Every dog is like a flesh-and-blood part of their owner’s heart, just like a baby born into the world. Every parent wishes their beloved pet to have the best food, the best toys, the best of everything. However, the market is full of various kinds of pet foods, which can be overwhelming. Many people talk online about the pros and cons of different foods. So what kind of food is really the best? Why do some people praise the same food, while others criticize it? Why does the highly recommended food have no effect on my baby, or even cause dull fur? Below is a quick guide to help you choose the most suitable food for your beloved dog.

Dog Food

First: Where to Buy: Professional pet stores, veterinarians, and pet nutritionists can provide you with independent expert advice based on your dog’s age, breed, and other obvious characteristics (doctors and nutritionists will tell you why your dog needs puppy food, why they should eat weaning food when being weaned, why adult food should not be fed to puppies, why puppy food is unsuitable for senior dogs, why dogs with tartar need food containing green tea polyphenols, and a series of other issues).

Second: How to Check Quality: First, check the formula list on the food packaging to understand the ingredients contained. Choose animal protein such as chicken or other meats as the primary ingredient; if it is bone meal or by-products, please do not choose it. Even if protein content is increased, this does not improve quality or absorbable protein. Add whole grains and fiber in the form of beet pulp to maintain balanced nutrition and improve absorption. Avoid artificial colorings, flavorings, or preservatives and appetizing additives used solely to increase palatability.

Third: Find the Most Cost-Effective Dog Food: High-quality dry foods list detailed feeding instructions based on your dog’s size, from which you can calculate how many meals per kilogram and how many meals per bag. Always compare food prices by the cost per meal. A 15kg bag of dry food may be expensive but can feed your dog for one to two months. This is far more economical than the time and effort spent feeding your dog chicken liver every day.

Fourth: Feed Only One Kind of Food: Feeding a nutritionally complete and balanced food is enough; no other food is needed except water. Unless you want to add snacks as treats, which can be done in moderation. If your dog shows gastrointestinal discomfort, it is usually due to overeating, or the dog has eaten something picked up on the street, or other people secretly gave food because they found the dog cute. Therefore, unless advised by a doctor, do not think about changing food or adding variety. If you want to reward your dog or play with it, you can buy special pet snacks or suitable toys.

Canned foods may contain up to 80% moisture and should be used quickly after opening. High-quality dry dog food contains less than 10% moisture, is convenient to use, easy to digest, and can keep fresh for several weeks after opening.

In clinical pet practice, I often encounter certain issues and would like to share here. Some statements may be blunt; I ask businesses to understand as I am just being factual. Some owners say, "My dog only loves to eat chicken liver and nothing else. Chicken liver is good." Well, my answer is that loving the taste doesn’t mean it’s nutritious. Many dogs eating chicken liver develop vitamin A toxicity, serious calcium-phosphorus imbalance, metabolic bladder stones, etc. If you want your dog to be healthy and live long, please adjust dietary habits and feed healthy pet food. Some owners buy dog food based on online praise, not realizing many foods do not have official agents, import permits, manufacturer technical guidance, or after-sales service. Many cases of dogs getting sick from such food have no complaint channel. Last year, some smuggled foods in the country caused many dog deaths due to Salmonella infection. Moreover, many paid promoters hype food quality on the internet. Owners must discern food quality carefully. Expensive doesn’t always mean good, and popular opinion doesn’t equal good. Choose foods sold by regular pet stores and veterinary hospitals with physical stores, which indicates legitimate supply channels and service. Many domestic online shops now promise genuine products and reject smuggled goods. A few days ago, there was news that a double crown store on Taobao sold counterfeit dog food, selling over ten thousand bags a month before police shut it down. I hope everyone develops keen insight and chooses the healthiest food for their dogs!