For pet parents, choosing nutritious food is important to ensure the well-being of their dog. But with a plethora of options on the dog food aisle, it can be confusing to pick what’s right. It is more challenging if one is unsure about the nutritional requirements of their dog. So, it is important to look into the dog’s size, breed, and energy levels to select the most suitable dry dog food that meets their needs.
What is kibble?
Dry dog food is also known as kibble. It is made by grounding up various ingredients such as grains, legumes, meat, fruits, and vegetables, and then mixing and shaping them into pellets by cooking through an extrusion process. Grain-based kibbles use different grains as binders to keep all the ingredients together as they are mixed. Another alternative is grain-free kibble that uses legumes such as chickpeas as a binder for the ingredients.
Tips to pick the right dry dog food
Look at the GA label on the package
The Guaranteed Analysis or GA is a mandatory section that is required to be printed on every pet food label. It is similar to the Nutrition Facts label found on food packages for humans. The GA label gives information about the nutritional content of the product. In general, it shows the amount of at least four ingredients, which include crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and moisture. If a product’s label states that it contains a certain nutrient, then the GA must include these additional nutrients. For example, if the package says that the dog food has calcium for stronger bones and teeth, the GA must show the level of calcium.
Check the protein level in the food
This is labeled under “Crude Protein (min)” in the GA given on the package of the food. Looking at this will give a fairly good idea of whether a pet parent should consider buying that specific food. Usually, a higher level of protein indicates that the food is well-suited for a dog’s well-being and overall fitness. Ideally, the best dry dog food must have protein levels over 30%, and even a percentage in the mid-30s can be considered nutritious enough. But if it’s below 30%, it’s better to skip it as it might not be high-quality food. This is because low-protein foods usually have more carbohydrates. Dogs thrive on animal protein and do not require as much carbs.
Verify the top five ingredients
Checking the first five ingredients on the label is an effective way to determine the actual protein source of the dog food. Ideally, it should come from animal-based products like fish, poultry, and meat or meals made out of these ingredients. Look for animal meals and proteins like chicken and chicken meal, lamb and lamb meal, whitefish and whitefish meal, and so on. The preference should be on having free-range, cage-free, and wild-caught products.
Meals made from meat, poultry, or fish are typically a concentrated form of the protein. These are made through a cooking process known as rendering, which separates the protein from moisture and fat. Generally, dry dog food made during the extrusion process has more rendered meals instead of whole deboned meat. As far as possible, avoid buying dog food that contains generic poultry meal, meat meal, meat and bone meal, or by-products of protein.
Determine if there are good fats
Fats are considered to be an essential part of a dog’s daily meals. But not all types of fats have the same nutritional value. For example, chicken fat is good, but generic animal fat is not. One of the most commonly used ingredients, generic animal fat, is typically aggregated fat that is obtained from any source. These do not have much nutrients. Along with chicken fat, fish oil is also a rich source of good fats that help in making the dog’s coat and skin shiny and bones and joints strong.
Look out for empty fillers
Fillers do not have much significant nutritional value. They are usually used to bulk up the food or add extra flavors. Most of the time, ingredients such as wheat, corn, sorghum, soybean, and rice are used as fillers. These are generally covered in fats and by-products instead of whole foods. Also, these ingredients have high levels of carbs, which can cause problems with a dog’s metabolism. But whole grains are safe, especially for dogs that are highly active. That said, avoid refined grains and look for ancient grains such as millet, amaranth, and quinoa.
Look for any added beneficial ingredients
Some of the best dry dog foods also contain added ingredients that have extra nutritional benefits. For example, some dog foods have fruits and vegetables that are sources of essential fiber, minerals, and vitamins. But for these ingredients to make a difference, it is crucial that they are present in enough quantities. So, if these are mentioned at the end of the list of ingredients, they are not really present in sufficient levels to provide any substantial benefits. Besides this, avoid foods that contain added artificial colors and preservatives.