Our dogs are members of our family. We love them and care about them. To keep our dogs healthy and help them live longer, we need to make sound decisions concerning their food and learn to choose the best dog food for them. Many food options are found in the market. Thus, you may be confused and overwhelmed as you do not know what is appropriate for your dog.
To make a decision, you need first to have a prior idea about the various types of dog food. In this respect, this article aims at providing you with the main kinds of food that you may choose to give your dog. So, let us get in!
1- Choose the Best Dog Food: The Difference between Complete & Complementary Food
– Choose the Best Dog Food: What is Complete Food?
Complete food is the first choice for many dog owners around the world. It is believed to include every single thing that your furry friend needs to have a healthy and balanced diet. In order to be recognized as “complete”, it has to contain the nutrients that your dog requires to be fit, active, and healthy. Complete food can be either dry foods, wet foods, or raw, semi-moist, and fresh.
Although its popularity, complete food has witnessed some criticism. One of which is that many pet owners stay stuck in one individual recipe for a long period. This tendency may hinder them from trying out other typed that may benefit the health of their dogs.
– Choose the Best Dog Food: What is Complementary Food?
Complementary food is the opposite of complete food. This type does not include all the necessary nutrients that your dog requires. As a result, you need to combine them with other types of food so that your dog will have a balanced diet.
Complementary food comes in the form of wet and raw food. Traits are also complementary food for dogs. This specific type of food is important for your pet’s diet. For this reason, you need to make sure that you add them to their diet.
It is essential to carefully read and understand what is written on the packaging of your pet’s food to know if the type of food is complete or complementary. This will help you to recognize whether your pet is having a balanced and healthy diet that enables them to live a happy life. You need, of course, to provide your dog with complete food. Afterward, you have to supplement it with complementary food.
2- Choose the Best Dog Food: The Types of Dog Food:
The following are the main types of dog food. They come either in the form of complete or complementary:
1- Kibble / Dry Food
They are the most used type of food thanks to their convenience. They are available everywhere and do not need any kind of preparation. Also, you can safely store them anywhere as soon as the location is dry. Moreover, thanks to their hard texture, kibble or dry food help in reducing tartar. This will make your dog’s teeth and gums healthy in addition to fresh breathing.
If you choose kibble or dry food for your dog, you do not have to think about nutritional completeness. This is because many brands found in the market add the exact amount of nutrients your dog needs. You can choose for your dog as you will find a number of options. These incorporate multiple flavors and specific mixtures that you can offer to your dog regardless of its life stage.
As a pet parent, you have to be aware of the fact that some types of dry food may not equally include the same quality of ingredients. You will find that some dry food has heavy carbohydrates the thing which can generate some health issues.
2- Canned Food
Your dog may prefer canned food over others. Well, the majority of dogs are the same. If your dog tends to lose appetite from time to time, then canned dog food is what they need. Although this type of food has an unpleasant odor, most dog owners find it convenient as it is available everywhere in supermarkets. Moreover, canned food may last for a long period of time.
Canned food has some drawbacks. First, it is expensive. If you buy it very often, it will cost you a lot. Furthermore, it does not include the protein that your dog needs, it contains much fat, and has a low water level. If you wish to purchase canned food for your dog, look for one that is labeled 100% nutritionally complete.
3- Semi-Moist Food
This kind of food is the least nutritional food that you can provide to your dog. It incorporates several coloring as well as artificial flavors. It includes meaty food. You need to make sure not to think of semi-moist food as a diet. This is because it does not include the nutrients needed to preserve your dog’s health.
4- Raw Food
Many pet owners today prefer a raw diet. The latter consists of raw eggs, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, muscle meat, and organ meats. This type of food, especially bones provide the phosphorus and calcium your dog requires. This diet is beneficial for many dogs, as dogs find it easy to digest raw food.
5- Home Cooked Food
Some dog parents find it more appropriate to follow a home-cooked diet. They feel relieved knowing that they control what their dogs are eating. If you are planning to start a home-cooked diet for your pet, you need first to understand canine nutrition to make sure that your dog is getting all the nutrients that they need.
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Last Words
Having a dog is not an easy task to achieve. But looking at their innocent eyes, you will immediately know that it is worth it. You will fall in love!
To help your dog live longer and healthier, you should choose for them the right diet that is appropriate for them. As we mentioned here in this article, there are various types of food to choose from. If you notice or face any difficulty concerning your dog’s food, you need to visit a vet.
Your dog deserves to live happily and healthily and to know more check our complete guide called Dogs Food: Everything You Need to Know On How To Feed Your Dog.
