Types of dog food

Walking through the dog food aisle at a store proves to be overwhelming for many dog owners. While new dog owners might stand awe struck at the number of options, even experienced dog owners may feel their heads spin at the many varieties of dog food. It is important to learn about your dog’s food options so that you can provide him with the best possible diet.

The most common type of dog food is dry food. Oftentimes, this dry food is referred to as kibble. Kibble has many benefits. Its hard and crunchy texture helps to keep your dog’s teeth clean. If stored properly, it stays fresh for a significant amount of time. High quality dry dog foods should meet all of your dog’s nutritional needs, so you do not have to supplement with other things.

However, the firmness of kibble may be too stressful for very young puppies or elderly dogs. Look for age specific alternatives for dogs with special dietary needs.

Along with dry food, there is also canned, wet food. The canned food typically has an even longer shelf-life than dry kibble. Dogs usually love the taste and texture of wet food. However, wet food rarely meets a dog’s nutritional needs. Oftentimes, canned food consists mostly of water and does not contain nearly enough protein. Additionally, the protein in the canned food is not digestible. It simply leaves the body too quickly to do any good. Therefore, if you are going to feed wet food to your dog, be sure to supplement it with dry food or other protein sources. The wet food also leads to tarter build-up on your dog’s teeth.

In addition to dry food and wet food, many companies make food which they describe as moist or semi-moist. Though seemingly the best of both worlds, dog owners should use caution when feeding moist dog food. It is often full of artifical ingrediants which give it its unique texture and flavor. It is best to avoid this food, or to feed only occasionally.

Along with commerical dog food, you also have other food options. Some feed their dogs homecooked meals each day. Others supplement the commercial food with food from home. Yet others give their dog a diet consisting entirely of raw foods.

Talk to your veterinarian for further advice in planning your dog’s diet. He or she will be able to help you decide upon the right option for your dog based on size, lifestyle, health, age, and more.