PROS
Featuring wholesome and natural ingredients such as chicken and sweet potatoes, this food aids in the development of a growing puppy. It features proteins and some healthy fats.
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Best Dog Food
UPDATED April 2024
The right dog food will help your dog live a longer and healthier life. Our shopping guide helps you find the best types of dog food for your pets.
BEST DOG
FOOD 2024
BOTTOM LINE
Taste of the Wild makes this dog food in the United States and from natural ingredients. The formula features all the antioxidants and vitamins and minerals that growing dogs need.
PROS
Made from natural ingredients such as venison, this food will help dogs develop leaner muscles and provide them with antioxidants. It comes in both larger and smaller packages.
CONS
A small number of pet owners claimed that their dogs didn’t like or wouldn’t eat the food. Some wish that the price was lower too.
BOTTOM LINE
Both puppies and older dogs will like this Natural Balance dog food, which uses vegetables and good grains. It includes a good mix of fats, fibers and proteins for growing and older dogs.
PROS
Designed for dogs with sensitive stomachs, this wet dog food uses natural vegetables rather than meats. That blend of ingredients makes this product suitable for all dogs.
CONS
Some of the pieces inside the can may be too large for smaller dogs. A few customers found the smoky scent of the product overwhelming.
BOTTOM LINE
Made from real ingredients such as chicken and vegetables, this food is suitable for adult and older dogs. The chunks inside are small enough for most tiny breeds too.
PROS
Backed by scientific research and development, this dog food helps dogs stay healthier and live longer. It features real chicken and other ingredients to boost overall health.
CONS
Some dogs may not like the flavor of this food. It can also cause dogs to use the bathroom more often.
BOTTOM LINE
This wet food is part of a healthy and balanced diet and can help your dog lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. The recipe uses chicken and barley with other natural ingredients.
PROS
Suitable for adult dogs up to six years in age, this wet food can help you maintain your dog’s weight. It comes packed with ingredients that help your dog fill up faster.
CONS
The product may arrive with some can dents or other damage. A few shoppers said that their dogs didn’t care for its taste.
BOTTOM LINE
Larger breed puppies will like the larger pellets and the great taste of this dog food. All the natural ingredients will help with bone growth and muscle development.
CONS
Some dogs may prefer one of the other recipes. A few reviewers claimed that the food pellets were a little too large for their dogs.
Shopping Guide for the Best Dog Food
When you treat your dogs like small members of your own family, you need to feed those animals the right type of food. The best dog food for 2024 is one that will extend the life of your pet. You’ll find a number of different options such as wet or dry food. Dry food features crunchy pellets, while wet food has a softer texture. When searching for the top dog food of 2024, you may want to consider the age of your pet too. Products designed for adult dogs do not give puppies all the nutrients that they need.
Our shopping guide to the best dog food is the ultimate resource for any new pet owner. You can also use our guide if you just brought home a new dog to keep your others company.
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While this fact may not influence the information we provide, it may affect the positioning of this information
This guide goes into greater detail about the top five foods that you can see at the top of the page and includes great information on how to buy a new type of food. You’ll even get tips on how to feed your dog and when to cut back on feedings because your pet is overweight. We recommend that you start at the top of the page and work your way down to the bottom of the shopping guide.
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Selection Criteria
It’s important that you exercise caution when buying dog food because you want to avoid recalled products. Online retailers are good about removing those products to keep shoppers and their pets safe. Recalls can occur because of contaminants found in the facility that processed and packaged the food. As we worked on our list of the best dog food for 2024, we made sure that all the products we included are readily available online. You can purchase larger bags and boxes that come with multiple cans and have the food delivered right to your home.
Our shopping guide to the best dog food includes products recommended by top pet experts and specialists. We took their recommendations and checked the product reviews and descriptions on Amazon to see if real pet owners loved those products as much as the experts did. Only the products with the highest average ratings and the lowest number of negative reviews appear on our list. We also looked at the cost per ounce as well as the overall cost of the product and the ingredients listed on the packaging. As you work your way through this shopping guide, you’ll learn how to buy the right food for your dog.
Finding the Best Dog Food
Taste of the Wild has a strong reputation among pet owners because its pet foods contain natural and organic ingredients. This formula uses both real beef and bison to create a flavor that dogs of all sizes will like. As a high protein food, it does not contain all the fillers that other foods do. It provides your dog with a higher amount of protein to give that pet more energy. Though this is a dry dog food, it still uses lean cuts of meat. The manufacturer slow roasts that meat to seal in the flavor before adding it to the food.
