Dog food

Table of contents

How do you recognize the right food for your dog?
1. read the declarations
2. qualitative ingredients
3. Feeding technique
4. less choice in the dog bowl is more
Nutritional advice

Are you often unsure about the right food for your dog? Dry and wet food from countless suppliers, snacks in all varieties, raw meat feed or home-cooked rations for your four-legged friend? As an owner, you feel a great responsibility when choosing dog food. This article will give you tips on how to choose the right food.

How do you recognize the right food for your dog?

Clearly by the digestion! Flatulence, soft, frequent defecation, large amounts of feces or lack of weight gain are clear signals that something cannot be digested optimally. But frequent itching and heavy licking can also indicate a reaction to the current food. Not every dog has the same taste preferences or the same food requirements. Depending on age, breed, sex, body condition and possible illnesses, the nutritional requirements change. There is no right or wrong feeding technique when it comes to feeding dogs. It is an individual decision that you as the owner should make for your dog for the rest of its life.

Woran erkennst du das passende Futter für deinen Hund?

1. read the declarations

Every ready-to-eat feed / ready-to-eat BARF provides you with important information on the back for comparing the ingredients and analytical components. This gives you the opportunity to compare the contents transparently. The more information the manufacturer provides, the better you can recognize the quality of the ingredients. You can read here what information is on the packaging and what you should look out for: Content and claims.

2. qualitative ingredients

Muscle meat, for example, should be the main ingredient in the dog food. Ingredients containing connective tissue such as lung, udder and testicles should only be present in small quantities, as these can have a negative effect on the consistency of the feces.

3. Feeding technique

As a rule, a distinction is made between three feeding techniques, each of which has advantages and disadvantages.

BARF (needs-based, species-appropriate, raw meat, feeding)

Home-cooked rations

Ready-made food

If you want to create your own food rations, you should have the necessary knowledge to cover your pet's requirements. Home-made rations allow you to customize the composition of the ingredients in the food. But not every dog tolerates raw meat, and not every dog likes cooked offal or dry food. As long as your dog is healthy, you can try out the feeding technique that suits your everyday life and your dog.

4. less choice in the dog bowl is more

Don't feed everything from "A for Angus beef" to "P for horse." Keep exclusive food proteins such as horse, kangaroo, insects, ostrich or deer/reindeer in the back of your dog's mind.

It is better to limit the food to about 3 proteins, e.g. chicken, beef and rabbit. If your dog has persistent itching or digestive problems, it may be urgently necessary for him to find relief with the help of an exclusion diet. In short, this means the exclusive administration of unknown protein sources in all parts of the diet for 8-12 weeks.

Nutritional advice

Over the course of a dog's life, it may be necessary for the animal to follow a special diet due to digestive restrictions as it ages or due to illness. If you are unsure, you will find competent nutritionists for dogs who will recommend an individually tailored food ration and sensible nutritional supplements for your pet and give you comprehensive advice. I hope I have given you some tips for everyday life in the battle against the great food jungle.