As a pet parent, adopting a dog would have been the most exciting part of your life. You would plan endlessly about how your new companion would be? How many adventures will you have together? All this is exciting but caring for your dog also keeps you on your toes. A thousand questions will cloud your brain. What supplies do you need? What type of dog food should you buy? Which vet should you take your dog to? These decisions are not very tough and with time you will be able to crack the code. You should spend time understanding the types of dog food and then make an informed selection that is best for your four-legged friend.
Main types of dog food
As a pet parent, you will see four types of dog food available for you to choose from:
- Kibble or dry dog food: This food is low in moisture content. It commonly comes in the form of kibble. Flakes, biscuits, or mixers are also a common form of this type of food. This is one of the most economical options when it comes to food for your dog. Storing kibble is easy as you can store it in a dog food storage container. The crunch in the food keeps the dog’s teeth clean and thus aids in dental hygiene. Kibble is easy to serve, no cooking, preparation, or thawing is needed. Just scoop it out and serve it. However, while selecting dry food you need to be very careful and choose one without artificial colours, preservatives, and flavours.
- Canned or moist dog food: Moist dog food has a very high moisture content and thus has a very different texture as compared to kibble. This is best for dogs with a poor dental condition as it is soft and easy to chew. It comes in cans, pouches, or trays and should be cooked at a very high temperature to sterilize the food. This has a long shelf life and is very expensive. You should look for an option that is nutritionally complete for your dog, so read the labels carefully before making a purchase.
- Semi-moist dog food: This is not a popular type of dog food and is not recommended by most experts as it has low nutritional value. Semi-moist dog food usually has a high content of artificial flavours. It commonly looks like soft pellets and has a chewy texture. Before you give this diet to your dog, you must consult the vet.
- Frozen dog food: Raw dog food usually comes in a frozen form as it is susceptible to bacterial infestation. Many experts in the pet food industry are now recommending this type of dog food. However, this type of dog food is quite expensive and will cost you almost twice the conventional kibble. Their shelf-life is shorter, and you need to consume them in about 3-4 days. This is also very effort intensive as you need to clean the bowl after every meal, be vigilant about the packaging, wash your hands and sanitize the surfaces and store the leftovers with utmost care.
How to make the right choice?
Once you know about the different types of dog food, the ultimate choice is yours. You can consider various factors like dog’s nutritional requirements, the diet they are already used to, and your budget. You need not stick with just one type of dog food; you can mix and match. Pick a brand that matches your need and budget and what your dog enjoys eating. Once you understand the different types of dog food, a major part of the job is done.
