A nutritional diet is the best thing you can do for your dog. Here are the Top 5 types of dog food & Their Differences. There are many pet food options, from ready-made kibble to homemade food.
Choosing the proper food for your furry friend is a critical decision. If you fail to satisfy your dog’s nutritional requirements, a series of health implications are sure to occur.
Considerations Before Choosing The Right Dog Food
There are various things to consider before picking the food type for your canine. It includes what your dog likes in food, size, financial status, lifestyle, etc.
For instance, if you’ve got an Irish wolfhound, canned pet food will burden your wallet, as this mighty breed consumes a considerable amount of food daily.
Here are the five types of dog food below
There was a time when leftovers, scrapes, and animal parts discarded by humans were wont to feed the dogs. People who were more conscious of their dogs’ health fed them meat and other healthy food.
Today, we’ve overwhelming dog food options making it difficult to gauge which one is the best. Here we’ll walk you through 5 different types of dog food available today and how they differ from each other.
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1. Kibble Or Dry Dog Food
It is the most commonly used dog food. Kibble may be a dry food made through an oven-baking or extrusion process. Air-dried pet food has high quality compared to others as air evaporates the moisture from dog food, eliminating its pathogens.
Vital nutrients are preserved, leading to nutrient-rich food for your dog. There are several pros and cons related to dry food.
Dry pet food is cost-effective, which is why it seems attractive to many dog owners. It passes through inspection and ensures nutritional completeness.
But you want to ensure that the dry dog food manufacturers have used quality ingredients and safe manufacturing methods. Expiry date must be considered a preservative, and nutrient level reduces with time.
2. Canned Dog Food (Wet)
Canned food is the second most popular dog food because of its taste, as wet food seems alluring to dogs, so they enjoy canned food. It contains fresh and frozen meats; unlike kibble, it doesn’t have processed ingredients.
The best thing about canned food is that it is free from preservatives but has a longer shelf life. Carbs are less in canned foods than dry food, another perk of this dog food.
Commercially canned foods also ensure nutritional completeness, but you must ensure the company practices safe methods to prepare canned food. As wet pet food is more expensive than a dry one, you want to guarantee that high-quality ingredients have been used.
Although carbs are low, fats are present in significant amounts in canned foods.
3. Freeze-Dried Dog Food
For extended periods, freeze-dried pet food is another welcoming option for dog owners. It’s portable and has less weight.
If your dog is affected by less appetite, this dog food is best for them as the flavor of freeze-dried dog food is irresistible.
The minimal processing and high-quality ingredients make freeze-dried food one of the best dog foods for your canine. But you’ll only use this dog food if money isn’t a problem for you because it is costly.
Also, you want to spot the “complete diet” label on frozen dog food, as most pet stores contain frozen food, which will only be used as supplements.
4. Home-Cooked Dog Food
The recurrent feeding of kibble is often tedious for your dog, so you’ll make dog food at home with exciting flavors. If you set healthy and high-quality ingredients in your dog food and practice minimal processing, your dog’s health will considerably improve.
Moreover, you’ll be satisfied as you know what he is eating and there is no danger of unhealthy food.
But cooking pet food requires dedication and understanding your dog’s nutritional requirements. There’s a risk of human error. For example, you’ll forget to add an essential ingredient to your canine food.
You have to provide supplements to avoid the dangers of nutrient deficiency. Moreover, home-cooked food is dear as compared to commercially available dog food.
5. Commercially Available Raw Food
If the advantages of raw food seem appealing to you, but you also want the ease of packaged food, this one is the perfect dog food option for you.
The ingredients in commercial raw food are fresh and undergo zero processing, which reflects that this pet food type retains maximum essential nutrients.
Many cases are reported when a dog has shown health improvement after continuous use of store-acquired raw food, as they ensure nutritional completeness. Most raw foods on the market are free from preservatives, artificial colors, or flavors.
Just like other types, there are some drawbacks of this dog food as well, like it is prone to pathogens, not practical for old or sick dogs, the temperature must be maintained, and therefore the fat quantity is higher than required.
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Which One Is The Best Dog Food For Your Pet?
It depends on different aspects. As mentioned earlier, ditch freeze-dried and canned food if money may be a problem.
Dry pet food is recommended because of its diverse flavors, nutritional completeness, and affordability. You only have to pick a reliable company and be wary of exceeding the expiry date.
No single food is ideal for every dog. Therefore the choice is yours. Pick the choice that is the best for you and your cute furry friend.
Also, using only one type of dog food is not compulsory. You’ll mix the foods mentioned above, like canned food can be mixed with kibble, and commercial dry food can have a delicious combination with raw food.
So the choice is yours; we can’t say a single type will cater to all your dog’s nutritional needs. Pick those options that are the simplest for you and your cute furry friend.