It can be rather confusing for pet owners to purchase the right dog food for their beloved pooch especially there are plenty to choose from. From the reputable ones to the big brands, everyone will insist that their pet products are the best you can buy. In this article, we will discuss what are the nutrients your dog needs and with the right diet, it’s rather easy to maintain their health with their favorite high-quality doggy food. Mobile Dog Grooming offers services for your dog’s hygiene.
Choosing the Right Food
It can be overwhelming with all the selection you can find in your local pet store. There may be aisles of different selection of dog food before you can even get to the right product. Before choosing any dog food, it’s important to consider the size and breed of your doggy. Various size categories have specific dietary requirements in their lives, even during their senior years. Some primary concerns for large and medium breeds are weight gain and bone health.
Longhaired Dogs
Dogs with longer hair do not mean that they shed more hair. That is a common misconception. For dogs like golden retrievers and shih tzu, there are specially formulated dog food to keep their coats healthy and shiny.
Shorthaired Dogs
That doesn’t mean you don’t need to care as much on those shorter hair dogs’ coat but the right dog food will prevent fur shedding.
Large Dogs
Larger doggies have a tendency to gain weight because of the high calories in their adult food so to prevent hip dysplasia and arthritis from occurring, it is important to choose a low-calorie diet with glucosamine and plenty of multi-vitamins.
Small Dogs
What about the smaller small dogs? They need food that supports their metabolism and weight. Nutritionally dense meals are a must-have. Your pooch will require a little more protein to maintain his changing body.
Moreover, smaller dogs often experience hyperglycemia, thus it’s crucial to go choose foods that have complex carbs and lots of fiber to support the absorption of nutrients. Also, older dog foods are designed to suit weaker jaws and smaller mouths.
Puppies
Likewise, if you have puppies, their nutrient requirements will be very different from the adult or senior dog food. They need plenty of calcium and iron to build up their bones as well as their immune defenses. The right dog diet will give your little one the best start in life and avoid onset of procured diseases.
Adult Dogs
Small breed dogs usually reach adult food when they are one year old while larger breed will hit their adulthood between one to two years. The best way to determine when to switch to adult dog food is to check with the vet when you bring your pooch for yearly checkup and vaccination. Switching to adult dog food will provide a well-curated balanced diet to ensure your dog gets the energy he needs while keeping him fit.
Senior Dogs
As your dog gets older, the nutritional requirements will change. So It’s necessary to adjust their diet to suit their specific needs. Following the same diet may lead to unwanted weight gain. Additionally, older dogs will face numerous health issues, which have to be addressed.
Why Should I Go with Wet Food
While many have promoted that dry food is the best for dogs, in many ways canned food can be superior to dry kibbles. Many manufacturers insist that their wet dog food contain actual real meat than their dry products. Wet food provides a source of hydration for your dog especially if it is summer or you live in a humid locality.
Wet food has a richer scent to lure picky eaters and senior dogs that lost some of their olfactory senses. A big plus for those dogs that lost most of their teeth, the soft meat will be more palatable and chew while kibbles can cause unnecessary pain to their gums when they are grinding them.
Canned food also provides a better air-tight seal so that food will retain its freshness without additional artificial coloring and flavoring. Dry dog food is definitely more convenient and budget-friendly but do keep in mind that any exposed dog food should be put away after two hours in case of bacteria exposure and contamination.
Both options have its pros and cons; it is up to you, the owner to choose the right one for your dog. You may even want to even out the dry and wet dog food by feeding them alternatively.
Nutritional Requirements
How can you help your dog? You need to consider getting them a food formula that is suitable for their breed and age. Using the right food formula, your pooch will stay healthy for many years and age gracefully.
Although most formulas are labeled appropriately making it easy to get them, it is easy for you to find out whether an option is suitable for your dog by reading through the ingredients list.
What things should you look for as you buy dog formula? Below is a look at this:
Be careful of fats & calories
To help keep away the pounds on your pet, you should consider a formula that has fewer total calories. Whether your dog is a puppy or a senior dog, additional calories can never be a good thing. Even when you are trying to beef up your dog, there are plenty of ways to introduce healthy fats into his diet rather than to depend wholesomely on manufacture dog food.
Additional nutrients
Chondroitin and glucosamine are great for supporting your pet’s general joint health. When used up regularly, these supplements will help strengthen the joint connective tissues of your dog.
Some breeds like the Goldie are susceptible to slip disk and hip dislocation while tiny breeds like the Chihuahua have fragile bones. To further support your dog’s health, consider using additional ingredients such as fish oil. Fish oil contains omega fatty acids. There are a lot more nutrients that you can look out for like flaxseed oil for the dog’s skin, quinoa seeds for amino acids and multi-vitamins supplements to keep your dog healthy no matter what stage he is at.
