Lately, it becomes less and less necessary to prove to owners that proper nutrition is good for their dogs. But they have argued and continue to argue to this day about what “correct” is. It is gratifying that those who have recently come to dog breeding are not afraid of the phrase “dry food”, or are not as afraid as some dog breeders with more than 10 years of experience. My acquaintance with dry food began with counterfeits of food from world-famous companies, produced in one of the countries of the former socialist community, where many products of Western European quality were altered in such a way that even the original packaging did not help.
Now in Russia the dry food market is very richly represented, there is a choice of food of all degrees of quality, from both the most famous and completely unknown companies, and dog owners have only three questions to decide for themselves:
- Should I feed dry food at all?
- What food should I feed?
- How to feed each specific dog correctly?
Let's try to answer the first question first.
Proper diet is the key to health
We know that for excellent health a person needs to eat a lot of vegetables, fruits, avoid fatty foods, and so on. So dogs have certain nutritional rules that, if followed, will provide them with excellent health and long life.
It's no secret that dogs are predators . That is why their main diet should consist of meat, or more precisely, protein products (30-50%). After all, you can give them not only meat, but offal, fish, and dairy products.
Don't forget about water. There should always be enough of it in the diet. However, you should not force your dog to drink; it is enough to always have a bowl of water available.
Carbohydrates should also be present in the diet, but to a lesser extent, approximately 10-15% of the total diet. Dogs usually get them from grains and vegetables.
Fats are another nutritional component that supplements the animal's energy needs. But you should be careful with them, as their calorie content is very high.
Pedigree dog food is a representative of the economical class.
And the last thing that dogs need vitally for excellent health is vitamins and minerals. Among the vitamins, the most important are A, D, E, B and C. But minerals are required in the following quantities: salt - 2%, phosphorus - 1%, calcium - 1%, magnesium - 0.5%.
Industrial feed: when owners can exhale
The history of dry food began in the middle of the 19th century. Traveler James Spratt, during a trip to Great Britain, noticed how dogs living in the port pounced on biscuits thrown out by sailors. Returning home, he mixed ground meat, flour and beet pulp, baked the mixture and offered it to his dog. The pet liked the resulting delicacy, and the enterprising Spratt created a small production of such biscuits, calling it “Spratt’s meat biscuits for dogs.” After 30 years, dry food has become incredibly popular in the United States due to the fact that it saves dog owners a huge amount of effort and time.
In the 30s of the 20th century, manufacturers replaced expensive meat in feed with offal and meat flour. At the same time, the amount of grains and other added carbohydrates in the feed increased. Part of the reason for this was the economic crisis and the outbreak of World War II: food became more expensive, and it became difficult for people to feed their dogs almost pure meat.
The first dietary foods for dogs with various diseases appeared in the 70s of the 20th century. It was only in the 80s that manufacturers approached food from a zoological point of view. During this period, the feed became more meat, vitamins, minerals and fiber. A division of feed into classes has appeared: economy, premium, superpremium and holistic.
Composition of dog food
Dry dog food must contain meat as a source of protein (animal protein). A similar protein is also found in eggs, fish, and bone meal.
To improve the digestion of animal protein, dogs need plant protein. For this reason, brewer's yeast, soybeans, and dried alfalfa flour may be included in the composition.
Cereals are included as a source of carbohydrates. It can be barley, rice, oats, wheat. Potatoes and carrots can also be added as a source of carbohydrates.
Fat must be present in the composition, not only as a source of energy, but also as a taste improver. It is advisable if it is poultry fat.
Beet chips, apple or tomato squeezes, and grain bran are added as raw fiber. These supplements normalize the functioning of the digestive system.
In addition to the above, good dry food contains vitamins. These can be synthetic vitamins, or various dry herbs.
When caring for your pet, it will be useful for you to learn more about dog clippers and furminators.
The composition may contain flavorings and dyes. For our pets, such additives can be harmful, so it is better to choose food without them.
All dry food contains preservatives because it is stored for quite a long time. Preservatives can be artificial or natural.
Did you know? The number of taste buds in dogs is about 1,700, while in humans there are 9,000.
Why does a plant need a laboratory?
The complex has its own laboratory, which conducts 14-15 thousand in-depth analyzes per year, including analysis of nutritional value, degree of oxidation and food safety of products. Raw materials from any supplier are carefully checked and only after a positive test result are sent for production.