As a dry dog food, it stores easily anywhere in your home. You can choose from several different packaging options to feed a smaller dog or to feed an entire family of pets. Many of the ingredients contain natural antioxidants and vitamins and minerals. Those ingredients will help your dog develop a shinier coat and leaner and longer muscles. The formula does not contain any corn or other grains and is free of the artificial dyes and flavors that can irritate sensitive stomachs. Taste of the Wild makes this dry food and all its other products in the United States.
Types of Dog Food
When it comes to picking a new dog food for your pet, you might think that it boils down to a simple choice between wet and dry food. Manufacturers today actually make a number of different options that are suitable for older dogs and puppies. We’ll go over both wet and dry food as well as all the other types that you can buy and the pros of each one.
Dry Dog Food
Also called kibble, dry dog food is a type of food made from hard pellets. Companies take ingredients and mix them together. They will then dry or bake the food until it forms crunchy pieces. As your dog eats and crunches down on the food, it will remove plaque and tartar from its teeth. Dry dog food is often the most affordable option and is easy to store. You can use the expiration date on the packaging to determine when you need to throw out the old food and replace it with a new batch. Dry foods can contain a large number of fillers and/or artificial ingredients.
Wet Dog Food
Wet dog food goes by a few different names, including canned food and moist food. It comes in both cans as well as pouches and trays. Pouches often contain a single serving. You can tear off the top and pour the food into your dog’s bowl. Trays have a foil or paper lid that peels off. You can let your dog eat right from the tray. With cans, you’ll need to store any leftovers in your refrigerator. Though some pet owners think that wet food is better for their pets, it may not contain as many nutrients as you thought. These foods can also make your dog have messy and loose stools.
Semi-Moist Dog Food
You might remember seeing commercials for semi-moist dog food in the past. While this type of food isn’t as popular today as it was during the 1980s, it’s still readily available online and in pet stores. Semi-moist food walks the line between wet and dry products. It comes in boxes that have a number of smaller plastic bags inside. You can divide one bag into multiple servings or feed a larger dog the whole bag at meal time. Semi-moist dog food looks like small pellets that are soft to the touch. Many of these products use a lot of artificial ingredients and do not provide dogs with the nutrients that they need.
Refrigerated Dog Food
The next time that you walk down the pet food aisle at your favorite grocery store, keep an eye out for the refrigerated section. This section will contain refrigerated foods that use natural ingredients. When you open one of these packages, you can clearly see fresh vegetables such as peas and carrots mixed with real cuts of beef and other meats. You may find that you prefer saving this type of food for special occasions rather than using it for every meal. Refrigerated dog foods are much more expensive than the other types and require that you keep the food at the right temperature between servings.
Freeze-Dried Dog Food
One of the more unique types of dog food sold today is a freeze-dried product. Manufacturers use this process to keep the food safe from bacteria. With freeze dried food, you must measure out a serving and mix it with water before feeding your dog. A similar product comes fully frozen. You’ll need to leave the food in your refrigerator for several days until it thaws before giving it to your dog. Both frozen and freeze-dried products are popular with pet owners who want to feed their dogs natural and organic ingredients. The products can cost up to four times as much as dry or wet food does.
Tips for Using Freeze Dried, Frozen and Refrigerated Dog Food
- Thoroughly wash and dry your dog's bowl and any utensils that you used for serving after your pet finishes eating
- Place any leftovers in a sealed plastic container that you store in your refrigerator
- Throw away any food that you left sitting out for an extended period of time
- Clean and sanitize anything the food touched or anything that you or your pet will touch later
- Wash your hands before and after serving the food
Benefits of Store-Bought Dog Food
Some pet owners assume that feeding their dogs a daily diet of home cooked meals is better than using store-bought food. You can choose all the fresh vegetables and other ingredients that you want to use such as meats and grains when making your own food. This is a lengthy process though and will cost more than you expected. The top benefits that store bought foods have over homemade foods include:
- Less expensive: Depending on the size of your dog and its feeding schedule, the cost of making meals can easily hit $10 to $20 or more every day. You can spend the same amount on bagged or canned food that will last much longer.
- More convenient: Unless you work from home or only work a few hours a week, you may not have the time that it takes to made homemade meals from scratch for your dog. Packaged foods let you measure the amount that you need in seconds.
