Dog Food Problems and FAQs

What is the best dog food?

This question is by far the question I get the most, and the answer is real easy: ‘it depends’. Whilst an unsatisfactory answer perhaps, it’s true since it depends on a lot of things.

The best food for YOUR dog is not the same as the best food for MY dog and hence I cannot give a straightforward answer.

This is the reason why I’m setting up such an extensive informational website: Giving you the required information and knowledge to find out which dog food is best for your furry friend.

To get started pay a visit to the Dog Health Checklist

so you can determine whether the food you are feeding now is good for your dog. When there are no problems then don’t switch.

A general rule is that the best quality dog foods are not the cheapest. But paying huge amounts for a bag of dog food won’t guarantee that you have chose the best dog food for your dog. So it’s not simple and of course you want the BEST dog food for your canine companion. However, sometimes good dog food can be just that: GOOD dog food! Only one can be the best for your dog, but probably more than one type can be classified as ‘good’.

Good dog food is….

• Complete and balanced. You can never be sure whether this is true and you have to have trust in the expertise of the manufacturer.

• Palatable otherwise your dog won’t eat it. The larger dog food companies test for palatability using large groups of dogs. However, acceptance by the average dog doesn’t guarantee that YOUR pooch is going to love it. In general, dogs (and cat) like fat and protein in their food. They usually don’t like too much of crude ash and fiber, but it’s part of the requirements for a healthy diet.

• Good texture as this determines how the kibble feels. Some dogs (my dog is one of them) like to chew their food and can be quite picky when it comes to size and shape of dry kibble. In general, good texture is more of a concern to cats than to dogs.

• Digestible. Nutritious dog food is digestible dog food. Don’t underestimate this one and this is precisely the reason why I often advice you to examine your dog’s stool. The dog food can be complete and balanced to the max but if all the ingredients are indigestible, then your dog won’t benefit from it. Digestibility can differ from dog to dog as it depends on the individual’s metabolism rate, the amount of digestion enzymes, liver function, etc.

• And above all… your dog does well on it! A shiny coat, white sparkling teeth, cheerful eyes, a perfect waist line, no itching, etc

My dog’s poo smells terrible and it wasn’t always like this. We recently switched to new dog food as it was supposed to be really good but now we have a stinking dog with loose stool.

Poo smell can be the result of undigested protein. If you’re feeding a dog food that is high in grains, your dog's stool can stink more because dogs do not digest grains well. A food that is high in digestible protein (meat based) will have less stool with less smell.

Why should I pay attention to my dog’s daily stool?

The stools of a healthy dog are formed and easy to scoop. Any color is allowed as it depend on the kind of dog food you’re feeding, though black stools are not normal. When your dog’s stool is black this can be the result of gastrointestinal bleeding and an indication to make an appointment with your vet.

An occasional loose stool is normal. Perhaps your dog was a bit tense which could also result in loose stool. Nothing to worry about. When this continues and you see loose stools days after day then schedule a veterinary visit. When your dog has very watery diarrhea then call your vet right away.

Should I feed my new puppy different food than an adult dog?

Pups can eat complete dog food when they are about 3-4 weeks old. To aid chewing digestion you could start with canned food. When the pup is 6 weeks old you can switch to a canned food mixed with soaked dry kibble. Gradually have the pup adjust to dry kibble only if this is the kind of dog food you want to be feeding when he’s an adult.

Because pups grow very fast they need more protein, calcium and energy but… a pup eats relatively more than an adult dog (about twice as much in terms of percentage of body weight). There is no need for special puppy dog food as your pup will have more of everything by just eating more (balanced) food. Special puppy food is more compact in energy so avoid overfeeding and pay careful attention to the dog food label.

The amount of dog food to feed a puppy depends not only on his age but is also determined by the expected weight of a full-grown dog of the same breed (hint: ask the breeder about the weight of his parents).

Spread the total amount of dog food in 4 portions that are fed during the day.

Puppies should not grow to fast to avoid joint problems at a later age. As people tend to have a preference for soft round forms overfeeding of puppies is a true risk. Especially large and giant dog breeds are at risk.

My dog is itching all the time. Could he be allergic?

and write down a list of symptoms your recognize plus estimate the date these started. Then try to recall whether there have been changes in your dog’s environment or eating habits (take a look at your calender or agenda). This will help answering some of the questions your vet is probably going to ask you.

How can I download your e-book 'A bit of Tender, Love and Care for Dogs'?

In order to download this e-book you need to become a VIP member of Best Dog Food Guide. This is totally free and the only thing you'll need to do is subscribe to my free dog food newsletter 'HoundBytes'.

You'll get a confirmation message with the password to the Members Only pages where you can download this book.

On these pages you'll also find a bonus e-book written by Rena Murray the DogWhisperWoman + MP3 audio file to desensitize your dog (particularly useful with upcoming fireworks events).

I lost my password to the Member Only pages on Best Dog Food Guide.

Contact me using the Contact Form and list the mail address you used when applying for my free dog food newsletter 'HoundBytes'.

How can I contact you?

You can contact me using this Contact Form . Just fill in your name, mail address and your questions. If applicable, please enter the URL of your site.