The ratio of local and imported suppliers of raw materials is 77% to 23%. Thus, grains are supplied from Russia, and meat flour from Italy, Spain and Brazil. But regardless of the country from which the raw materials come, the requirements for their quality are the same.
In addition to analyses, the laboratory manages a huge archive of all batches of feed released over the past couple of years - in case it is necessary to re-examine the batch in the event of consumer complaints.
Benefit or harm?
A person who has purchased a dog must make an important decision regarding the pet's nutrition. In this matter, everything is individual. Here it is necessary to take into account not only its breed, but also its age and habitat.
And if the owner makes his choice in favor of dry food, then he needs to know all the pros and cons of its use.
Everyone is in favor
- Dry food is balanced in terms of the content of all necessary substances , because manufacturers have calculated the proportions of fats, proteins and carbohydrates necessary for dogs.
- Easy to use , does not require a lot of time and effort.
- If your pet is left alone for the whole day, then by leaving him dry food, you are sure that the food will not spoil during your absence .
- There is no need to take additional vitamins and minerals if you feed good quality dry food.
- The food will not become a source of parasites and dangerous infections.
What's missing from dry food?
It is quite natural that there is no water in dry food. And since water is a vital necessity, your pet should always have a bowl of fresh water.
Did you know? It turns out that dogs drink water by curling their tongues in the shape of a spoon, not up, but down from the roof of their mouth.
Of course, dry food cannot boast of naturalness, because everything is dried and ground. And it’s no secret that the process of producing this type of food itself leads to some loss of beneficial properties of processed products, no matter how natural they were initially.
In addition, the dog owner cannot be one hundred percent sure of the quality of raw materials for production and the content of all declared beneficial substances.
Not all dogs agree to eat plant foods, but they are necessary.
And not all the meat you buy is healthy for the dog’s body, and if the owner replaces meat from the supermarket with “dog” meat, the so-called “forced slaughter,” then there is no need to talk about healthy food at all.
The amount of vitamins, minerals, micro- and macroelements is also difficult to calculate. By the way, also because at different periods of life dogs require different sets of food components. It is logical to assume that aging or pregnant dogs need a completely different diet, and at home it is very difficult to properly balance foods. I would like to remind you that the process of digesting food with the help of enzymes is specific not only for different species of mammals, but also for different products. Here dry food has an undeniable advantage over any of the most balanced food prepared at home. True, here, it seems to me, the introduction of “friendly microorganisms, fungi and microbes” that help the dog digest food is harmful. A dog's stomach should not be lazy. This is how we smoothly moved on to the second question.
Choosing wisely
Let's say that you have already decided what your pet will eat. Now you need to make another difficult choice - choosing the best dry food for your dog. To do this, several points must be taken into account.
The dog flea is one of the most common types of fleas.
Individual characteristics
The most important point when choosing dry food is to find out the individual characteristics of your four-legged friend. These include:
- Dog breed
This criterion is very important. It is he who speaks about the size and weight of the dog, how long the coat will be and other breed characteristics. You can also find out what diseases may plague your pet specifically.
- Activity
Your pet can live in different conditions - in an apartment, an enclosure. He may lead an active lifestyle, or may not leave his home. This must be taken into account when choosing food. Otherwise, your friend will suffer from either exhaustion or obesity.
- Age
An important point that must be taken into account.
After all, depending on their age, animals need different amounts of energy and different compositions of nutrients. You will be interested to know how long dogs live.
That is why all manufacturers, without exception, have in their product line both dry food for adult dogs of various breeds and ages, and for small puppies.
- Presence of diseases
Every dog can get sick, or maybe there are some diseases from birth. Therefore, the animal’s nutrition in such cases should be special, adjusted for the disease.
- Pregnancy and nutrition of puppies
This applies, of course, to female pets. During such a period, nutrition should be adjusted taking into account the interesting position of the dog.
- Pickiness and pickiness
This factor may also be important. Dogs, like people, have their own taste preferences, which must also be taken into account when choosing food.
Cheap or expensive?
This is another difficult question that animal owners must decide when purchasing.
The very concept of “inexpensive dry dog food” does not mean that it is bad. There are no clear recommendations here. After all, its price has many components.
After all, you can use only high-quality ingredients and carry out production strictly according to the rules, which will affect a fairly high price.
Or you can spend a lot of money on advertising, and put quality last. But the price of such a product will also be quite high due to advertising costs.
And if a manufacturer is just starting to produce his products, then he can set a small price for his goods. But this does not mean poor quality, it’s just that a new product is gaining a place in the sun.