- Easier to store: Store bought dog foods are easier to store too. You can keep unused cans and bags in your pantry or garage. Canned foods go right into the fridge after serving, while bagged foods will fit into cabinets and storage containers.
Foods You Should Never Give Your Dog
How Old is Your Dog?
One of the top things to consider before buying any type of dog food is the age of your pet. If you just adopted a new dog and aren’t sure of its age, you should talk to a veterinarian before implementing a feeding schedule and using a specific type of food.
Dog food typically comes in formulas designed for puppies, adult dogs and senior or mature dogs. Some manufacturers use the term older dog on their packages. Dogs grow at a rapid rate over the course of the first year or two. Those animals need a food that features more healthy fats and proteins. Those ingredients will help them develop better bones and muscles.
Senior formulas contain more proteins and fatty acids that help dogs maintain their current lifestyles. You can typically start feeding your dog this type of food once it hits the six-year mark. Some senior dog foods can also reduce the risk of your pet developing serious medical conditions, including arthritis and heart disease.
Many companies also make standard foods designed for adult dogs. They refer to these dogs as those who are at least one year old up to around five to seven years in age.
Expert Tip
The term puppy refers to dogs that are up to 24 months or two years of age. You can continue feeding your dog puppy food until it reaches this mark, but you should then switch the dog to an adult food.
Dogs of all ages can develop sensitive stomachs that will prevent them from eating certain types of foods. We picked this product from Natural Balance as the best wet dog food because its formula is suitable for those sensitive tummies. Each can contains a mixture that includes at least 8% protein and at least 5% fan in its formula. That formula also includes the fiber that keeps your dog regular. As this is a wet food, it has a much softer texture that older dogs can easily process. It’s also a good choice for growing puppies with smaller teeth.
You can use this wet food by itself or mix it with dry food before feeding your dog. Each package comes with 12 cans that contain 13 ounces of the food. In addition to real cuts of beef, this formula features brown rice and other grains as well as sweet potatoes. This is the most natural food that you can feed your dog when you don’t have time to make food from scratch. Natural Balance worked with pet experts to create a specific blend that includes everything growing and active dogs need. This food can help with bones and muscles as well as coats.
Dog Food and Dog Breeds
Have you ever eaten out at a restaurant before and got a burger or sandwich that was so big you worried whether it would fit in your mouth? Your dog might experience the same thing every time it sits down to eat because you bought the wrong size food. It’s important that you know the breed of your dog and its weight or size before you buy.
Small breeds are dogs that weight between 20 and 25 pounds or less, while toy and miniature breeds can weigh less than 10 pounds. These dogs have smaller mouths and jaws and require smaller pellets or pieces of dry food. If you give a small breed dog a larger type of food, it may have troubles both eating and swallowing.
Medium breeds can weigh as much as 55 or even 60 pounds. These dogs can handle both larger and smaller pieces of food.
The largest breeds weigh more than 60 pounds. Some manufacturers make foods designed for giant breeds that weight more than 100 pounds and even larger dogs. These foods feature different ingredients that will help your dog maintain its weight as it grows. The best foods can even keep your dog from developing painful conditions such as arthritis.
How Active is Your Dog?
Not all dogs are as active or as excitable as others. Depending on the age and breed of your dog, you may find that it only lifts its head off the floor when a stranger comes to the door or when it’s time to take a walk. When choosing a new type of dog food, you must consider how active your dog is right now. The problem with feeding a less active dog a food designed for more active dogs is that it will contain more fats and proteins. Active dogs have so much energy that they can burn off those calories in no time while playing outside or running through the house. If your dog is less active, you’ll likely find that it gains weight because it consumes more calories than it burns.
Certain breeds require much more physical exercise than others. A collie or any other type of herding dog, for example, may need up to two hours or more of physical activity every day. If your pet does not get the physical exercise that it needs, it will pack on the pounds. Foods that have fewer calories and fats are better for dogs who are less physical.
How to Tell if Your Dog is Overweight
The best way to tell if your dog is overweight is with a look at it from above. With your dog standing on all fours, look down at its back. Dogs should have a natural curve on both sides. This should almost look like an S because its body curves out around the shoulders, in towards the stomach and back out around the hips. If your dog looks like an oval or has an egg shape rather than a curve, it’s a clear sign that the animal needs to lose weight.
