Types of Dog Food

How to choose the right food for your canine companion

Just as a human baby doesn’t eat the same types of food that an adult does, your puppy’s diet shouldn’t be the same as a mature dog. Various medical conditions also warrant certain food selections to be made over the course of a dog’s lifetime. It’s important that you keep factors such as these in mind when you’re selecting your dog’s food.

One of the fastest growing segments of the dog market is food options. While dog owners still have the familiar choices of dry, canned, or semi-moist food products, these are no longer the only selections available. Today you can find information and supplies for feeding your dog an “all natural,” home-cooked, organic, raw, and/or vegetarian diet. While still not popular choices for many people, such diets are quickly gaining in popularity especially as they become available in various pre-packaged forms.

For dog owners who are more comfortable with using the traditional aforementioned forms of food, the quality and number of special medical needs that such foods are designed for has increased dramatically. It’s now possible to find the following types of food products for your dog:

• Allergy-reducing
• Arthritis-relieving
• Breeding needs
• Dental aids
• Diabetic control
• Puppy needs
• Nursing female needs
• Senior needs
• Weight management

Some of these foods are even available in pre-packaged “all natural” or organic formulas.

Dog foods that contain a variety of ingredients that once were unheard of or difficult to come by can now be easily located and purchased. Such food selections include:

• Buffalo
• Duck
• Fruits such as apples and berries
• Grains such as barley, oatmeal, and rice
• Lamb
• Salmon
• Supplements such as flax seed oil, glucosamine, and probiotics (a word of warning about glucosamine and omega-3 oils such as flax seed – use with extreme caution in diabetic dogs as they can respectively increase the risk for insulin resistance and higher cholesterol levels in such dogs)
• Vegetables such as carrots, green beans, and sweet potatoes
• Venison

Be smart when it comes time to choose the proper food for your pooch. Don’t just feed the same foods that you relied on years ago when you had your last dog and don’t use a product simply because a friend or relative does. Take advantage of the advancements that have been made in relation to dog food. Find a product that best matches your dog’s specific needs. It might cost a few dollars more each week to feed your furry pal, but the long-term dividends can far outweigh the initial financial costs.