What is the best dog food for adult dogs

Food for adult dogs

A dog's diet is one of the keys to its health. There are several types of food for adult dogs, so we must inform ourselves and decide correctly. In addition to traditional kibble-based foods, today, alternatives are used that are not always suitable for our pets. In this post, we review the most common types of dog food, their benefits, and their health consequences.

Most common types of dog food

As we said, our dog's diet directly influences its health. The three types of food we analyze below have proven to be very beneficial, which is why they are included in most of the diets that our pets follow.

• Dry kibble: Dry kibble is the most economical food, provides most of the nutrients an adult dog needs, and is also very easy for them to digest. It is essential to ensure that the kibble we buy does not contain chemicals (some brands still use them to extend shelf life). Its main disadvantage is that, being a dry food, it contains a minimal amount of hydration.
• Wet food: Usually sold in cans. Its main benefit is the high concentration of moisturizing agents, which helps your pet not to continuously depend on the water it drinks. Our pets usually love wet food, although these foods tend to cause tartar, as they do not have the classic kibble to chew and clean their teeth; furthermore, to prolong their preservation, the foods are subjected to high temperatures, losing a large part of their nutrients.
• Prepared diets: We refer to diets based on natural foods prepared by ourselves, which mainly include fresh meat, vegetables, and fruits. More and more people are encouraged to feed their pets with this type of preparation, however, as we will see later, we can cause serious health problems in our dog if the foods are not correct.

These three alternatives have their disadvantages, however, a combination of dry kibble and quality canned food is healthy in the vast majority of cases. We can also include some fresh food.

What is the BARF diet for dogs?

Diets for dogs that include natural foods are becoming increasingly popular. Diets prepared by owners can be enriching, but it will be essential to know the recommended and harmful foods, as well as the appropriate amounts.

The BARF diet is based on natural ingredients; in reality, it is about feeding them with the nutrients their digestive system has needed during thousands of years of evolution.

Basically, what the BARF diet includes is the following:

• Meaty bones: This is the basis of the diet, representing up to 60% of the total food. These are bones with a small amount of meat.
• Lean meat/fish: 20% of this diet is represented by raw meat and fish.
• Offal: Offal and organs provide many nutrients such as proteins, minerals, and vitamins. 10% of the diet would be sufficient.
• Fruits and vegetables: Finally, 10% of their diet consists of fruits and vegetables, beneficial for their teeth and digestive system, especially if we crush them beforehand.

Before deciding on this diet, or any other that contains fresh food, you should know how these ingredients affect your dog, because not all breeds digest them correctly.

What happens if I give my dog my food?

Most of the foods we humans eat are not advisable for canine consumption. In addition, there are many ingredients that, after going through the usual cooking process, can harm their health.

In general, human food contains a much higher percentage of fat than a dog needs, so if you have a habit of giving them leftovers, your dog may develop obesity problems.

And finally, there are foods that can be very toxic to our pets. Chocolate, grapes, avocado, or onion are especially harmful, so they should not ingest them under any circumstances.

As always, each dog breed and each stage needs a specific diet, so we must know the different types of dog food and give our best friend the diet they need. If you have any questions about what might best suit your dog, consult your veterinarian.

We hope we have helped you choose the right food for your dog.

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