When to Change Your Dog's Food
When you bring home a new puppy, that dog will be so excitable that you might second guess your decision every now and then. This occurs because you aren’t sure that you can keep up with that dog. As dogs grow older though, they’ll naturally settle down and become a little more docile, though this really depends on the breed. One of the clearest signs that you should change your dog’s food is when it becomes lethargic and no longer has any energy.
As we mentioned in the last section, active dogs need more fats and calories to maintain their lifestyles and energy levels. The wrong food will not provide your dog with all the nutrients that it needs, which will result in your dog seeming tired all the time. You may even find that the dog no longer enjoys all its favorite activities, including playing with your kids or taking walks.
Another sign that you should change the food is when your dog develops changes to its fur and skin. This can include unexplained itching and fur that looks lifeless and feels dry. Some dogs will also develop tear stains around their eyes that have a dark brown or yellow appearance.
We picked this Iams food as the best dry food for adult dogs because of the ingredients found inside each bag. Iams used beet pulp because it helps dogs digest the food better and regulates their bowel movements. They also used real grains such as rice and oats that give older dogs the energy that they need. As your dog ages, you’ll likely find that it no longer wants to play or run around as much as it did before. The formula also features the same lean chicken that you would eat yourself, which help build strong muscles.
One thing we really like about this dog food is that the chunks inside are small in size. Whether you have a big dog or a toy breed, it shouldn’t have any problems eating this food because of those small chunks. The antioxidant-rich ingredients used in the formula will boost your dog’s immune health, which can help your dog avoid getting sick and live longer. It also features ingredients that improve the look and texture of your dog’s coat and develop stronger muscles. Iams offers this dog food in sizes ranging from just 3.3 pounds up to 40-pound bags.
What Ingredients Should You Look for?
- Meats: You’ll want to read the ingredient listing carefully to make sure that the dog food contains real meats and not meat byproducts. Byproducts refer to the end cuts and waste that companies would otherwise throw away. Dog foods can use any combination of meats, including chicken, turkey, lamb and beef. You’ll find a small number of dog foods that use fish and seafood too. Some dogs prefer certain flavor combinations, which means that you may need to try multiple foods before finding the best one for your pet.
- Vegetables: A good dog food will feature a nice blend of both meats and vegetables. Do not assume that the veggies you see on the packaging are the same ones used in the formula though because companies may use colorful images just to catch your eyes. Some manufacturers will use fruits in addition to vegetables in their recipes.
- Brown rice and other grains: You may want to check the label for any grains used in the formula too. Grains are an important part of any balanced diet. They help bulk up the recipe and get you more food for the money. You should skip foods that use soy or corn and opt for those that use barley, oatmeal or brown rice instead.
Preservatives to Avoid
- BHA
- Ethoxyquin
- BHT
Check the Name
When you stop by the grocery store on your way home from work and pick up ground hamburger, you know that the packaging contains ground hamburger. The same is not always true when it comes to pet food. Though the label might say turkey or chicken, you might not know how much of that real meat is actually in the recipe. There are some standards in place that manufacturers must follow when labeling these foods. The way the word appears on the label tells you the exact percentage of meat inside.
- Turkey: If the product uses just one word on the label, this tells you that it is a high-quality recipe. Manufacturers can only use that single word if the recipe contains at least 70% of the meat in its formula.
- Turkey dinner: You’ll likely come across a number of cans and pouches that say turkey dinner, turkey entree, turkey meal or something similar. This means that the meat is the main ingredient but not the primary ingredient in that recipes. These foods can have just 10% meat inside.
- With turkey: We recommend using caution when buying dog food that uses the word with next to the type of meat inside. Those products must only devote 3% of their formulas to that meat.
WARNING
You should avoid any dog food that says it has meat flavoring. This term allows manufacturers to add just a small amount of meat to flavor the recipe and bulk up the food with more fillers.
Meat Meal vs. Whole Meat
Dog food manufacturers can use the terms meat meal and whole meat when describing their products. Though you might think that whole meat is always better, this actually isn’t true. Whole meat refers to large pieces of meat sent through the manufacturing facility. These meats have a large amount of water inside that cooks off as the food cooks. By the time the formula actually goes into cans or bags, it will have much less meat than you think. With a meat meal, the manufacturer will grind the meat into a paste before adding it to the recipe. As it does not have any water that cooks off, the product will have a larger percentage of meat.
