What Is Kibble Dog Food

Benefits Of Wet Dog Food Compared To Dry Dog Food

Wet dog food, or canned food, sometimes provides benefits that dry food doesnt offer, such as:

• Higher moisture content: Wet food may be a good choice if your dog doesnt drink as much as they should, or if they have a medical condition that could benefit from proper hydration. One example would be a dog with a history of urinary or kidney disease.

• Palatability: Canned dog food is often more aromatic and flavorful when compared to dry food. This may entice sick or older dogs to eat if their appetite is decreased.

• Satiety: Wet dog food tends to create a longer-lasting feeling of being full. Increased satiety is useful in weight management, especially in dogs that seem to have a never-ending appetite.

• Easier to chew: Dogs that have dental disease or other oral abnormalities may find wet food easier to chew than dry food.

Dry Dog Food Versus Wet Or Canned Dog Food

Freeman argued the amount of water in wet food might make it an unwise investment, and instead recommended you go with dry food. One benefit to dry food , she noted, is that the friction of chewing it can help keep your dogs teeth and gums healthy. Its also less messy. Morgan added that bags of dry food also tend to be more affordable compared to the other options.

However, Morgan noted that kibble typically includes less meat and often includes some sort of grain, legume, or potato. If you go with kibble, Morgan suggested topping the dry food with a bit of canned food, meat from home, or other toppers.

Points To Consider When Choosing Food For Your Dog

Every dog parent wants the best for their dog. When it comes to feeding, a raw diet when fed correctly offers optimum health benefits. However, its not that simple of a decision: variables such as cost, convenience and food safety need to be taken into account. Fresh food and kibble diets address some of these concerns read on for a closer look at these considerations and more.

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Iams Proactive Health Dry Dog Food

Rating:

Iams Lamb and Rice Adult formula is one of 15 dry recipes included in our review of the Iams Proactive Health product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Lamb, chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, ground whole grain barley, ground whole grain corn
• Type: Grain-inclusive
• Other recipes: Large breed, small breed, puppy, chicken, turkey, senior weight management and more
• Price: $
• See all 15 available recipes

Iams Lamb and Rice derives a large portion of its animal protein from fresh lamb. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 28% protein, 16% fat and 49% estimated carbs which creates a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.

An affordable, classic design offering multiple recipe options. A top selection popular with veterinarians and professional breeders. Highly recommended.

Sample buyer reviewMy bulldog has terrible allergies and colitis, and even with taking allergy medication, so many foods worsened her problems. Even grain free limited ingredient dog foods did not help. This red bag lamb and rice iams formula is one of the very few foods she can eat and once I changed her to this food, along with her continued apoquel, her skin allergies are getting better and her hair is growing back, with no colitis flare ups.

What To Look For In A Quality Dry Dog Food

A quality kibble will have the proper mix of proteins and carbohydrates for long-lasting energy and healthy muscles. The precise measure will depend a lot on your dogs breed, age, and life stage , but looking at the first five ingredients of the food should tell you a lot.

Carbohydrate sources should come from things like brown rice or lentils, which break down slowly and provide plenty of natural fibers. Fiber encourages better digestion and helps keep your dogs stools soft enough to pass without pain. It also controls weight, helping your dog feel full for longer.

Fruits and vegetables can offer vitamins and antioxidants to support immune health and other biological systems such as the eyes and heart. Theyre vital as prebiotics, or substances known to encourage healthy gut flora. Dogs are omnivores, and this more closely aligns with the types of things dogs would have eaten during ancestral days.

Foods with omega fatty acids can help support the skin and coat. If your dog has allergies, they can also help relieve some of the itchy skin your dog could be experiencing. It also helps with brain development and could help keep joints lubricated.

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You Should Avoid Feeding Starch

Starches like grains, rice, peas, and potatoes are a filler in commercial dog foods and cause your dog to produce excess insulin, which can lead to obesity or diabetes.

Starch has no nutritional value, and some vets believe that eliminating starch from a dogs diet is the primary reason so many dogs show improved health after switching from kibble to a raw diet. If your dog isnt getting any benefit from a food, then why add it to their diet?

What To Look For In A Raw Food Diet

Feeding your dog a raw diet is a commitment on multiple levels: you must decide whether to prepare your own food, how youll handle food storage, how youll plan feedings, and of course, how much youre willing to spend. If preparing your pets food yourself, its crucial that you formulate nutritionally complete and balanced meal plans and recipes. This may require consultation with an animal nutritionist or veterinarian. Whether its in freeze-dried, homemade or prepared frozen form, feeding raw is on the higher end of the cost spectrum.

