Economy class dog food: list, rating, reviews

Economy-class dry dog ​​food is very popular in our country. They are in demand among consumers due to their low cost, in addition, this type of food is quite convenient. All you need to do is pour the delicious pellets into your pet’s bowl and forget about the problem of feeding him until the next meal.

However, the cheapness of a product often indicates its low quality, and choosing a good economy-class dog food is not so easy. To do this, you will need to familiarize yourself with the rating of this product and study its main advantages and disadvantages.

Characteristics of economy class feed and product prices

So, what is economy-class food and how do they differ from more expensive products? The fact is that to create such compositions, low-quality raw materials are used; many manufacturers add bone meal, offal, soy and second-rate grains. As a rule, the price of 1 kg of such feed ranges from 70 to 150-180 rubles.

Economy class feeds are low cost and made from low quality products.

Due to their poor composition, dry food has a low cost, and at the same time is unable to satisfy all the needs of the animal’s body. It is not recommended to constantly feed your dog economy-class food, since sooner or later it will develop problems with the digestive system, metabolism, and may also develop allergic reactions due to a lack of necessary microelements.

Important! When using economy-class food, it is necessary to alternate it with natural food and not give it to pregnant and lactating animals, puppies, as well as individuals leading an active lifestyle.

Advantages and disadvantages of economy class goods

The main advantage of economy class products is their low cost. The pet should be fed at least 2 times a day, and if it is a large breed dog, it will require large portions of food, which leads to high financial costs. Inexpensive feed allows you to significantly save on keeping the animal.

The disadvantage of such compositions is their low nutritional value. Since the production of economy-class feed uses an insignificant amount of meat ingredients, a larger percentage of which are by-products, such food is unable to provide the animal with the nutritional components and energy in the required volume.

The daily intake of economy class food is higher than that of premium or super-premium food, since these products contain a lot of cheap fillers.

In addition, economical food mostly consists of plant-based ingredients and inexpensive grains, many of which are poorly absorbed by the dog’s body, which leads to problems with the digestive system.

In addition, the dog will need large portions of this food to get enough, and as a result, the savings are very illusory.

general information

Today, each type of dog food - dry, semi-moist, wet, canned - has its own classification. It cannot be called unified, the same for all leading companies producing ready-made dog food, but it is conventionally divided into the following components: economy class, premium, super-premium and holistic food. Each of them is characterized by fairly specific parameters:

• category of meat products;
• sources and quality of protein – special concentrated protein;
• vitamin palette;
• quantity and range of minerals, their ratio;
• the presence of flavors, food colors, preservatives;
• the presence of additives that have a positive effect on the functioning of individual organs of the dog;
• cost.

Popular economy class dog food

On the domestic market you can find a wide range of economy-class feeds, both imported and jointly produced, as well as Russian-made. Due to high demand, they are sold not only in specialized stores, but also in markets or supermarkets.

The most common brands, which are easy to purchase, include the following types of dog food:

• Pedigree;
• Chappi;
• Darling;
• ProTail food is very popular among dog breeders.
  Puffins;
• All Dogs;
• Cesar;
• ARO;
• ProTail;
• "Stout";
• "4 Paws Club"
• "Dog yard";
• "Oscar";
• "Meal";
• "Our brand";
• "For friend";
• "Dilly";
• "Favorite".

It is not easy to understand this diversity, and if you have decided to feed the animal with economy-class products, you should carefully study the composition of the food, reviews of other breeders, and also consult with a veterinarian. Only after a thoughtful analysis of the features of the proposed products should the final choice be made.

Super premium food

Feeds in this category, which have elite status, contain exclusively first-class and highly nutritious ingredients. Among them are chicken and chicken meat, turkey, lamb, chicken eggs, boiled rice, which is the most easily digestible grain for dogs, and beet pulp rich in fiber. The product also contains category I meat by-products (liver, tongue, kidneys, heart), all of which meet the highest quality standards. Some companies' products contain only those food ingredients that are certified as suitable for human nutrition. The energy value of this product is 360-470 kcal/100 g.

A dog that regularly eats such wonderful food does not need to expand its menu, because such food satisfies not only its nutritional needs. The food is developed taking into account the characteristics of the animal’s digestion, metabolism in its body, and the need for vitamins and minerals. This balanced food is perfectly absorbed: digestibility exceeds 80%. There are also different product options designed for pets of different age groups.

