Dogs Dog Nutrition & Food

How to Choose the Right Dog Food

Here's how to make sure your dog is getting everything they need.

Bowl of dog food
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Trying to figure out how to choose a dog food? Proper nutrition is one of the most basic needs of dogs and a good diet is one of the best ways to keep your dog healthy. Choosing a dog food can be tough, but it's ultimately up to you to decide what to feed your dog. You'll want to consider things like the type of food, quality of ingredients, and cost to fit your budget. Do plenty of research so you can make an informed decision about your dog's diet. Here's how to choose dog food to keep your dog healthy and happy.

Understanding Dog Nutrition

There's a lot of information about canine nutrition available out there. Thousands of dog food options are available, and opinions about canine nutrition vary among veterinarians, breeders, trainers, and other dog owners. Even the experts don’t always agree on the best type of dog foods, in part because there's not just one answer. Some of the information you find may be inaccurate or inconsistent. Certain websites are more reliable than others, but your veterinarian is always the best resource. If you still have questions about feeding your dog, you may want to ask for a referral to a veterinary nutritionist.

Basic Nutritional Needs of Dogs

All dogs need to eat enough calories to provide energy for their bodies and maintain healthy weights. These calories come from protein, fat, and carbohydrates. In addition, dogs need several vitamins and minerals to support their bodies, just like people.

  • Protein is essential to build muscle and is broken down into amino acids, which help maintain several bodily functions. In dog food, protein often comes from chicken, beef, or fish but may use less common meats, such as lamb.
  • Fat contains fatty acids, which provide energy, support brain function, and help maintain healthy joints, skin, and coats. All dogs need some fat in their diets, but too much can cause gastrointestinal upset and lead to obesity. The fat in dog food may come from animal fats and/or plant oils.
  • Carbohydrates help raise the calorie content of dog food to an appropriate amount without adding excess fat or protein, providing sustainable energy to dogs. Dog foods may contain carbohydrates from grains such as rice, corn, or wheat. Grain-free diets often use potatoes or other starches, but they should be fed with caution due to a link between grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs.
  • Vitamins help support many systems in the body and are necessary for all animals. Dogs require certain amounts of vitamins A, D, E, and K as well as several of the B vitamins.
  • Minerals such as calcium, phosphorous, iron, copper, zinc, and selenium work to support healthy bones and maintain many other bodily functions, such as muscle movement. The electrolytes potassium, chloride, and sodium are crucial to support fluid balance in the body.
  • Water is in most dog foods, including dry kibble, and is typically listed on the label as moisture percentage. Of course, it's always important to provide clean, fresh drinking water for your dog regardless of the moisture content in their food. Know that dogs will typically drink less water if they eat wet food.

Importance of Balanced Nutrition

A balanced diet contains a variety of ingredients that provide the right number of calories and nutrients to keep dogs healthy. For example, an imbalanced diet with too much protein can burden the kidneys, but one with too little protein will not support a dog's bodily functions. Some essential vitamins and minerals need to be added in just the right amounts to be beneficial and safe.

Commercial dog foods should contain a label from the Association of American Feed Control Officials, a non-profit organization that sets pet food standards in the United States. The AAFCO label means that the food meets the minimum standards for complete and balanced canine nutrition.

Some people prefer to avoid commercial diets and prepare their dog's food at home. However, making your dog's food from scratch requires close attention to ensure it's complete and balanced. For information about preparing your own homemade diet, learn how to do it properly on a site like BalanceIt.com, and always ask your veterinarian for assistance.

Evaluating Dog Food Ingredients

A dog food that meets AAFCO requirements is not necessarily a high-quality or low-quality diet. You can get an idea of the quality of dog food by looking at the ingredient list, but diet quality is very subjective. Many pet parents make food choices for their dogs based on their own nutrition standards, and there's nothing wrong with this as long as the food is complete and balanced and contains no harmful ingredients.

Dog food ingredients are listed in order of weight from highest to lowest, so the first four to five ingredients are what make up the bulk of the food. There's no universal standard for the quality of dog food, but many consider a diet high in quality if meat-based items are listed as the first two to three ingredients.

Some people prefer natural diets, ancestral diets, or raw food diets that contain whole food ingredients and are minimally processed. The theory is that nutrients are more available to dogs in these diets and that they're not getting unnecessary additives. Raw food diets should be used with caution due to the risks of bone fragments in the minimally processed food that may present a choking or puncture hazard, and the presence of bacteria or parasites that might cause illness or infections in your dog.

Once you decide what is most important to you, analyze the label to choose a food that best meets your standards.

Ingredient List Analysis

Here are some of the more common ingredients found in dog food and what they're for:

  • Meat or poultry provides protein. This is the muscle of the animal and contains water, so it may weigh more than other ingredients but not contribute as much to the nutrient profile.
  • Meat or poultry by-products also provide protein and are not necessarily bad for dogs. These are often made up of organs and other animal parts but do not contain hair, horns, teeth, or hooves.
  • Meal made from meat, poultry, or their by-products are ground versions of the above ingredients and provide protein. These contain less water than muscle meats and are typically more nutrient-dense.
  • Animal fats or plant oils provide fatty acids and add flavor to the food. These may be listed as mixed tocopherols, which also serve as preservatives.
  • Plant ingredients, such as rice, corn, soy, barley, potatoes, and peas add nutrients and calories to dog food. Starches also help dry food stay together in kibbles.
  • Dietary fiber may include ingredients such as inulin, powdered cellulose, dried beet pulp, dried chicory root, and fructooligosaccharide.
  • Preservatives are necessary to keep dry food fresh and safe. You may see synthetic preservatives such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and ethoxyquin. Natural preservatives include vitamin E (also known as tocopherol), vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid), and rosemary extract. Some dog foods contain a combination of natural and synthetic preservatives

Ingredients to Avoid

If you're seeking a high-quality diet for your dog, you may wish to avoid foods with corn, wheat, rice, barley, or soy listed in the first few ingredients. However, it's not necessary to completely avoid these carbohydrates unless your dog has a sensitivity to them.