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Cons Of Dehydrated Dog Food

• Quality varies among manufacturers. While some firms use superior ingredients in their formula, others tend to use cheap ingredients. Checking the labels and sticking to reliable brands is the best way to keep your pet healthy.
• Pricey. Dehydrated foods arent the most affordable canine diets on the market. However, they fall in the middle of the dog food price spectrum and may cost the same as some high-end kibble brands.
• May contain pathogens. The heat used to pre-cook the food isnt high enough to kill all the pathogens. Sticking to reputable brands helps to avoid or minimize this risk.
• Messy. Dogs often create a mess when consuming wet foods and call for a clean-up after each feeding session. Its advisable to clean the feeding bowl before each meal to avoid the risk of food poisoning.

Nutro Ultra Dry Dog Food

Rating:

Nutro Ultra Adult is one of 10 dry recipes included in our review of the Nutro Ultra product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, whole brown rice, brewers rice, rice bran
• Type: Grain-inclusive
• Other recipes: Beef, duck, lamb, fish, small breed, large breed, puppy, senior and more
• Price: $$

This Nutro formula derives most of its meat protein from chicken and chicken meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 28% protein, 16% fat and 49% estimated carbs which creates a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.

Available in a wide range of flavor and recipe options. One of our top value picks.

Sample buyer reviewI have 5 dogsranging in different sizes and breeds. This is the ONE food I can get them all to eat without having to buy a bunch of different brands or formulas. Thank you Nutro!

• See all 5 available recipes

This Go! Carnivore formula derives the majority of its animal protein from chicken, turkey and salmon meals, as well both chicken and turkey. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 38% protein, 18% fat and 36% estimated carbs resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 47%.

Free of GMO ingredients and loaded with meat. A rare find. Highly recommended.

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Fresh Dog Food Vs Kibble What To Give Your Pup

Whether youre looking for the best dog food for dogs with allergies, dogs with sensitive stomachs, or if you want to switch your dog to a raw diet, the first thing you need to do is choose the right kind of food. Choosing between kibble and raw food is not as simple as it may seem. It all depends on your personal preferences and your dogs needs. There are advantages and disadvantages of both options. Many people think that it does not matter which type of dog food they buy their dogs. However, there are many differences between both types of dog food that should be considered before making a decision on which one to buy for your pet. In this article, we will talk about fresh dog food vs kibble and which one is better for your dog.

What is Kibble?

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Kibble is a type of dry dog food that is designed to be fed either as a single meal or as a continuous feeder. Kibble contains the same nutrients as dry dog food however, they are combined into tiny pieces which can be easier for dogs to eat and digest. The small size of kibble also makes it easier for dogs to eat and digest than dry dog food .

What is Fresh Dog Food?

What is the Difference Between Fresh Dog Food and Kibble?

Advantages and Disadvantages of Kibble

Advantages and Disadvantages of Fresh Dog Food

Which one is better?

What Can I Do To Satisfy My Picky Eater

One way to enhance your dogs appetite is to add tasty toppers to her food. Mixing a few tablespoons of a quality canned food to your dogs kibble can help.

Fresh, raw or cooked chicken or beef can also get your dog to drool over their meals again. Eggs are another popular appetizer scrambled or boiled with no salt, oil or seasonings, of course.

Toppers can safely make up about 10-20% of your dogs diet. Youll need to be mindful of added calories and nutrients.

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Kibble And Canned Manufacturers Will Assure You That Their Foods Contain All Required Vitamins And Minerals

Yes, but in forms that are usable by the dog? Not so much.

Many essential vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants are damaged or destroyed by high heat.

All kibble and canned dog foods are COOKED…. and most are cooked at very high temperatures.

That means the manufacturer has to add synthetic vitamins, which are never as absorbable as the real stuff found in food.

And there’s a bigger problem digestive enzymes are destroyed by cooking.

Digestive enzymes are vital to a dog’s ability to digest his meals.

When those digestive enzymes are missing, your dog is forced to produce those missing enzymes in his pancreas. Forcing the pancreas to work overtime puts a lot of stress on it, potentially leading to health problems.

Sure, you can add synthetic digestive enzymes to his kibble and canned food , but they’re not as good as the real stuff.

Ways To Improve Your Dogs Kibble

A diet of fresh, unprocessed meats, organs, bones, and vegetable matter is closest to the evolutionary diet of our pets wild canine and feline ancestors. A mostly fresh food diet, whether raw or lightly cooked, yields outstanding results, with beautiful coats, clear eyes, sweet breath, great teeth, calm dispositions, and dogs and cats who are rarely sick.

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Full Of Colours Flavours And Preservatives

Commonly found brands of kibble emphasise how healthy they are, and that it contains natural ingredients. A sample ingredient list is as follows:

Cereals , Meat and Animal Derivatives , Derivatives of Vegetable Origin, Oils and Fats, Vegetable Protein Extracts, Glycerol, Vegetables*** , Minerals, Propylene Glycol, * Including min. 4% Wheat and 4% Maize, ** Equivalent to 30% Rehydrated Meat and Animal Derivatives, with min. 14% Beef, *** Equivalent to 4% Rehydrated Vegetables.

