Best Dog Food: Value For Money
The various offers available in the market can reach devastating results for a first-time owner or one who is looking to change the type of diet of their pet. In this article, we will tell you which types of food will be more affordable without compromising your dog’s health.
Factors that must be taken into account when choosing a dog food
This short list will help you to remember what factors to take into account when buying a new feed.
- The age of your pet. A dog is considered a puppy until it reaches one year of age. The next age group is adults (from one to seven years old) and the elderly (from eight years old onwards).
- The race or, if it is not possible to identify it, the size. One factor that determines some important things is your pet’s weight. Small dogs usually weigh around 10 kilos on average, while medium sized dogs can reach 25 kilos, and large dogs reach up to 40 kilos.
- The level of physical activity the dog undergoes on a daily basis. This influences your metabolism and the amount of supplemental base nutrients needed to survive.
- The surroundings. The needs of a Siberian Husky living in Norway are not the same as a Galgo living in Mexico. Caloric expenditure is also influenced by temperatures and the terrain the animal comes into contact with.
How to know for sure which ration is the most recommended?
The Spanish consumer protection association, the Consumers and Users Organization (better known as the OCU), published a report in mid-2017 detailing the importance that different ingredients have on our pet’s health. To assess whether or not the feed covers the basic needs of a healthy dog, the OCU has determined that we need to take into account:
- The energy density or the amount of calories the feed has. It is important to know how much feed we should give our dog.
- Carbohydrates, very common in extruded (dry) rations. This type of feed is subjected to a chemical process, pressure and humidity, to homogenize its various nutrients and improve its future digestion. Carbohydrates contain a fiber needed for bowel function. However, certain brands can abuse this component, and end up substituting most of the meat present in the feed for it.
- Proteins. More specifically, its quantity and its quality. A feed with low quality usually uses flour that mixes pulverized viscera and bones, animal proteins or collagen. The ideal is to choose rations that use fresh or dehydrated meat.
- The fat. Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids help maintain your dog’s skin pH and coat shine. The quality of fats in the feed is important to prevent future obesity.
- Vitamins and minerals. It is important to contain a balanced proportion and a combination that facilitates the assimilation of vitamins. For example, calcium and phosphorus must be combined.
- The quality of the raw materials (whether the feed uses meat or not, and if so, what is its proportion); it is also important when choosing the feed.
Brands: price-quality ratio
The daily cost of feeding an animal, providing it with the minimum amount of nutrients for its survival, also influences your decision. The OCU has published a list of feeds that meet these requirements and are accessible to their owners. Some of the indicated rations are:
- PURINA® PRO PLAN® PUPPY SMALL BREEDS WITH OPTISTART® (for dogs weighing less than ten kilos). It costs from 40 reais per kilo.
- Hills Science Diet Dog Food for Adult Sensitive Stomach Dogs. It costs from thirty reais 2.5 kilos.
- Royal Canin Medium Adult Dog Food. It costs from 87 reais 2.5 kilos.
For more information, we recommend that you consult your veterinarian and take a look at the list of feeds recommended by experts.
