Dry dog food can be a great way to feed your furry friend as it doesn’t spoil when you’re out and about, it’s easier to control portions and it can also encourage chewing.
When shopping for the best dry dog food, it’s important to choose a diet that is tailored to your pup’s stage of life. It’s also important to consider any dietary restrictions or health concerns.
Choosing the Right Ingredients
Choosing the right ingredients for your pet is essential to providing them with high-quality nutrition. You want to make sure your dog is getting the proper balance of nutrients and proteins, which will help them be healthy and happy.
Protein sources are the most important nutrient to pay attention to when making dry dog food. Look for meats like chicken, beef, lamb, turkey, salmon or duck.
But beware of “meat meal” or “meat by-products” that are low quality versions of real meat. These ingredients are often produced by rendering leftover meat scraps, which may contain worms, expired meat or disease-causing bacteria.
You also want to avoid preservatives, such as BHA and BHT, which have been banned in human food for being carcinogenic. You should also steer clear of coloring agents such as Blue 2, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6.
Choosing the Right Size
These days, dry dog foods come in a dizzying array of sizes. They'll range from small kibble, to extra small kibble, to medium kibble, and all the way up to large kibble.
While this may seem like a marketing ploy, the size of your dog's kibble really matters for their health. A big dog has different needs than a tiny one, and the kibble pieces in each food will vary in nutritional density as well.
That's why it's important to pick a food that is designed specifically for your pet’s life stage and ultimate size. This will ensure they are getting the right amount of nutrients to stay healthy.
The amount of food a dog should eat varies from animal to animal, depending on factors such as activity level, time of year, nursing, illness, and more. It's also important to avoid miscalculating a serving size by even a small amount, because that can lead to overfeeding or underfeeding your pet.
Choosing the Right Brand
When it comes to making dry dog food, choosing the right brand can make a world of difference in the overall quality and health of your dog. The best brands offer a wide range of products - from highly-specialized diets to kibble shapes that are tailored to specific breeds and common issues like obesity or allergies.
The best way to choose the right dry food for your pet is to read the ingredients label carefully and check whether it meets certain criteria. Ideally, the food should have all of the nutrients dogs need, including protein, fats, and carbohydrates.
The best dry dog foods are made by companies that adhere to AAFCO standards, which means they have been nutritionally balanced by a veterinary nutritionist. The company should also tell you where its ingredients are sourced and how they’re manufactured.
Choosing the Right Feeding Schedule
Dogs need to eat at regular intervals in order to maintain good health and energy levels. Whether you feed your dog dry dog food or wet food, it's important to create a feeding schedule that works for your pet.
The amount of food that your dog eats depends on their age, size and activity level. It is best to use the feeding guidelines on commercial dog food bags as a starting point, but you should also take into account your own individual dog's needs.
Generally, large dogs need three cups of food each day, while small or medium breeds require two or less. Athletes or dogs that are highly active might need to eat four times a day in order to ensure they receive enough nutrients.
Creating a feeding schedule is the easiest way to make sure that your dog is eating at the right time and in the right amount. To do this, simply fill your dog's bowl with their desired quantity of food and set it in a spot that is easy for them to reach.
