Bizarre facts you probably didn’t come across about the different kinds of DOG FOOD?

Are you sure that you are providing the correct dog food to your dog??

Currently, the market offers many different types of diet for dogs. 

But the question which most of the dog owners face are:

• Are you providing the correct dog food to your beloved pooch? 
• What to look for when you are deciding on the food to give your pooch? 
• Does your dog’s meal plan satisfy his energy and nutritional requirements? 
• Are you confused about which diet is right for your dog?

Don't have time to read? Watch the video instead:

If you are faced with any or all of these questions, you are at the right place.  I urge you to read till the end to know what types of dog diets are currently available, the pros and cons of the different types of diet and finally which type of diet is most suitable for your dog.

Related information you need to know:

•       4 reasons, Dental chews vs Teeth brushing in DOGS, which is better?
•       8 reasons, Why are toys important for DOGS?
•       Why should your DOG wear clothes?

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well."

-Virginia Woolf

I absolutely agree with this quote. It holds true not only for us but also for our beloved dogs. The correct nutrition can make a world of difference to their behaviour and health.

Click here to get your free dog diet chart




What makes up a COMPLETE DOG DIET?

A complete dog diet must fulfil all the nutritional requirements for a dog to stay healthy. No additional diet should be needed to complete the nutritional requirement of the dog.

What are the different types of DOG FOOD?

Dog food don’t come in diverse shapes, sizes and flavours like human food. However, there are certain varieties to choose from. Let’s have a look at the different kinds of commercially available dog food:

1. Kibbles/Dry food
2. Canned food
3. Semi moist
4. Home cooked
5. Raw food

1. KIBLLES/DRY DOG FOOD:

       Dry dog food or kibbles as we normally call them are made by baking and extruding. First, a dough is made by mixing and pulverizing the protein sources like beef, eggs and chicken along with cereals, vitamins, minerals, grains and antioxidants. The dough is then fed into expander which make use of hot water or pressurized steam to cook the raw ingredients.

Inside the expander, under high temperature and extreme pressure, the dough is forced (extruded) through special sized holes and shapes and then cut off by knife. Finally, the dough is passed through a dryer so that the remaining moisture can be eliminated.

Now, the dough which has transformed into a kibble is sprayed with minerals, vitamins, synthetic taurine and oils. Following this, the kibble is sealed into packages so that the fats and oils don’t spoil.

 

Kibbles/Dry dog food.

ADVANTAGES of DRY DOG FOOD:

• Most economical
• Widely available
• Long shelf life
• Chewing on kibble, reduces tartar build-up and keeps teeth healthy

DISADVANTAGES of DRY DOG FOOD:

• Less palatable than canned or soft-moist food
• Only dry ingredients are used in their formulation. Drying reduces the nutrition factor of the ingredients.
• Have the lowest amount of essential fatty acids

WHAT TO LOOK FOR when buying DRY DOG FOOD?

• If you are buying dry dog food for your dog (from a US based company), make sure it is of high quality and meets the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) standards.
• The ingredients are listed in descending order in the label, from the ingredient present in the maximum quantity to the one present in lowest quantity.
• Check for the name of the meat used. Don’t go for “meat meal”. The kind of meat used should be specified.
• Should have an expiry date or a best by date which is at least six months away from the time when you are buying the product.

2. CANNED DOG FOOD:

Fresh and frozen meats are assembled and then ground into tiny pieces in large batches. Post grinding, the meat is mixed with vitamins and minerals. This is the raw product. 

The raw product then undergoes blending. In the blender, the temperature is progressively increased

so that the starch ingredients gelatinize and the proteins denature. The product after blending and cooking is packaged and sealed.

Finally, the cans undergo sterilization by heating them  to 121°c for three minutes to kill highly dangerous bacterial species like Clostridium botulinum.

ADVANTAGES of CANNED DOG FOOD:

• More flavour
• More meat like texture
• Use fresher ingredients than dry dog food

Canned dog food

DISADVANTAGES of CANNED DOG FOOD:

• More expensive than dry dog food.
• Contains more calories, making it difficult to determine the right amount to feed your dog.
• Most canned food contain 75% water. Higher the water content, less is the nutrient content in the product.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR when buying CANNED DOG FOOD?

• Complete and balanced label awarded by AAFCO (if US based company).
•  Look for the ‘guaranteed analysis’ label requirement. This gives the information about the minimum amount of protein and fat as well as the maximum amount of water and fibre present in the product.

3. SEMI-MOIST DOG FOOD

Semi-moist dog foods are generally shaped like burgers, pork chops or other meaty food. Of all the kinds of dog diets, these ones contain the least amount of nutrition and are high on artificial colouring and flavour. They generally come in pouches and trays.

These can be provided as occasional dog treats but should not be considered as a diet themselves as they lack in terms of meeting the nutritional requirement of your pup/dog. 