You can try an experiment at home to see how this works. We recommend putting a piece of turkey in a pan and cooking it at the same time that you cook a turkey burger that weighs the same amount. The longer that the meats cook, the more water and juices you’ll see coming out of the whole piece of turkey. If you weighed both pieces, you would find that the burger actually weighs more than the whole turkey piece does. You should really look for dog foods that use meat meal rather than whole meat.
Dogs can gain weight because they eat too much and do not get enough exercise. When your dog needs to lose weight or manage its weight, you’ll want to use this Hill’s Science Diet product. You can measure out the individual portions that your dog needs at meal time and store the leftovers in your refrigerator. This chicken and barley formula features the same ingredients you would feed your family. When you open the can, you can actually see all those ingredients for yourself. The manufacturer recommends this product for adult dogs between the ages of one and six.
The lean proteins used in the formula help your dog develop longer and leaner muscles. Those proteins also help dogs fill up faster, which means that you may need to feed your pet less. Designed for pets who need to lose weight or maintain a healthier weight, this formula provides your pet with all the energy that it needs to run and play. The ingredients all work together to create a formula that pets can digest with ease. Though many pets enjoy this flavor, you can also purchase a different formula such as the beef or the turkey flavor that your dog may prefer more.
Food Allergies and Intolerance in Dogs
One thing to keep in mind when feeding your dog a new type of food is any allergies that the animal has. Even if you used the same food for years, the manufacturer can make a slight change to the recipe and introduce an ingredient your dog cannot digest. It’s also important that you watch for signs of an allergic reaction when introducing a new food for the first time. Some of the more common signs of an allergy will change the way your dog’s skin and eyes look. Just like humans, dogs can develop allergies that make their eyes appear red and watery. They can also suffer from red patches on their skin.
If your dog has a thicker coat, you can lay it down on the ground and run your hands over its skin. The simple pressure of your hands can make the dog jump or flinch because of the pain and irritation that it feels. You can also try brushing your dog or using your hands to separate its coat to get a better look at the skin beneath. If you notice any signs of an allergy, you should discontinue the use of that food and switch to a different brand.
Other Signs of Allergies in Dogs
What Ingredients to Avoid
One of the great things about shopping for dog food online is that you can read the ingredient listing before you buy. While we already mentioned some of the preservatives that you should avoid, you’ll also want to avoid dog foods that contain any of the following ingredients.
- Fillers: It’s almost impossible to find an affordable dog food that doesn’t contain fillers, but you can still exercise caution with certain fillers. Most dog foods will contain a small number of whole grains and/or potatoes and other starches. If those ingredients appear first on the list, you’ll want to move on because this means those fillers are the top ingredients.
- Animal fats: While your dog needs a small amount of fat, some cheaper dog foods feature more fats and fillers than real ingredients. As you look at the label, pay close attention to those that list chicken or other types of animal fats. You can get a better food for your dog that doesn’t use those fats.
- Meat: Both cheap canned and dry dog foods often have the word meat on the label but do not tell you what type of meat the manufacturer used. This is a generic term that can refer to meat byproducts and scraps such as tails and hooves.
Open vs. Fixed Formula
As you look at pet food labels, you will find that some labels feature an open formula while others have a fixed formula. With an open formula, you have no way of knowing what the manufacturer used in the recipe. A fixed formula product will give you a complete list of all the ingredients inside and a percentage that tells you which are the top ingredients in that recipe.
Open formula products often come from manufacturers who make budget-friendly options for pet owners. They know that shoppers will scan labels and look for keywords such as certain preservatives or types of meats. Instead of saying the top of meat used, the company might just say beef meal or beef mixture. The company can take different parts of the cow that humans and other animals won’t eat and grind it into a mixture that they then add to the food. These products will also use simple words such as grains instead of telling you the type of grains used.
Most pet owners prefer dog food that has a fixed formula. Not only can they see all the ingredients in the recipe, but they can see which products contain higher quality cuts of real meat.
Expert Tip
Dog food manufacturers must use the same types of labels found on foods designed for humans. The label puts the ingredients used the most at the top and those used the least at the bottom.
Puppy food uses different ingredients than adult dog foods do because they help puppies grow and develop in their challenging first years. Our choice for the best puppy food is this product from Nutro, which is part of its Wholesome Essentials line. The five-pound bag is just right for a new smaller breed puppy. You can get a larger bag of up to 30 pounds for larger breeds too. Though some found that the pellets were too large for their dogs, those pellets are just right for most breeds. You can add a little water to soften the dry food if needed.
