The When it comes to choosing the best food for your pup, it can be difficult to know which option is the right one. Of the 14 vets we spoke to, nine said Royal Canin dog food is their best option for their own pets and the dogs they treat at work. This recommendation comes from my research and I stumbled upon The Tattooed Dog Trainer. He is a pet nutritionist and has years of experience in both pet nutrition and dog training.
In simple terms, veterinarian-recommended dog food is recommended by a veterinarian. The diet recommended by the veterinarian is proven and considered the best for dogs. These foods are carefully tested and have all the nutrients that are needed by dogs. Most people feed their dogs dry kibble or canned wet food.
These processed foods may not appeal to us, but they contain all the nutrients dogs need to stay healthy. Quality commercial dog foods are highly regulated and have undergone rigorous testing by veterin specialists. So what exactly is in these dog foods? For dogs with specific food sensitivities, Merrick Limited Ingredient dog food is made with 10 ingredients or less, but still provides complete and balanced nutrition for your pet. To assess the quality of several dog food brands, he considered their product range, nutritional content, ingredients, recalls and development team, prioritizing brands with comprehensive teams that included nutritionists, veterinarians, veterinarians and scientists. While ingredients are important, what you really want to determine is whether the food contains the nutrients your dog needs to be healthy, not necessarily whether or not it contains grains, some experts argue.
They will give you a list of veterinarian-recommended dog food brands that best meet your dog's needs and suggest any additional pet supplements you may need that cannot be satisfied with dog food alone. People who recommend them usually consult the biology and diet of the dog's closest living relatives, the wolf, to explain that dogs should not eat cereal, but dogs are not wolves and have genes for digestion of starch found in grains. Small breed dogs, on the other hand, can choke on large kibble and have their own nutritional requirements that can be accommodated with a food for small breed dogs. If you're interested in human-quality whole grain dog foods, but don't have time to cook a balanced diet for your dog, The Honest Kitchen offers balanced, freeze-dried dog food that makes it easy to “cook your puppy's dinner” in no time. Older dogs may spend more time in their dog beds than younger puppies, but this makes proper nutrition even more important.
Small dogs can have problems with large kibble, so if your dog weighs 15 pounds or less, you should consider choosing a food for small breeds. I always mention that while I have my favorite brands of veterinarian-recommended dog food, each canine will have specific needs, and there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to nutrition and dog food (source). In general, a higher quality dry dog food that contains the right ingredients for your dog's life stage and breed is the best option, but talk to your veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist about the healthiest option for your pet. Personally, I like to feed my dog dry food, but I have something wet on hand for when I want to refill a food toy. When looking for one, you can choose from the limited-ingredient dog food brands available that offer high-quality food options. Instead of being presented with one clear choice as the best overall dog food, dog owners are presented with an overwhelming variety of options, all claiming to be the best on the market. If you are looking for a more affordable option for your pup's meals, Pedigree (see Chewy) offers complete and balanced formulas for dogs of all ages.