S

Click on the image/here to grab your free copy

      ADVANTAGES of SEMI-MOIST DOG FOOD:

•  Easy to open and store. Most of them can be stored at room temperature until the packet is opened.
• They are less messy in terms of feeding your dog compared to canned food.
• Dogs find the taste of semi-moist food more appealing than dry dog food.
• Semi moist food being soft is easier to chew than dry dog food, thus making them favourable for senior dogs or dogs suffering from dental problems.
• Picky dogs eat semi moist food easier than other types of dog food.
• Less expensive than canned dog food.

DISADVANTAGES of SEMI-MOIST DOG FOOD:

• More expensive than dry dog food
• Semi-moist dog foods contain excess sugar (syrup form) and salt, This makes them appetizing but not healthy.
• Some have artificial color and preservatives.
• Propylene glycol is used by dog food manufacturers to make the food soft and chewy. As per FDA, propylene glycol is safe in dog food when present in low quantity. However, if consumed in large amounts, it can be very harmful to dogs.  

HOME COOKED meal:

Some dog parents wish to be in complete control of their dog’s diet. Home cooked meal for dogs can be expensive and time consuming. However, this way dog parents can be assured that their dog’s food is nutritionally balanced. Also, the food is fresh and free of preservatives. It can be a great nutritional choice when done correctly. 

However, if there is a lapse in the provision of proper supplements, it can lead to devastating effect on your beloved pooch. Thus, dog parents need to do their homework so that their kid’s food does not miss out on any valuable nutrition.

Homemade dog food offers variety and is good for dogs with sensitive stomach or allergies

ADVANTAGES of HOME COOKED DOG MEALS:

•     Allows better managing of health issues like heart, liver and kidney disease alongside                proper veterinary care.
•     You don’t have to worry about the quality and safety of the commercial dog food.
•     Allows you to regulate the exact vegetable or meat (quality as well as quantity) which goes        into your do's diet.  
•     No filler ingredients (commercial dog food use these to increase the product volume with no      nutritional benefit to dogs, thus adding to the profit).
•     You can optimize the recipe to suit your pooch and help avoid potential allergens.
•     Allows for variety in their diet. Keeps your pup excited for mealtime.
•     Fresh with no preservatives.
•     Meal planning can be done beforehand. Money can be saved by buying the protein                    sources, vegetables and fruits in bulk at your convenience.
•     Prescription dog foods can be quite expensive. In such a scenario, homemade meal for your      dog can actually cut your expenses.
• Can be provided to dogs in all life stages.

DISADVANTAGES of HOMEMADE DOG MEAL:

•  It is crucial that the right supplements are added to your dog’s food every time it is served. Absence of correct supplements can have devastating effects on their overall health.
• While preparing your dog’s meal, you need to know that certain ingredients (chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, certain mushrooms etc.) which might be safe for you are not safe for your dog. Thus, one needs to be very cautious while searching for dog food recipes online.
•  You must familiarize yourself with the full list of human food which might be unsafe for your dog.
• Due to the lack of a feeding amount guideline, dog parents might underfeed or over feed their dogs. However, to avoid this, you can select homemade dog food recipes which come with the nutritional information or calculate how much nutrition your dog needs by yourself.
• Can be expensive depending on the availability of ingredients
• It is time consuming. However, the bond we will when we cook for our loved ones is the same when we cook for our fur babies. They know it and we know it, the time and love that has been put in cooking the meal and it helps strengthen the bond. You can also cook in bulk and freeze the food in batches to reduce the overall time spent in the kitchen.
• Not a convenient option if you are a frequent traveller.

RAW diet:

Raw diet primarily comprises of uncooked meat (organ and muscle meat), complete or crushed bones, vegetables, fruits, dairy and raw eggs.  This can be considered as the grain-free dog food. Raw diet was initially administered to sled dogs and racing greyhounds to increase their performance. Read more about raw dog diet here

Raw food is the closest to what dogs eat in the wild.

Disadvantages of the RAW diet:

• Colonization of antibiotic resistant bacteria in dogs.

My personal experience:

I started Delta on kibbles when he was younger. However, he hates them. Even the smell of kibbles was enough to make him turn and go in the other direction. But he would always gravitate towards the smell of boiled meat. I also tried to give him raw meat but again, he hated it. So, Delta is currently on home cooked meals with vitamin supplements and omega 3 fish oil.

I have also seen a sea change in his energy levels ever since I have switched him from kibbles to the home cooked diet. Now he has:

•  A higher stamina
•  Less recovery time
•  Increased alertness

Thus, I’d say that the home-cooked meal works well for my boy. Let me know in the comments what diet do you give your pooch and why do you love that diet.

Conclusion:

The best way to determine the best type of dog food for your pooch is to discuss the same with his/her veterinarian. As they are familiar with your dog’s lifestyle, exercise level and health, they can provide you the best suggestions. However, you can also determine which diet works best for your dog by doing a trial and error with the different dog diets and observing which diet works best for your fur baby.

A note of caution:

The transformation from one diet to another should be done gradually. Sudden diet transformations can lead to an upset stomach. 

Watch the video: