Types of Dog Food: Which is Best?

When looking for the best types of dog food it seems like we focus on the brand, rather than the type.

By types I’m referring to dry, canned, dehydrated, raw… and that’s what this post is all about.

My search for a new dog food

We relocated a couple of weeks ago and we’ll be in our new adopted country for at least 3 months. I brought some of Jack’s food with us because I knew it wasn’t available here, but I’m almost out. Since I have to find a new brand, I figured it was the perfect time to re-evaluate the type of food I’ve been feeding him as well.  

I don’t feed my dogs (or cats) the popular supermarket brands, simply because I’m not happy with the quality – I know I can do better for them. After all, proper nutrition is the basis for good health is it not!

When we first adopted Jack I noticed how much he scratched. There were no fleas or any obvious skin issues, so I put him on a grain free diet and not long after I noticed a big change – no scratching. I feed him a quality organic canned diet (at least I believe it is quality due to its’ short ingredient list consisting of nothing but meat and vegetables).

On the one hand I’d like to add a bit of dry food for the crunch and variety, but there is a lot of talk about the lack of nutrients in dry food, and no benefit to teeth, as was/still is a long held popular belief.  

I’ve read many reports and spoken to several people, who have noticed massive positive changes in dogs that have been switched over to a raw diet. For some reason I’m on the fence about it, I can’t seem to put my finger on why so I won’t be considering it for Jack’s new diet, at least not now.

An expert’s view

While researching my options I came across a very helpful resource written by Dr. Karen Becker, an integrative wellness veterinarian. I’m planning on introducing a more holistic approach to my dogs’ care, so I find Dr. Becker’s writings very informative.

The article I’m referring to is called “From Best to Worst – My NEW Rankings of 13 Pet Foods” and it is this article that helped me decide to try a dehydrated food for Jack.

She explains the various types of foods available, and although I’m talking about dogs simply because they are the focus of my website, the information will be helpful for other pets as well. I also appreciated her understanding cost is a factor for many of us, and mentions that when discussing options.

Types of dog food – conclusion

Choosing nutrition for your pet is a big decision, and can literally affect their health and wellbeing. Start with deciding on the type of food you are interested in, then you’ll be ready to research brands.

I will be adding more nutrition information to help you make the best choices for your dog, so check back often.