and without appeal: your pet’s stools must be regular and well molded. A poor diet is synonymous with soft, smelly stools.
- Coat and skin: Finally, his coat must be strong and shiny and his skin must not show any irregularities.