Every dog owner has eyes to read the composition and draw the appropriate conclusions. In addition, you need to ask other dog lovers what kind of food they prefer. It doesn’t hurt to ask the breeders what your little pet’s parents prefer to eat.
If you have cats at home in addition to dogs, we advise you to learn everything about Kitekat and Hills food.
The only thing that can be said without a doubt is that when choosing the type of food for your pet, pay attention to the presence of synthetic flavors, dyes and preservatives.
Important! The dog definitely does not need synthetics. If it is included in the feed, then the manufacturer will probably conceal in this way low-quality products and violations in the production process.
Don't forget to consult a veterinarian
Of course, a good veterinarian should be your main advisor when choosing food.
After all, these specialized doctors know how the dog’s body functions. They can tell you exactly how much protein, fat and carbohydrates your pet needs.
In addition, veterinarians have a large circle of contacts with dog breeders (often they themselves are one), who can tell about the quality of a particular product.
Advantages and disadvantages of natural nutrition
Many owners often include natural dog food in their menu. Of course, natural food is much healthier for the animal’s health - it contains all the necessary vitamins and substances that the pet needs for the development and active growth of the body.
It is worth noting! Before including natural food in your diet, you should consult your veterinarian. A specialist will be able to tell you in detail what you can feed the animal and what you should not feed.
Feeding dogs natural food has a number of positive qualities:
- The dog’s natural diet is rich in vitamins and nutritional components, which has a positive effect on the development of the animal;
- you can independently control the quality and freshness of products;
- feeding the dog natural food is as close as possible to the natural, “wild” diet of animals;
- you can independently select dog food products that will be saturated with all the necessary nutrients;
- The dog's diet using natural products is varied. Every day you can introduce different components into the diet, for example, combine meat and vegetables, fish and cereals;
- Natural dog feeding is excellent for animals that are prone to allergic reactions to industrial components. If you prepare it yourself, you can easily eliminate the allergen;
- Compared to industrial food, natural food is superior in nutritional value, healthfulness and taste. If only natural food is used to feed the pet, then the owner can be calm about the health of the animal.
But it is worth remembering that natural food has some negative qualities, among which are:
- Despite the fact that some natural products are cheaper than industrial feed, natural food is still relatively expensive. Of course, feeding adult dogs will be cheaper, but feeding puppies will cost the owner a lot of money. The fact is that a growing body requires special foods; they must be varied and fresh every day;
- large expenditures of time and labor. If dry food mixtures do not need to be prepared, just open the package and pour the required amount of food into a bowl, but with natural food things are completely different. Before giving it to your dog, it needs to be cooked. And you will need to prepare it every day, and this will take a lot of time;
- The norm of feeding with natural food must be observed. If calculated incorrectly, this can negatively affect the health of the animal. Typically, the norms of natural products are calculated in accordance with the weight of the animal;
- Every day you need to give a variety of components. You cannot feed the animal only meat or fish, this can negatively affect the condition. But using only poultry meat and bones can quickly lead to metabolic disorders of the animal and rapid weight gain;
- It’s worth remembering which products are prohibited. A veterinarian can tell you about them. But we can definitely say that dogs should not be given food from the table;
- For many, it may seem inconvenient to give your animal porridge every day. But this component is really necessary for the full development of the pet, it replenishes all vital elements, improves health, and improves immunity. But the best way to find porridge is from a veterinarian; you can include buckwheat, semolina, and oatmeal in the menu.
How to train a dog to eat food?
So, you have made a choice in favor of dry food. You’ve even already chosen a specific option that should suit your pet’s taste.
Transition to dry food gradually. Best within 7-10 days. This will help your digestive system get used to the new form of food.
Puppies are trained from 3 months. It is from this age that they develop an interest in adult food. But if the dog is already old and has never eaten dry food, then there is no need to do this. Such a change in diet can lead to unpleasant consequences.
It will be useful for you to know what types of worms there are in dogs.
If the adaptation was successful, then great. Now just follow the nutritional directions included on each package.
And if not. In this case, you can first add a little warm water to the dry food, it will soften, and it will be easier for the dog to eat it.
Consider the case if your pet is picky. Most likely, you yourself are to blame for this. You love it, and you don’t mind giving a couple of pieces of sausage from your table. Or maybe you are ready to buy half the range of dog food at the pet store for the sake of your pet.
Did you know? Chocolate is dangerous for dogs. Theobromine, which is contained in a sweet treat, cannot be broken down in her body. This substance can harm the nervous system and heart.