Before choosing a formula, be sure to talk to your vet to get a suitable dosage for your pet’s breed and weight.
High Fiber Content
To prevent gastrointestinal issues and constipation problems, consider buying high fiber formulas.
Ingredients such as kale and different leafy greens can help ensure the food moves through your pet’s system easily. Also, fiber intake helps in slowing down the rate of absorption. This will ensure that your dog gets the most of all nutrients the different foods have to offer.
Low Sodium
Standard kibble and dog treats are rather notorious for containing higher levels of sodium. Even though your pet dog will love and enjoy having a salty snack, it is advisable that you avoid them altogether. This is particularly important as your dog continues to age.
By offering your pet dog too many salty snacks, the sodium in these snacks can cause heart disease. In addition, it can cause your dog to put on some extra weight. To help prevent all this and keep your aging dog healthy, go for foods that have lower sodium content.
Recommended Canned Dog Food For Different Dogs
Longhaired Dogs
Forza Wet Canned Hypoallergenic Dog Food – Fish Based Formula for Skin Health
Packed with Omega 3 and 6 to help keep your dog’s beautiful long coat shiny and healthy, this gluten-free and nutrient-rich formula is also delicate to the dog’s digestive system. The special formula provides a relief to any kind of skin allergies and helps to battle any dry skin problem you might have.
Shorthair Dogs
Pinnacle Grain Free Dog Food
This grain-free dog food has known to reduce shedding of fur. Besides using real salmon, it includes pumpkin to boost your dog’s immune system and quinoa seed for amino acids. This holistic food doesn’t have any harmful corn fillers, grains, or artificial additives.
Rather, it has beneficial ingredients and natural alternatives, which help keep your pet healthy. Used it with shed-free shampoo and regular professional grooming, you should see that the shedding significantly reduced. If the shedding keeps up, it might be an indication of something serious that you may want to consult your vet.
Large Dogs
Purina Pro Plan FOCUS Large Breed Chunks in Gravy Adult Wet Dog Food
Keeping in focus with a diet especially concentrated on large breeds, Purina wet dog food provides good nutrients to support strong bones and muscles. This formula is made with high protein with real beef. Comes recommended by owners with large breed dogs like German Shepherds and Chow Chow.
Small Dogs
Cesar Home Delights Wet Dog Food
If you have a toy breed at home, this is for you. Even the packaging helps to maintain the amount of portion you need to feed your dog so you’ll never overfeed. If you have a fussy eater at hand, Cesar has a wide range of flavor to choose from so your dog will never get tired from eating the same kind of food.
Puppies
Eukanuba Wet Food 10154715 Puppy With Lamb & Rice Canned Dog Food
Eukanuba formula provides a balanced diet for puppies, ensuring that they get the nutrients they need to grow into healthy adulthood. Using both pork and chicken liver together with spinach give the additional iron and energy boost for the young active ones. Folic acid and vitamin supplements are in the formula without a lot of fillers.
Senior Dogs
Wet Canned Senior Dog Food by Nutro Ultra
This is a great solution when your pet requires a softer food solution. It is made with chicken, lamb, and salmon to provide proteins. A similar blend of twelve superfoods used in the brand’s dry formula is used in the wet alternative. This offers your dog beneficial nutrients as they enjoy the delicious texture and taste of the formula. This dog food comes as gravy and soft chunks. It contains lower fat levels, around 5% and also has 80 percent moisture. This makes it soft enough for pets that have dental issues.
Special Requirements For That Special Dog
There are other options for dogs with special needs such as weight management, urinary tract and bladder health and renal support. There are even formulated dog foods for those recovering from surgery or long-term illness. These are best recommended by your vet if your pet needs to take a special diet to boost certain aspect in his health.
Over to You
Food is a very big part of your dog’s health. For your dog’s health, Likeable Pets offers services to cater your dog’s needs.
Other areas such as adequate exercise, grooming, and regular vet visits play a vital part as well. Ensuring your best friend has the right food will prevent the onset of early illness and prolong his time with you. Doing it right can avoid huge expensive vet bills in the future. Happy dog, happy owner.
About the Author
My name is Alice Lee, I am the Co-founder of Likeablepets.com. I am a certified and experienced professional dog groomer. Other than my passion for animals, I also like to blog in my spare time. Most of my stories involve my experiences as a dog groomer and the everyday tasks that I have to do.
I love animals so much, that I have dedicated most of my time to caring and nurturing for all animals as if they were my own. As a person of professionalism, I also share some personal tips about dog grooming, and how you can care for your pets at home. Visit our sponsored site Simplymaid: home cleaning in Australia
