Choosing the Right Dog Food for a Healthy Canine

Of all the things I have purchased for my dog throughout her life, the most important has to be the food she eats three times a day, every day. Over the last six years I have changed her food four times for various reasons, including dental care and weight loss. Along the way I've learned a lot about what I should consider when choosing a food to keep my lovable canine healthy. Here's what I believe is important when choosing the right dog food.

Ingredients

After hearing warnings about feeding my dog foods with fillers and by-products, I immediately check the ingredients of her food, and I was shocked to see some of the things the warning told me to avoid. Naturally, I contacted her veterinarian right away to ensure the food I was feeding her was safe, and the doctor reassured me our brand of food was safe.

I now have a checklist I follow when I consider changing food brands. For example, I make sure the food contains actual meat like chicken. It also must have no more than three "meal" products (examples of those are corn meal, chicken by-product meal, or flax meal). Lastly, I prefer food that contains fish oil because it's great for my dog's joints.

Bite-size

When we first brought our dog home she was what I would have considered a "scarfer." She would nearly inhale her food the moment it touched the bowl, and in the end, it would make her sick. I turned to her veterinarian who told us to buy her food with larger pieces even if it meant feeding her a product geared towards adult dogs, which I did. Most brands offer a couple different bite-sizes; it's important to find the right size for your dog.

Dry, wet, or soft chew

Nearly every dog food brand offers both wet and dry dog foods, and some even offer something in-between called soft chew. My dog happens to like soft dog food the best, but her doctor warned us that allowing her to eat wet or soft chew alone for long periods of time could cause dental problems. To avoid that, we've decided to stick with a firm, dry food, and to supplement a wet or soft chew food as a treat.

Does my dog like it

Once a food brand meets all the standards needed to keep my furry friend healthy, it is up to her to decide if she likes it. I've found that there are some brands she just doesn't like. I'm not sure if it's the taste, texture, or something else, but it is clear that she prefers a select few over the others. Since my main goal is to keep her happy and healthy, I leave it up to her to choose.

Before choosing the best dog food for your dog, have a conversation with your veterinarian to determine what the most important things are for your pet's diet. No two dogs are exactly alike, so what works well for my dog may not be a perfect fit for yours.

Content by Threesia Goff .