Terri Ramsey Beavers We love our food, and we recognize what a big impact our diet has on our health and wellbeing. The same is true for your canine family. Human food has a dizzying array of options, so it’s no surprise that dog food choices are just as extensive.
In this article, you’ll learn about key factors that should influence the choice of dog food, and also some innovative ways to feed your dog that you may not have thought of before. If your dog knew what you’re reading right now they’d be drooling and would definitely be wagging their tail.
Consider Life Stage
Just like humans, the nutritional needs of dogs changes depending on their stage in life. When dogs are young puppies, they need more protein content in their food to support the proper growth and development of their muscle tissue. There are some dog food brands that produce food specially formulated to meet the needs of young puppies.
At the other end of the spectrum, aging dogs can benefit from food formulated to support joint health and help them stay lean by eating lower-calorie food. You might also want to consider the dental health of your dog, as dry food will help support stronger and healthier teeth.
Big vs Small
Another important factor in food choice can depend on the size of your dog. Large breeds can suffer from joint problems and so you may find there are specific brands that focus on providing food with supplements like glucosamine.
In contrast, smaller dogs require more calories per pound than larger dogs. That’s because small dogs can be high-energy even when not exercising. Also, because they have smaller mouths, they need kibble that is smaller and more manageable for them.
Genetic Factors
Other factors you should consider are related to the dog’s genetics or breed. For example, some breeds require a higher content of fiber in their food as they are prone to digestive problems. Other breeds, like the labrador, are notorious for having an insatiable appetite, so some foods are designed to slow the dog down in eating the kibble because of its shape.
Another consideration, although not directly related to the food type, is how often you feed your dog. An automatic dog feeder is an ingenious way of making sure your dog gets the right food at the right time.
Buy Quality Dog Food
In this article, you’ve read about some important factors to consider when choosing your dog food. The age of your dog, its size, and breed all make an important difference in which type of food they may be best suited to. There are lots of food brands that market to specific breeds which can be a good choice; however, the most important thing is to allow the principles in this article to guide your choice.
Whatever you buy, remember high-quality food will contribute to better overall health, vitality, and wellbeing of your dog. Check out other great content designed to help make your dog’s life a happy one on our site.
“Image Attribution:
Adobe Stock royalty-free image #100220659, ‘Hund mit verschiedenem Futter’ uploaded by Sabine Teichert, standard license purchased from ; file retrieved on November 27th, 2018. License details available at – image is licensed under the Adobe Stock Standard License”