What's the Best Dog Food?

What's the best food to feed your dog?

Nutritional needs vary based on breed, job and age of your dog. So that's the first thing you should look at when considering what brand/type of dog food to provide for your animal.

Is Your Dog Young or Old? What Food is the Right Food?

A young working dog will normally need higher nutrient content, calorically high or a higher quality food, whereas an old lapdog who sits around the house all day will need less calories, and if you feed them too rich, you even run the risk of adversely impacting their health by making them too fat. You need to look at the macronutrient breakdown of the dog food and make your selection based on your dogs' particular needs.

What are macronutrients for dogs? Macronutrients are macronutrients are macronutrients. There are only three: Carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Now, are there differences in TYPES of macronutrients? Of course.

And here we get into your "good fat, bad fat" arguments, and etc.

As it pertains to dog food, however, where these macronutrients come from is the biggest thing you want to look at do the carbs you feed your dog come from corn? Is the protein from meat, real meat, or bones and feet?

According to Doctors Foster and Smith of drfostersmith.com:

 "Don't rely solely on the percentage of crude protein shown in the guaranteed analysis on the package. While it is tempting to assume that a high percentage of protein means that a food contains a lot of beneficial protein (and is therefore better than comparable foods), this is not always the case. Always evaluate the source of the protein - not just the amount - when considering/comparing pet foods."

After you make this designation, then you have to analyze the dog foods currently available and within your budget.

Is Expensive Dog Food Better than Cheap Dog Food?

There is a wide spectrum of dog food available from 20 dollar grocery store dog food all the way up to your high-dollar, grain-free dog food. What makes a dog food "better" is determined not by the price you paid, but how your dog feels and performs on the food you have chosen.

Does your dog like to play?

No matter what food you choose, the focus should always be on how your dog is doing. Have you been feeding the 20 dollar grocery store dog food without any adverse reactions, like dry skin, itching or lethargy why switch? "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Does your Dog have Food Allergies?

As was stated by Dave in the video, food allergies can come from any number of ingredients, with grain being only one of them. More importantly is to identify symptoms of food allergies. A few symptoms you can look for:

• Chronic GI upset: intermittent or continuing diarrhea and/or constipation including mucus in the stools and flatulence. Vomiting may also occur in more severe cases.

• Repetitive chewing at the feet, as well as red and inflamed paw pads.

• Dermatitis: chronic dry and flaky skin, hair loss, hot spots, redness, bumps, rashes and constant scratching are classic signs of a food intolerance.

• Chronic ear infections: over-consumption of grain can lead to a buildup of excess sugars in the system. This in turn can contribute to yeast overgrowth, leading to dark, smelly waxy debris in the ears, head shaking and scratching.

There are a number of reasons why your dog could be experiencing allergies, don't assume it is gluten/grain that is impacting your dog, or causing them to exhibit signs of allergic reaction. The best way to check and see if your dog has any food allergies is to take them to the vet and get an allergy panel done. Having this information will help you to determine what ingredients to look at when considering your dog's food.

What if you begin to notice some allergy symptoms in your dog?  Certainly one option is taking your dog to the vet, OR you can try a few things at home For example, if your dog is having digestion issues on a grain food, try switching to a natural, "corn/wheat/soy free" option. If the symptoms continue, then try making the change to grain free.

Interested in checking out the impact of type of food on your dog? You can try the "naturals" first these dog foods contain no corn, no wheat and no soy and are purported to be "better" for your animals. After this the next step up is true grain-free option.

*This blog is not meant to replace any advice from your vet. If you think your dog is having an allergic reaction take them to the vet. Follow your vet's medical advice.*

What I learned is that no one food is best for all types of dogs. Determining what is "best" has much more to do with how your dog feels than any brand label or ingredient list.

We would love to hear your stories about your dogs and the food you feed them have you made the switch to grain free? How did it go? Still feeding a bargain brand what is your dogs' story?