The recipe used for this food features real chicken raised on farms. It also uses sweet potatoes grown on those same farms and a little brown rice. The rice adds the fiber that puppies need to develop a regular bathroom schedule, while the sweet potatoes contain the antioxidants that keep them healthy. The manufacturer looked for ingredients that serve as healthy fats too. Those fats not only help your dog grow and develop over time but will also help your pup develop a thick and shiny coat. This is one of the only puppy formulas with added calcium too.
Choosing the Right Flavor
If you are one of the millions of people with an intolerance to cilantro, you probably cringe each time someone serves salsa or another dish with that herb. Just as you have preferences regarding the flavors you love and the foods you like to eat, so too does your dog. Dogs can quickly become creatures of habit. They want to sleep in the same spot every night and eat the same food every day. When you pick the wrong type of food, your dog may turn up its nose and walk away. While some people will say that the dog will eat when it’s hungry, this isn’t always true. Your dog may actually stop eating completely because it doesn’t like the flavor that you chose.
Sampler packs make it easy to pick the right type and flavor of food for your pet. These packs often come with multiple cans of dog food in different flavors. You can give your dog a different flavor each day to see which one it prefers and donate the remaining cans to a local animal shelter. Many dogs will prefer flavors with a rich and meaty flavor such as roast beef or turkey and gravy.
Popular and Favorite Dog Food Flavors
vegeables
bird
beef
gravy
salmon
How Much Should You Feed Your Dog?
One of the biggest questions that pet owners have is how much they should feed their pets every day. If you feed your dog too many servings or servings that are too large, the dog will gain weight. When your dog doesn’t get enough food, it won’t have the energy that it needs to take a walk around the block or play a game of fetch. Manufacturers generally base the amount of food that a dog needs on both its size and its activity level.
Let’s say that you have a dog that weighs a little more than 100 pounds. That dog needs at least four cups of food but may need more than six cups because it’s more active. You can actually space the feedings out during the day rather than give your dog all the food at once. Some dogs will actually learn how to monitor their food over time and will learn how to space out that food based on when its humans are home and when they will feed it. Smaller dogs may need as little as ½ cup of food each day. You should start with the smallest amount recommended and see how your dog does before increasing the amount of food you give it.
Tips for Feeding Your Dog
- Follow a schedule: The best way to feed your dog is with regular servings that you hand out on a set schedule. You might give it a small amount in the morning, a little more when you get home from work and a final serving right before you sit down to dinner.
- Use an automatic feeder: With an automatic feeder, you can give your dog food when you’re not home. These feeders follow a schedule that you set and will automatically dispense a serving at the times you established. Some feeders even have an app that lets you adjust the settings with your phone while you’re away from home.
- Switch things up: When you give your dog the same type of food for months, you risk not providing your pet with all the nutrients that you need. You can help your dog with new foods that you introduce later. Experts recommend swapping out the food every three to six months.
- Mix the food: Instead of just using wet or dry food, you can give your dog the best of both worlds with a combination of both. You can mix equal parts wet and dry food and pour the mixture into your dog’s dish. It’s best to mix the two foods right before serving though. If you make a larger mixture and store it in the fridge, the dry food will absorb any of the moisture from the wet food.
Common Reasons Your Dog Won't Eat
- It doesn't like the flavor or the smell of the food
- There are too many people and other distractions around
- The dog developed a fear of the food dish
- You chose a hard food that causes the dog pain in its teeth and jaw
- The dog has an allergy to the food or a medical condition
Signs That You Shouldn't Use a New Bag of Dog Food
One of the problems that can occur when you buy dry dog food online is damage to the bag during the shipping process. Between the factory workers tossing the bags around and the slipping and sliding that they do on the delivery truck, it’s possible for a new bag to arrive with a hole on the top or a rip along the side. You should never use any type of dog food that comes in a damaged bag. That bag protects the food from moisture and both germs and bacteria. Any rips or tears in the packaging can allow germs to penetrate the food and make your dog sick.
After opening the bag, you’ll want to take a good look at the pellets. All the pellets should be roughly the same color or a similar shade. This really depends on the manufacturer though because some make foods that use different colors and shapes. It’s important that you look for any signs of discoloration though. This can be a sign of mold growing on the food. You can also smell the food as you open the bag. If you notice any strange or unusual odors, you should contact the seller or the manufacturer for a refund.