In the production of feed belonging to the elite group, certain technologies are used using gentle heat treatment, which make it possible to preserve proteins and fats in the most natural state. High-quality fats are stabilized with vitamin E. This dog food contains no dyes or preservatives, it has a natural aroma and taste, and dogs feast on it with appetite. In some cases, pets who have been fed inexpensive food for a long time, which contains concentrated artificial flavors and aromatic additives, do not immediately get used to natural aromas and “turn up their nose” at good, high-quality food. By the way, dogs who are accustomed to natural food and high-class feeds are suspicious of artificial additives.

The super-premium product line also includes medicinal and dietary foods. They are introduced into the diet of a pet that needs specific nutrition due to illness, or to prevent genetic diseases characteristic of a particular breed. This kind of food has been developed for four-legged pets suffering from gastritis, pancreatitis, renal failure, obesity, and experiencing digestive problems caused by a violation of the stomach microflora. They are saturated with ingredients containing the optimal amount of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in each individual case. Some of them have a reduced amount of phosphorus and a slightly reduced calorie content. A distinctive feature of such products is hypoallergenicity.

Medicinal food is not included in the dog’s menu for a long time - only during the illness, and food for the prevention of possible diseases in most cases can be included in the pet’s regular diet. Before purchasing food for this purpose, dog owners should consult a veterinarian.

Specialized stores offer super-premium products from the following brands:

• "1st Choice";
• "Trainer";
• "Josera";
• "Monge";
• "Brit Care";
• "Gina"
• "Porcelan"
• Barking Heads;
• "DailyDog";
• "Eukanuba".

Some manufacturers of super-premium products, focused on selling dog food in this particular category, in order to attract more customers, supply the market with products that are identical in price terms to economy-class products. In most cases, the quality of the food that attracts the client exceeds that offered by traditional manufacturers of inexpensive dog food.

Super premium dog food made from quality ingredients and containing at least 25% meat

Economy class dog food made in Russia

Many breeders prefer to purchase domestically produced food for their dogs. This is explained by the fact that such a purchase will require lower financial costs, since the cost does not include the costs of transporting the goods and transporting them across the state border.

The most popular domestically produced feeds include the following brands:

• "Our brand";
• "Dog yard";
• "Favorite";
• "Dilly";
• "ProTail".

Co-produced products are also popular.

Most often, breeders purchase the following brands of food:

• "Chappie" - Russia and the USA;
• “Meal” - Russia and Denmark;
• Oscar - Russia and Denmark.

The products from this list have gained popularity among dog breeders due to their good quality and relative cheapness.

The photo shows Dilly dog ​​food pellets.

Rating of economy dog ​​food

As is clear from the above, it is almost impossible to find out which economy class food is better. All of these products are not of high quality and cannot be recommended for regular use by dogs of any age and breed.

However, it is possible to identify brands that are in greatest demand due to one or another advantage compared to analogues in a line of similar products.

These include 6 popular foods:

1. Darling. The products of this brand are in first place because they contain natural meat and not offal, albeit in small quantities. This makes the food more competitive compared to other products.
2. Pedigree. This type of dog food has become popular due to the presence of vitamins and minerals in its composition. In addition, the product line allows you to select food for animals of all ages and sizes.
3. "Our Brand" The food consists only of natural ingredients and has a pleasant smell. In addition, the content of vitamins and minerals in this composition is very high, and the price of the product is more than affordable.
4. Our brand of dog food has a fairly good composition for an economy class product.
   Chappi. There are no artificial ingredients in the food of this brand, which distinguishes it from many types of economy-class products. It also contains vegetables, vitamins and minerals, and you can choose the variety whose taste your dog will like best.
5. ProTail. Despite the fact that the main ingredient of this product is not meat, but vegetables and cereals, such food can saturate the animal’s body with proteins, fiber and fats, as well as calcium and phosphorus.
6. Stout. This food is in last place in the ranking due to the fact that it contains no meat at all, there is only a small percentage of beef liver. These products owe their popularity only to their low cost and widespread availability in retail outlets.

Advice. When choosing economy-class food for your pet, first of all you need to focus not on the cost, but on the composition. The most expensive product in this category will not necessarily be the highest quality. Good food consists of a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals, and it should also be free of harmful impurities, taste and odor enhancers, preservatives and dyes.

