How to Make a Wise Dog Food Decision

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Critical Background Details: There are some important things you need to know before picking food for your dog.
--Wheat and corn are prime allergens for dogs, it's almost always best to avoid foods that contain these items (and ideally any grain).
--Because dogs have shorter intestines, foods that are generally healthy for humans (such as most fruits and vegetables) are most passed through by dogs who aren't capable of extracting most of the value in complex carbohydrates. So kibble that boasts of lots of complex carbohydrates from fruits and veggies isn't as healthy as it appears.
--Fat content isn't bad for dogs. Research with performance dogs shows that those with a higher percentage of fat in their diet were quicker, leaner, and were injured less. Dogs that are overweight or even obese don't benefit from a low-fat diet (like humans do). Instead, they need smaller portions of food and more activity.
--Cheaper kibble require bigger serving sizes (because the dog isn't capable of processing as much of the food). A higher quality food (a 5-6 star rated food at www.dogfoodanalysis.com) requires a smaller serving because a higher percentage of the kibble is used by the dog rather than turned into waste. Thus, if you look at two bags of food that weigh the same, the food with the higher percentage of protein and fat will last longer.
--It makes sense to pick a food and stick with it for several months. Switching food frequently (or serving one brand one day and another the next) can upset stomachs of some dogs (leading to runny stools).
Step 2

Deciding What Food.
--Wet or Dry? Wet food has a longer shelf life and is better protected from rodents. Dry food is easier to control portions (and thus avoid obesity issues). It also cleans teeth and reduces tartar. If you mix dry and wet, many dogs will pick out the dry only eat the wet food (which complicates portion control even more).
--Protein and Fat Levels? Dogs fed protein levels of less than 13% die of malnutrition. In the wild, canines can eat diets consisting almost entirely of meat. Adult dogs should eat protein levels of at least 28% and fat levels of at least 13% (with higher levels of both being fine). Puppies should eat puppy-specific food (because higher protein levels will produce body growth faster than the bones develop creating issues later in life). The only dogs that really should be on a low-fat food are aging dogs with little or no activity.
--Protein sources. Of the first 5 ingredients on the package, 3 of them should be specific proteins (meaning from a specific source such as "chicken" rather then "fish" or "poultry"). Dogs that have allergy problems tend to benefit from a single source protein (a kibble that comes from mostly one type of meat). Additionally, it makes sense to switch dog food every 6 months to a year because it is possible for a dog to develop an allergy to a specific food if fed that source (such as chicken) continuously.
--Taste. Dogs may show a preference for one food over another. And switching foods periodically is a good way to provide variety. Once you identify a couple of foods that you think are a good fit, you'll probably discover that your dog seems to really like some foods but not others--that's natural (and it may also change over time, just has human taste preferences change).
--Dogs with sensitive stomachs will tend to do better with blander foods (such as chicken and rice) and also sole source foods (one primary protein source).
Step 3

Special situations:
--With a new puppy, don't be surprised if your new addition won't eat for a few days. It probably isn't the food. But dogs (especially puppies) that stress from new surroundings or being away from the litter may not eat for a few days.
--An adult rescue may not eat or show some initial stomach distress. This is because your rescue has probably gotten used to a specific food and is now suddenly being given something different. Don't worry, your new dog will adjust. The worst thing you can do is to try 3 different foods in 3 different days--this will just compound the problem.
--Low-fat foods are not for overweight or obese dogs. The solution for a dog that is overweight is smaller feeding portions and more activity.