In this case, your pet's eating behavior needs to be adjusted. Let him somehow understand that either he eats or remains hungry.
When he is really hungry, he will eat what you offer. The main thing here is to show perseverance, and such upbringing will only benefit the dog.
Important! Don't spoil your dog's food. She does not need a variety of diet and will eat the same thing over a long period of time if the food is to her taste and completely covers her nutritional needs.
If you feed dry food, then only correctly!
In addition to choosing a brand, feeding regimen and daily caloric intake play a significant role. Missing these important points can lead to serious health problems, which will not be blamed on the food, but on the inattention of the owner.
Calculation of daily portion volume and feeding frequency
All standards are indicated directly on the packaging, but there is one caveat. Most manufacturers have them standardized, that is, they are suitable only for average dogs of a certain weight and age. If your pet is inactive or, on the contrary, loves active games with all his heart, then it is much more reliable to calculate the individual calorie content.
Deviation from the recommended daily calorie intake up or down is permissible if:
- overweight or underweight;
- pregnancy and lactation;
- Receiving a therapeutic diet plan from your veterinarian.
Puppies up to 2 months are fed 6-8 times a day, from 2 to 3 months - 5-6 times, from 3 to 4 months - 4-5 times, from 4 to 8 months - 3-4 times, and from 8 to 12 months – exactly 3 times. From one year on, the number of feedings is reduced to 2, unless this contradicts the recommendations of the attending physician. Thus, the daily portion is not given immediately, but is divided into several doses.
Main food or supplement?
Some experienced veterinarians and dog breeders recommend one type of food. That is, if your pet is natural, then you do not need to give him dry food as a treat, and vice versa.
Other experts are not so categorical. They recommend simply not mixing processed and natural foods together.
The thing is that natural food and dry food are digested differently in a dog’s stomach. That's why such recommendations exist.
If you ask most dog lovers whether a dog can eat dry food or natural food, you may also get polar opinions.
In order for your dog to be obedient, you need to train it.
After all, the feeding process is so individual that animals of the same breed and even the same litter can react completely differently to food.
Therefore, you will choose your diet individually, by trial and error.
Important! When choosing a method of feeding your pet, pay attention to its appearance, behavior, and mood. Any changes for the worse should alert you
.
How to provide your pet with a healthy diet
To keep your pets healthy and happy for many years to come, it is enough to provide them with a healthy diet.
Considering the disadvantages of dry food, create a healthy diet:
- there should be a sufficient amount of liquid in food;
- carbohydrate content should be minimal;
- use animal protein;
- use raw bones for dental health,
- Buy products only from trusted suppliers.
If you are not comfortable preparing healthy food yourself, pay attention to ready-made natural food, for example, SUPERPET.
Remember that a natural diet is the key to your pet’s health.
Popular manufacturers
All dry dog food that retail chains offer us can be divided into three types:
- economy class (Economy);
- for constant nutrition (Regular);
- Premium.
Experts definitely recommend premium dry dog food. This class best meets the needs of dogs in terms of caloric content and content of valuable substances.
In production, only natural high-quality products are used, there is little salt, no dyes or flavors. The price of such food may not be low, but it is justified. Therefore, producers of this premium class are very popular among dog breeders. Here are some of them.
"Hills"
This manufacturer produces Premium quality food, with factories located in the Netherlands and the USA.
The line includes food for both healthy dogs of different breeds and ages, as well as those with various diseases. The company's staff includes veterinarians, candidates of science, and nutritionists. They also have furry colleagues on their team - dogs and cats.
"Nutro Choice"
A manufacturer from the USA, it has been on the market for more than 80 years and relies on high quality products.
All foods are distributed by height category, and in each category you can select them by age and activity. There is food for animals with sensitive digestion.
"Nutro Gold"
This popular manufacturer is also from the USA. Products are produced for dogs of different ages, as well as picky pets.
Among the advantages of this company is a reduced content of substances such as phosphorus and ash , which has a positive effect on kidney function.
It is also important to note the content of glucosamine and chondroitin in the feed, which are necessary for joint health. In addition, among the ingredients you can find flax seeds and rosemary. Vitamin E is used as a preservative.
"About Plan"
This is premium dry food made in France. Similar to previous manufacturers, all food is divided according to the dog’s growth.
There are also so-called veterinary diets available, that is, you can choose the type of food taking into account the health status of your pet.