Where to Find Out About Pet Food Recalls
Manufacturers have the option of pulling or recalling products designed for pets due to issues that they discovered after shipping out those products. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the best place to check for recalls. You can view the name of the company that recalled the product, the product’s name and flavor and the reason(s) for the recall. The FDA website also allows you to register a complaint against a company that you purchased pet food from too.
Tips for Properly Storing Dog Food
- Use a new container: Whether you buy a larger or smaller bag of dog food, you’ll want to transfer the food from that bag to a new container. You can use an ordinary plastic storage container or a metal tin with a lid that snaps to the top. That container will keep the food safe from moisture and pests.
- Store in a cool spot: Dry dog food will begin breaking down when stored at a temperature higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The product can start degrading within just 24 to 48 hours. You’ll want to store dry food in a cooler spot.
- Watch the expiration date: The expiration dates that manufacturers use tell you exactly how long the pet food will last. Even if you think that it looks and smells okay, you should throw it out on the expiration date. Dog food can actually rot from the inside out and look fine but be potentially toxic to your dog.
- Use a lid cover: Lid covers are simple plastic devices that have a small loop on one side. You can place one on top of an open can of food and press down to snap the lid onto the can. This forms an airtight seal that will keep germs from getting to the food and keep the smell of the food from overtaking your fridge.
Where Not to Store Your Dog Food
High temperatures and germs can invade your dog’s food and make any pet who eats that food sick. That is why you should avoid storing the food in any hot room. Others places you should avoid include:
- Under your kitchen sink
- On top of your refrigerator
- In a damp or musty room such as a pantry or basement
- Near your oven
Are There Different Sizes of Dog Food?
Dog food comes in different package sizes based on whether you buy wet or dry food. Some pet owners prefer dry food because they can store those boxes and bags much easier. If you have a smaller breed, you’ll find boxes that look similar to the cereal boxes in your cabinet. The boxes typically contain less than one pound of food though. You can also purchase dry dog food in bags that have between five and 40 pounds of food inside. Food designed for larger breeds may contain even more food. Depending on where you buy the bags from, you might purchase 100 pounds of food or more at the same time. These are the same bags that shelters and clinics keep on hand to feed larger groups of dogs.
Wet food comes in much smaller sizes. Manufacturers list the number of ounces inside on the outside of the can. That amount can vary based on the size or the consistency of the food. Any product that contains gravy may weigh more because of the weight of that liquid. Foods that have a mashed or pureed consistency will weigh more because there is more food inside. Canned dog food can weigh a few ounces up to 16 ounces.
How Much Does Dog Food Cost?
Many veterinarians now sell dog food in their waiting rooms. If you only ever bought food from a pet store before, you might find yourself shocked at just how much some of these formulas cost. The cheapest products contain more fillers that add bulk to the food but do not add much value in terms of nutrition. You can easily buy a bag of this food for around $10 or less. When it comes to canned foods, the price usually starts at around $1 or less for a basic can that features scraps of meat and ingredients you may not want your pet to eat.
Instead of just looking at the overall price of the food, you should really consider its price by weight. With wet food, you’ll look at how much an ounce costs. Dry foods are heavier and allow you to compare prices in terms of pounds. A bag of dry dog food can range in price from less than $1 to more than $5 per pound. Wet foods usually cost less than $1 per ounce. Any special foods that contain perishable ingredients will cost more. We recommend looking at the ingredient list to determine if a more expensive product is worth the price.
How Much Do the Dog Food Cost?
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Dogs are carnivores by nature and will do whatever it takes to find meat. If you ever left a sandwich left unattended, you know this is true. You should never put your dog on a vegetarian diet without first speaking to your veterinarian and getting permission. Veterinarians will usually only recommend this type of diet for dogs with sensitive stomachs or serious medical conditions.
A: While gluten-free diets are a popular fad, they really only work for those with an allergy or an intolerance to gluten. While you’ll find many recipes and formulas that do not contain gluten or any grains, foods with those ingredients are suitable for most dogs. Grains such as brown rice and barley can improve the dog’s skin and fur. You just need to make sure that you purchase a food that uses high-quality grains and not fillers.
A: You’ll find a number of great treats that you can give your dog when training or praising the animal. Crunchy treats are a good option because your dog will work away plaque and tartar as it chews. Softer treats are good for older pets and those with rough or sensitive teeth.
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