Mary Allen
Dry food, canned food, leftovers, or raw meat? Here you get a quick overview of the concepts you may encounter in the jungle of dog food.
Dry Food
Hard, dry, and sad? Well, it’s not that bad. It is easy to buy, practical and complete from a nutritional point of view. Bad dry food is not available on the Swedish market, but the quality of the nutrients can vary.
The main objection of the critics to the lightly served food is that it is difficult for the dogs to assimilate the large amount of plant protein that is often included and that it is unnatural for dogs to eat cereals.
BARF
This food is based on the idea that dogs are created to eat raw meat and bones, just like the wolf. Imagine a diet of rumen, heart, brain, liver, eggs, and fish plus some vegetables and fruits. If you feed your dog according to barf (bones and raw food), you have full control of which raw materials the dog ingests. However, it is not as easy to know if it absorbs all the nutrients or if it happens to slip with bacteria or parasites. The dog may also have stomach problems.
Canned Food
Dogs that are picky usually love canned food, it is more practical than fresh wet food but often becomes very expensive. Most jars contain preservatives and sugar and dogs that eat only soft foods get dental problems. Topping the dry food with a couple of spoons of canned food is a popular method among those who have food refusers in their flock.
Freshly Frozen Feed
Food that is free of preservatives and above all consists of raw meat, offal, and meat by-products but also potatoes and cereals. The food is enriched with vitamins and minerals. This food is liked by those who believe that the dog is made to eat raw meat. It is bought in practical portion packs that are thawed in the fridge. Very high protein and fat content. however, not suitable for all dogs, best for working dogs.
Homemade
Serving only what is left on our own plates is not recommended because we like to salt, season, and spice up the food in a way that does not suit the dogs. No dog has died from some food leftovers (but make sure to avoid things that are toxic, such as onions and chocolate), but if you go in to cook the dog’s food yourself, it is good to learn how to cook, enrich it and what ingredients which a meal should contain.
Vegetarian
Food that is completely free of animals is available in both wet and dry form and may be necessary for dogs that are allergic to meat and milk. Vegan food for dogs is often met with criticism from those who are convinced that it is unnatural for the dog not to eat meat. Good to know is that the dog has more difficulty assimilating the important substances found in vegetables, fruits, and grains. A vegetarian meal for dogs can consist of: corn, soy, rice, oils, peas, oats, wheat, egg powder, spinach, parsley, blueberries, and added minerals and vitamins.