Its packaging often also stresses how it has No added artificial colours, flavours & preservatives.

Look At The Protein Level

This is usually called “Crude Protein ” in the Guaranteed Analysis. This will give you the quickest snapshot of whether you should even consider the food. Generally, the higher the better: for a dog food you want it to be over 30%, ideally in the mid 30s or higher, and for a cat food you want it to be over 40%, ideally in the mid 40s. If it’s below 30% for dogs or 40% for cats, you should pass on it. It is probably not a truly high-quality food.

Dogs and cats thrive on animal protein and don’t need carbohydrates, and a low protein food will generally have high carbs, usually from a bunch of unhealthy ingredients like refined grains or grain by-products. If these carbs are not used for energy, they are converted into fat. In the case of cats, they preferentially use protein and fat for energy, so virtually all the carbs in dry food are excess and converted to fat. Dogs’ digestion is similar to humans. They can use carbs for energy, but again, any excess is stored as fat.

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How Is Dehydrated Dog Food Made

So, how is dehydrated dog food made? The process entails removing moisture from the dog food by blowing hot or warm air around it. The low heat partially cooks the food but not enough to alter its structure and taste hence, dehydrated food isnt raw.

Gently heating the food over low heat cooks the protein without ruining its nutritional value. Thats because removing foods moisture content at low temperatures preserves most nutrients while giving the food extended shelf life.

Circulating warm, dry air reduces the foods moisture content and stops the growth and multiplication of pathogens found in raw ingredients, such as meats.

Dehydrating foods even in a commercial setting has minimal effects on the nutritional value. Drying food is among the healthiest and least damaging food preservation methods known to mankind.

While the production method lends numerous health benefits to dehydrated dog food, the ingredients determine its quality. The food components used, how they react to heat, their proportions, and combination determines how nutritious the food is.

The process of combining ingredients in dehydrated dog food creates room for potential deficiencies and excesses. Hence, you must check the label carefully to ensure that youre getting the best ingredients and combinations.

Whats The #1 Cause Of Food

Although it contributes to health issues in dogs of all ages

Obesity is the #1 cause of chronic disease and premature death in seniors.

Extra weight means your dogs joints have to work harder and they may already be inflamed from arthritis, hip dysplasia or a luxated knee cap.

Unfortunately, dogs are naturally more prone to obesity as they age. According to the National Research Council of the National Academy of Science3

Because of decreased physical activity and slowed metabolism, older dogs need 20% fewer total calories than do middle-aged adult dogs.

So, a low calorie food can help your dog lose or maintain her weight without feeling hungry all the time.

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Not All Foods Are The Same

Knowing how to read a label is an important part of choosing the right food for your pet. Some brands will use more grains and animal by-products than actual meat products. The ingredients are listed in descending order, from most to least. If you wish to feed a kibble with more meat than grain, and this is generally suggested, you will need to find foods that list meat as the first ingredient, with grain ingredients following. It is also important to note that dogs are more tolerant of grain ingredients. It has long been noted that dogs are omnivorous and thrive on a combination of meat, vegetable, and grain.

Conversely, cats are carnivorous animals and will not do well on diets that consist of high quantities of grain or vegetables. While some amount of grain may be used as a binder for kibble so that it holds its shape, it should be as minimal as possible. It is also possible to avoid grains altogether in your cat food by only buying foods that are labeled grain free.

Is Dry Food Bad For Dogs

Does your dog have a problem with dry food? Many have complained about this and with good reason.

There are many people who do not like the taste of dry food but just in case you might want to give it a try, here are some of the reasons why it might be better for your dog.

Dry food makes your dog less likely to become overweight. Thiscan be very good news if you are concerned about your pet becoming overweight.

The weight of your dog can be controlled quite easily when you use dry food. This may help prevent an unhealthy growth spurt and the extra pounds that usually come with it.

If your dog is already overweight, you will want to help your dog avoid becoming overweight in the future.

Dry food can be much more convenient than a regular dog food. Itsaves you the time and effort that it takes to go to the store and it allowsyou to prepare your meals.

If you give your dog dry food, you can skip the mess thathappens when your dog has to sit at the table and eat alone. It will be mucheasier on you and your dog to keep your food at home and do the cookingyourself.

You can choose to have just one brand of dry food instead ofhaving a variety. You can also use them as treats for the whole family insteadof trying to get everybody to eat them at the same time.

Another advantage of dry food is that you will be able to control the amount of salt that your dog is getting.

A high-salt diet can make your dog very uncomfortable and can lead to digestive problems.

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