Premium food

In the Russian Federation, dog owners most often give preference to premium food. Their range is very wide and heterogeneous. Some of them are almost equal in quality to a super-premium class product, while others, on the contrary, are not much higher than the level of an economy class product.

Premium food, along with meat, contains by-products of category II, however, on product packaging, as a rule, there is no information about which meat products were used in the production process. The amount of meat ingredients is up to 30%; the dominant component in this food is most often rice.

The described product contains more animal proteins than economy class products; it contains a much wider range of vitamins, macro- and microelements, while the complex of all nutritional ingredients is quite well balanced. However, there are also undesirable chemical compounds such as dyes, flavors, and preservatives. The energy value of the product is 310-350 kcal/100 g.

Since the components of various premium foods are distinguished by their impressive variety, percentage of meat, and, as a result, price, when choosing a product, seek advice and recommendations from a veterinarian or breeder. You can also consult with the owners of dogs of the same breed as your pet, read reviews about the food you have chosen on the Internet. Among the most famous premium foods are the following:

• Royal Canin;
• "Hills"
• "Probalance";
• "Pro Plan";
• "Purina One";
• "Dog Chow"
• "Natures Protection";
• "Brit Premium";
• Advance;
• "Chicopee";
• "RosPes".

The first three of the above foods top the ranking of the most popular dog foods by Russians.

Premium dog food is balanced in vitamin and mineral composition and has high nutritional properties; they no longer contain chemical additives, but they are also made from by-products

Recommendations for feeding your dog economy food products

It is not recommended to constantly feed your dog economy-class products; this can lead to serious health problems.

However, if at the moment there is no other choice, certain rules for compiling the animal’s diet should be followed:

• Alternate dry food with natural food.
• Provide the animal with a sufficient amount of water, since dry formulations tend to swell in the stomach and cause severe thirst.
• Supplement the animal’s diet with natural meat and offal, since these components are present in negligible quantities in economical formulations.
• Give the animal vitamin and mineral complexes to provide its body with enough nutrients.

At the first signs of indigestion, allergic reactions or other problems, you will need to exclude economical food from the animal’s diet and switch it to natural food, after consulting a veterinarian and taking the necessary measures to restore the pet’s health.

If your dog is fed economy class food, you need to make sure that drinking water is always freely available.

Nutritional features of medium breed dogs

Despite their size, medium-sized breeds are not recommended to be given large amounts of food - they rarely have digestive problems. For such pets, a standard food intake is sufficient. An adult dog should eat once or twice a day. The diet must be balanced and provide the body with energy and nutrients.

In the first year, pets should choose food that can protect the gastrointestinal tract from infections. It should support the body's defenses and promote the development of the central nervous system. An average-sized puppy eats 4-6 times a day. At the age of six months, you need to switch to eating 3 times a day.

Medium-sized dogs are quite active, so the number of calories in the menu should be high. The weight of animals prone to obesity should be closely monitored. Your pet's menu should include proteins, amino acids, fats and vitamins. It is important to select foods that will prevent dental and gum disease. It is important for pit bulls and English bulldogs not to gain weight.

The owner should take care of the pet's health. He is recommended to buy quality products to slow down the aging process and support the functioning of the central nervous system.

The purebred dog has good genetics, rarely gets sick, and remains energetic and active for a long time. To prevent him from getting sick, it is necessary to feed him correctly and provide adequate care.

Natural nutrition

Medium breed dogs include Aussie, bulldog, basset, etc. They are used as companions, hunting and herding dogs, and bred as decorative pets. For breeds where puppies grow quickly, for example, basset dogs, food is chosen especially carefully.

Owners planning to feed their pet natural food should consider a number of rules:

1. In lactating and pregnant bitches and animals during mating, the amount of energy expenditure increases by one and a half times. Protein consumption increases from 20 to 70%. They need 2 times more vitamins than in the normal state.
2. Pets with increased activity and physical activity also need additional nutrients, because... they need more energy. The number of calories in the diet is calculated based on the individual properties and constitution of the dog.
3. Performing simple functions of service dogs increases energy expenditure by 30%. Hard work increases your calorie needs by up to 3 times. Their menu should contain 30% more protein; the dog can get it from meat and offal. The carbohydrate content of food is important. If there are few of them, the pet will begin to lose weight.

