Whether you get a puppy or an adult dog, it will have specific dietary needs. Puppies have different dietary needs than adults, and so do seniors. Large breed dogs have different needs than small breed dogs. Some dogs do better on high protein high fat diets while others need more fiber to remain healthy. There are many choices for dog food, so you should have no trouble finding the perfect fit.
If you have a small breed dog or a large breed dog you should consider choosing a food that is size specific. Small breed foods have smaller kibble that is more palatable, meaning tasty, for finicky eaters; have a calorie count more suited to your small breed dog, because they have to use a whole lot more energy to get where they are going; and have a balance of vitamins and minerals more suited to a small breed. Large breed foods have more of some minerals, such as calcium, and often have more protein and fat for your rapidly growing dog.
Unless directed to do so by your vet, always feed a food that is specific to your dog’s life stage. Puppies, and pregnant moms should eat puppy food because they are growing so quickly that they need the extra nutrients. Feed a puppy food until your dog is 12 months old. Adult dogs do not need the extra help, because they are not growing and generally are not as active. Senior dogs need things like glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health, and a lower calorie diet because again, they are moving around less. When choosing the right food, look at the ingredient panel first. You can identify a premium dog food based on the ingredients used. A protein, preferably meat, should be the first ingredient. Many food brands are touting "whole" meat as the first ingredient, which is great, but because that meat contains all of its water, by the time the food is processed into a kibble, that meat is actually only 20% of its original weight! Look for meat meals. The mealing process takes out all the water, and what’s left is a fine powder. A meal is usually 300% more protein concentrated than the whole meat. Beyond the meat protein first, a good, easily digestible carbohydrate should be in the top 5 ingredients. Rice, potato, sweet potato, and oatmeal are a few good ones, but the only carbs that are not so much recommended are corn and wheat, and this has more to do with the quality of the individual source, and not the ingredient it self.
There are a few things I recommend avoiding. The first is unspecified sources. If something is listed as "Poultry-meal" then it can be any type of poultry, from chicken, to quail or even pigeon. This is bad because it means the food doesn't have to be consistent. The producer can literally choose whichever bird happens to be cheapest that month. Anything labeled "Animal" or lacking an animal distinction (Like "meat-and-bone meal or by-product meal) can legally be ANY kind of animal, even road kill!
Many of the foods I recommend most are a bit on the pricy side, but when you look at the difference in the quantity of food your dog eats, it really ends up about the same. If you are feeding a food that is mostly corn, and is not very digestible, your dog will have to eat more food to get the nutrition it needs. If you are feeding a food with highly digestible ingredients, then your dog wont have to eat as much to get the same nutrients. A friend of mine switched from feeding her dog a lower quality "basic" food to a premium nutrition food, and even though she has to spend more for each bag, she buys fewer bags. This has saved her quite a bit, and her dog poops less too!
Happy Feeding!
Lauren.
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