Different breeds of dogs and cats have their own food
All diets are completely based on scientific research and observation data. Royal Canin specialists (more than 7,000 employees worldwide, of which 500 are veterinarians and nutritionists!) study the specific needs of animals and, based on the knowledge gained, create food for them. The diets differ not only in composition, but also in the form of the kibble, taking into account the individual needs of different breeds of dogs and cats.
For example, kibbles for a Persian cat are almond-shaped because, due to their short muzzle, Persians grab food with the lower surface of their tongue, and the almond shape makes it easier for them than others. And the kibble from the breed line for Siamese cats - they have elongated jaws - are ring-shaped: this facilitates easy capture of food and encourages the cat to chew it more thoroughly, reducing the rate of eating.
Over 50 years of research, in collaboration with breeders and veterinarians, Royal Canin has identified more than 25 breeds of cats and dogs with unique nutritional needs related to their physiology and behavior.
Features of wet food
The first type of dog food produced on an industrial scale was wet food, which appeared in the form of canned food back in 1922 (for cats - in 1930). Until now, having expanded its range many times over, it has not lost its attractiveness for manufacturers and consumers.
Wet food comes in the form of pates and pieces of meat in sauce. Many dogs simply adore canned food and gobble it up with great appetite.
Benefits of wet food:
• easily and quickly absorbed,
• has an attractive aroma and excellent taste,
• helps replenish the lack of fluid in the body,
• various additives or medications can be easily mixed into it.
Swallowing food quickly with little or no “use” of your teeth does not provide the strengthening and cleaning benefits that porous pads provide. In addition, if your pet is fed only wet food, this has a number of negative consequences:
• constant feeding of canned food causes persistent addiction, as a result of which the dog will begin to turn off dry food;
• the nutritional value of canned food is low, since it contains only up to 30% natural meat;
• the family budget will decrease faster than when purchasing dry food, because... Canned food is quite expensive, and their portions should be larger than dry food.
Don’t forget that when purchasing food, you should look at the side of the package where the ingredients are listed; their composition should be specific, without dyes or artificial flavors.
Feeding your dog natural food
Many veterinarians insist that only natural food is a good solution for dog nutrition, because it is the most natural option. However, they immediately clarify: this is a good solution only if the owners are willing to spend time and effort on adjusting and competently preparing the diet, choosing quality products and their proper processing.
Natural food is a much more troublesome option than dry food. Nutrition must be adjusted to the dog's needs, and they change over time. And if in the case of ready-made products it is enough to come to the store and choose the appropriate packaging, then natural products require a more painstaking approach.
It is equally important to remember that natural food is not food from the human table. The body of a dog and a person are structured too differently, and the owner’s failure to understand this fact can cost the pet’s health. For example, a dog’s body does not absorb sugar - the animal’s metabolism is simply unable to do this, therefore the habit of giving the dog sweets is fraught with the development of diabetes mellitus.
Much of what is considered to be treats for dogs is actually almost poison for them. The following are subject to a complete and unconditional ban:
- Tubular bones.
- Sweets and all foods containing salt/sugar.
- Smoked products including sausage, sausage, smoked meat and fish.
- Canned food intended for human use.
- Products and dishes with spices and vinegar.
A dog's daily diet should include:
- Meat and meat by-products.
- Cottage cheese and fermented milk products.
- Vegetables and fruits.
- Cereals.
- Fish.
Consultation with a veterinarian about the menu in this case is a prerequisite. The diet must be compiled taking into account the lifestyle, age and physical condition of the pet.
The benefits of natural feeding
- You independently control what products you feed your dog, and you can be sure of their quality.
- You can completely eliminate the risk of emulsifiers, flavorings, preservatives, and sugar entering your diet.
- If an allergy occurs, you don’t have to change the entire diet, but replace only one component.
- The natural fiber and proteins in the composition are beneficial for the dog’s digestive system, and the load on the chewing apparatus in this case is also optimal.
Disadvantages of natural feeding
- The need to in-depth study the physiological needs of the pet in order to balance the diet, taking into account all significant factors.
- Difficulty in terms of choosing, purchasing and preparing products, inability to stick to the usual menu when traveling.
- High total cost of products, since you will have to buy only high-quality food.
- The need to take into account the temperature regime: dogs should not be given hot or cold food.
The efforts pay off in the excellent health of the pet. However, there is a purely psychological aspect: people do not always have time to delve even into their own diet. If this is the case, high-quality dry food is better than chaotic and ill-considered feeding with “regular” foods.