Natural feeding takes place in two stages. Half of the meat products do not undergo heat treatment, the other half is given to the pet in soup or mixed with bread or biscuits.

Meat can be replaced with offal - heart, kidneys, liver. Their content in the menu should be 2 times larger. With a natural diet, they are replaced with low-fat varieties of fish.

Main products:

• offal;
• meat;
• bread;
• millet;
• oat groats;
• vitamins;
• vegetables (potatoes, beets, cabbage);
• animal fat (in winter).

In spring and summer, the menu is enriched with fresh herbs: nettles, lettuce, and sorrel. If the puppy is fed monotonously, the digestibility of the food deteriorates. Varieties of meat products, cereals, and vegetables alternate. New foods are introduced gradually, mixed into the main diet as complementary foods.

Dry and wet food

What food is best for medium breed dogs? Most dry and wet diets are made from the same ingredients using similar technology. Their main difference is their moisture content.

Moisture is not evaporated from wet rations and the finished product is additionally seasoned with jelly and sauce. Any of the varieties can provide your pet with the necessary amount of calories and nutrients.

Dry food for medium breed dogs can sit in a bowl for a long time, even if the animal has not finished it. It overeats less, and it is more convenient for the owner to dose his food intake. Its main advantage is the duration of storage and use.

A bag of food can be easily packed into a bag or backpack and you can be sure that it will not leak. Its consumption is more economical. However, your pet may become constipated when switching from wet food and natural food to dry pads. Wet dog food is produced in the form of meat pads, pates, and rolls. The diet contains plenty of water and no preservatives or artificial flavors.

This product is easy to chew and is packaged in portioned packages. It will prevent urolithiasis. It is consumed faster than dry food, but its price is much higher.

Veterinarians recommend using only one type of diet so that the animal’s body does not constantly adapt. Otherwise, allergic reactions and diseases may occur. Its brand should also not be changed frequently.

Reviews of economy class food

Valentina. My dogs eat economical food with pleasure and feel great. Of course, I have to feed them meat, cereals, boiled eggs and other products, as well as give them vitamins. The main thing is that dry food is not the main food of animals, then no problems will arise.

Victor. I have never purchased expensive food for my dog ​​and have no plans to do so. A dog can be kept just fine on economical food, nothing bad will happen to it. Of course, it is necessary to purchase vitamin complexes for the animal, but still the cost of feeding will be significantly lower than in cases where expensive high-end goods are purchased for the dog.

Victoria. I prefer not to skimp on my pet and feed him good food. Economy class formulations are made from something unknown, there is no detailed description of the ingredients on the packaging, and they often contain preservatives, dyes and other substances. I believe that if it is not possible to purchase good food, it is better not to have pets at all, rather than stuffing them with garbage.

Holistic food

Feeds of this class are called extraordinary achievements in the animal food production system. Translated from Greek, the word “holos” means “whole”, “complete”, “self-sufficient”. In fact, the philosophy contained in these terms underlies the development of products in this category. A holistic approach to creating food, according to product manufacturers, can work wonders. Managers of these companies claim that an animal that has been fed holistic food since childhood is practically not susceptible to diseases. For this reason, the holistic line fundamentally lacks medicinal and dietary foods. To be fair, we note that products of this class appeared on the market not so long ago, and their miraculous properties are still difficult to assess.

I am so happy to be fed holistically!

Holistic food is a unique assortment of natural, environmentally friendly products. They contain from 65 to 80 percent of high-quality meat, including poultry, cereals (mainly rice), vegetables, fruits, and berries. Added herbal preparations, vitamins, minerals. Meat by-products, meat and bone meal, soy, sugar, preservatives, flavorings, dyes in this food are taboo.

Some of the components are identical to the gifts of nature that an animal could eat if living in its natural environment. They are selected in such a way that the pet receives the necessary substances that do not interfere with each other’s absorption, and in their totality harmonize the natural biochemical reactions occurring in the body.

Holistic food in the Russian Federation is represented by the following brands:

• "Acana";
• "Now Fresh";
• "Canidae";
• "Applaws"
• "Summit"
• "Holistic Blend";
• Pronature Holistic;
• "Savarra";
• "Orijen"
• "Grandorf".

Holistic dog food is made from the highest quality ingredients, contains from 65 to 80% high-quality meat, without the addition of soy, preservatives, dyes, etc.