Types Of Dog Food: 5 Things You Should Know
There are different types of dog food available on the market. Now, was this always like this? Have dogs maintained their diet since they became part of human life?
The idea about the nutritional requirements of the dog has changed a few times throughout the shared history between humans and canines, mainly due to the advance of science.
The knowledge and quantification of the daily needs of nutrients that dogs have has advanced and with this, it has been possible to deepen in many aspects and improve others.
Thanks to this, today, when it comes to feeding the pet, we can have several options capable of benefiting both its proper development and its well-being.
A long commitment to good nutrition
From weaning, which takes place between 7 and 9 weeks of age, dog guardians have the obligation to provide adequate food.
We must bear in mind that the needs will vary, depending on the stage of development. In general, we have to:
- In puppies, the energy and nutrient needs are higher than in adults, due to their rapid growth.
- Depending on the stage in which the adult dog is, the needs may be different. In this sense, aspects such as: pregnancy, lactation, old age must be considered.
- The needs are also influenced by the health status of the dog, its size and the breed to which it belongs.
A correct diet helps prevent multiple health problems. For example, bone or skin, as well as to improve the health and physical appearance of the animal.
In relation to the above, we must decide whether we want to provide a homemade diet or an industrially formulated diet.
Types of dog food, according to their quality
Commercially, there are three types of dog food:
- Commercial or standard.
- Premium.
- Super premium.
Commercial or standard foods are marketed through the supermarket chain. The formulas are variable (quality of ingredients and source may vary), and generally have lower digestibility than a premium food .
Some of the low cost foods for dogs are based mainly on cereals and other proteins of plant origin. Commonly, soy is used as protein, which can, although it provides benefits, can also cause flatulence or allergies in some cases.
Although these products may have attractive prices, many breeders prefer animal proteins and believe that they are better for taking care of the health of their dogs.
Premium foods have better ingredient quality, higher digestibility, and good to excellent nutrient availability. Therefore, there are those who prefer this option over standard foods.
On the other hand, super premium foods are developed to provide optimal nutrition. They have an excellent availability of nutrients there is greater digestibility. In addition, it contains higher quality ingredients than a premium , they are more expensive and are only sold in veterinary clinics.
How to make a smart purchase?
Before buying, it is important to read the composition label: the ingredients are listed in order of quantity. Thus, the first is the one that uses the greatest quantity in this recipe and so on.
Another factor to consider is the percentages, it is usual for some brands to break down the cereal content in two in such a way that it seems that it has less cereal.
Regarding the protein composition, it is advisable to make sure that the ingredient that appears – whether it is meat or fish – is dehydrated. This is important because the wet weight of the meat includes the water content that reaches 60-70% water, which dilutes the final protein content.
Types of dog foods, according to their moisture content
Basically, dog food is of three types: dry, semi-wet and wet (canned).
- Dry food. The feed contains a low moisture content with values ranging between 3 and 11%. It has an average of 17-25% protein, 7-12% fat, 35-50% carbohydrates.
- Semi-humid food. They have an intermediate moisture content between dry and humid, which normally varies between 15 and 35%, they contain 17-25% protein, 6-12% fat and 35-50% carbohydrates.
- They are made from fresh or frozen animal tissues, cereals, fats and simple sugars. They use humectants and acidification with simple organic acids to allow them to be preserved for a longer time.
- Wet food. These foods are commonly canned, they have a high moisture content ranging between 75 and 87%, their protein content is 7–9%, 3-9% fat and 2-13% carbohydrates and their digestibility fluctuates between 80 and 85%.
- This presentation normally provides the same nutrients as the feed, but has a greater acceptance by the dog, given its greater palatability.
The BARF diet
BARF is the acronym for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food , in Spanish it has been called ACBA (Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods).
This proposal seeks to recreate the natural diet of the dog. In the wild, a dog could eat uncooked prey (other medium-sized animal species) as well as fruits, berries, manure from herbivores, and carrion.
The diet includes serving the portion of the muscles, also the internal organs and bones. It also includes fish or poultry, as well as unpasteurized milk and raw eggs.
Raw meat-based diets can be divided into 2 main categories: commercial and home-prepared.
The main reason given by different organizations for opposing BARF feeding was that possible pathogen contamination of raw meat causes health risks. A very real risk in the case of salmonellosis.
Nor have there been published reports on the long-term evaluation of the risks and benefits of these types of diets. The lack of consensus and the scarcity of scientific data are a major difficulty for veterinarians when it comes to giving (or not) recommendations.
What is known is that dogs need to maintain a balanced diet to obtain the necessary energy, day by day. As guardians, we have a duty to feed our dogs properly.