Food dyes are sometimes added to pet food in order to appeal to humans but are unnecessary for dogs. Added sugar, which may be listed as corn syrup, adds flavor but also calories. Sugar is not necessary in dog food so you may want to avoid it, especially if your dog is at risk for diabetes or obesity.

Some people fear that synthetic preservatives are bad for dogs, but there is no scientific evidence to support this. However, if you prefer a natural diet for your dog, you may wish to choose a food with only natural preservatives.

Types of Dog Food

Commercial dog food has traditionally been available in wet (kibble) or dry (canned) varieties. However, modern nutrition trends have resulted in more choices for pet parents, including fresh dog food (refrigerated or frozen) and dehydrated (often freeze-dried) formulas.

You can pick just one type of food for your dog or mix foods together, but talk with your veterinarian to ensure you're meeting your dog's nutritional needs. Fans of natural diets may prefer fresh or fresh-frozen foods because they often contain whole-food ingredients and fewer (or no) chemicals.

Considering Specific Dog Needs

To choose the right food for your dog, consider several factors, including your dog's life stage, breed, and other individual needs.

Age-Specific Nutrition

AAFCO requires commercial dog food to be labeled according to life stage. Puppies, pregnant dogs, and nursing mothers all require more calories and nutrients to support growth. These foods will typically contain a statement that says the food is for growth, gestation/lactation, or "all life stages." A food that says "for maintenance" is designed for only full-grown adult dogs.

Senior dog foods are not regulated by AAFCO, so there are no set standards to meet. Foods labeled for senior dogs will vary in formula from brand to brand. Your veterinarian may recommend a specific senior dog food because it has a nutrient profile designed to support your aging dog.

Breed-Specific Nutrition

Some dog food brands have formulas developed to meet the specific needs of certain dog breeds. For example, large-breed puppy foods can help regulate growth to prevent certain orthopedic issues from developing in larger dog breeds. Large-breed maintenance diets can help support joints through adulthood.

There are also some diets targeted to specific dog breeds. Some of these use scientifically-developed recipes to manage or prevent common health conditions seen in the breed. Others are simply using marketing strategies to appeal to consumers. Ask your veterinarian if one of these diets can help your dog.

Health Condition-Specific Nutrition

Some companies provide "veterinary diets" or "prescription diets" that are specifically designed to manage a medical condition, such as kidney disease or urinary tract issues. Your veterinarian may recommend one of these diets if it's appropriate for your dog. Many of these special diets are only available for purchase through your vet, but some companies make "over-the-counter" formulas that can be purchased at regular stores. If your dog has a health condition, ask your veterinarian if a special diet can help.

Performance Nutrition

Working dogs and canine athletes who participate in dog sports, herding, or hunting will require more calories to maintain body condition and support performance. Some diets are labeled "performance" or 'high-energy" because they are more dense in calories and nutrients, making them suitable for extremely active dogs. Be aware that these foods may cause weight gain if your dog's activity level slows down.

Seeking Dog Food Advice

The best source of nutrition advice is a veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist who knows your pet. Your local pet supply store may also be of assistance, but they can't replace your vet's recommendations. You can also talk to dog breeders, trainers, and groomers for more opinions, but be prepared to get conflicting advice. Remember that not all experts agree when it comes to canine nutrition, and the same goes for talking to other pet owners. Keep in mind that different dogs can react differently to the same food. Use the information you gain to further narrow your options, but remember that opinions are not facts.

Tips for Transitioning to a New Dog Food

Once you have chosen a dog food, gradually change your dog's diet, adding a little more new food to the old food each day over several days. This can help prevent gastrointestinal upset and alert you to any new food sensitivities.

A good rule of thumb is to feed one-third of the new food and two-thirds of the old for food for three days, then half and half for three days, then two-thirds new with one-third old for three days. If your dog does well during this transition, you can switch to completely feeding the new diet. Contact your veterinarian if your dog has vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite.

Once your dog is exclusively eating the new diet, it may take several weeks to notice changes in your dog's overall appearance and attitude. However, if your dog develops signs of illness, see your veterinarian. You may need to change the diet again if it does not agree with your dog in some way.

Your Dog's Diet Over Time

Most veterinarians will tell you that there's no need to change your dog's food if they are doing well on a particular diet. However, some experts recommend rotating diets every two to six months if you're feeding commercial dog food, and this typically means changing to a new food company.

Feeding the same food all the time can become boring for some dogs, so a rotation diet may be a solution for picky eaters. Plus, some experts believe that a rotational diet can minimize issues related to food recalls while others feel it can prevent some allergies and other diseases. Remember that the needs of individual dogs can vary and experts don't always agree. Consult your veterinarian about the best food choices for your dog.


Contributing Source: Susan G. Wynn, DVM, CVA, CVCH, DACVN

The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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