Whether you’re looking to decide on a diet for your new puppy, or you feel your dog is in need of something more nutritionally balanced and healthy, it’s important to know what food to feed your dog and why. There are so many different forms of dog food, dog treats and supplements available which all make up your dog’s diet, so it’s crucial that you are feeding them the correct things to keep them healthy and happy.
Do Your Research
Knowing the difference between types of dog food can be so difficult without any research, so give yourself some time to look into the different types and which will be best suited to your dog. There are lots of expert advice articles available, like these, to help educate you and inform you of the different options. A dog’s diet can be dependent on its breed, stage in life and so on, including things like allergies and intolerances, so you need to have an idea as to what your dog needs and why certain foods are going to be better than others.
Check the Labels
It’s easy to pick something that looks bright, bold and exciting but behind the branding and the packaging, do you really know what’s inside your dog’s food? So many people opt for the colourful, pretty products that actually have the wrong ingredients for their pets, so it’s really important to look further into the ingredients and actually check the labels before you go ahead any purchase. You may be wondering how you can achieve this when shopping online, but by simply scrolling down the product page, you’ll find all of the information about what’s inside the dog food, as well as any allergy advice and so on. Take Petwell, for example, their products are listed with product information as well as a Q&A section, ideal for you to ask their experts any questions you may have before you choose the right dog food.
Breed Requirements
Many dog breeds require different levels of nutrition to keep them healthy. For example, the nutrients required for a sausage dog may differ slightly from those of a Great Dane, but as long as you understand this then you’ll find it much easier settling on your dog’s diet. One very easy thing that many brands today are doing with their packaging is identifying the age range of that food, as well as the breed size. You’ll notice that certain dog foods are suitable for small puppies, whereas others may be relevant to a large senior dog. Speak to your vet or other dog owners to find out which foods work best for each breed, as this will help you figure out what your dog would benefit from consuming.
Trialling Different Options
Once you’ve identified which diet your dog needs to have, you then need to ensure your dog is going to enjoy it. Dogs are extremely clever and sometimes fussy creatures and if you feed them something they don’t like, they won’t hesitate to let you know about it. Before you stock up on the foods you’ve been advised or have seen at a good price in the shop, make sure you trial the dog food first. Get a week’s worth of food and see how your dog gets on with it. You’ll more than likely find that they’re happy, but there are the odd occasions where dogs decide they aren’t keen and you can be stuck with a load of food you can’t get them to eat.
