Ingredients
Dog food can contain a wide choice of ingredients.
Most will be majority meat, but this can be chicken, beef, duck, offal or fish. Most dog foods now contain single meat sources so it should be easy to find one for your doggy or avoid what they don’t like.
Many will also include dog-safe vegetables, and rice or a similar grain such as quinoa. Rice is commonly added to foods as it is easy to digest, quick to prepare, and low in fibre, especially for dogs who can get upset digestive systems.
Also, look for added nutrients and vitamins, so your dog is getting a balanced diet.
It is a good idea to provide variety for your dog, which is why we have included several variety packs. Feeding your hound on a range of meats and ingredients will prevent allergens developing and will also stop them from getting too bored.
Jelly or Gravy?
Wet food will come in two varieties – in gravy, or in jelly.
Some dogs like both and others can really turn their nose up at one. If your dog prefers firmer food compared to softer ‘mushy’ style food, going for jelly over sauce or gravy may be best.
The latter is great on its own or as a kibble topper as it can be easily distributed over the food, and the jelly is often best mixed through dry biscuits.
Price
The cost of your dog food will depend on how much you buy and the quality.
Most of the above come in bulk packs, which is more economical for your purse and easier for you to manage. It is all high-quality, from trusted manufacturers and using human-worthy foods, so while most won’t break the bank, it is still better spending that bit more compared to the tinned cheap brands which many shops still sell today.
Wet food is more expensive than dry dog food overall, but the benefits can outweigh this.
Grain-Free and Hypoallergenic Food
We have tried to include foods which contain a good balance of ingredients and don’t necessarily fall into these groups above.
It can be tricky to find dog food which isn’t described as one or both of the above these days.
But despite being trendy and common, the majority of dogs have no need to avoid certain ingredients. As you have read above, rice and a balanced variety of meats are hugely beneficial for all dogs.
Unless your dog has a confirmed allergy or intolerance, you don’t need to hunt out these food types. Many will naturally be hypoallergenic if they have used minimal food sources and are natural, but it isn’t necessarily something which is needed.