Working Out What Food is Best for Your Dog

In Association with CopRice

Making sure your pet has the best quality of life is key – and providing better than baseline nutrition is the place to start. 

Baseline nutrition provides the optimal protein, fat, and essential vitamin and minerals. Good nutrition goes beyond that, supporting the overall wellbeing of dogs while supporting recovery and immune processes to give them the best shot at life. But what does this look like?

Quality over quantity

The availability of nutrients varies between ingredients. Good availability is important to adequate energy, muscle development, repair and recovery. A good way to indicate “quality” is to look for feeds that have lower feeding guidelines. This means that more of the food is absorbed and therefore, less is required to be fed.

Is meat the number one ingredient or the primary source of protein?

Protein is made of a number of different amino acids. Some amino acids are considered essential and must be provided by the diet. Meat/animal protein provides the greatest concentration of these essential amino acids comparative to plants or grains.

When you compare dog food brands, check where meat is ranked in the ingredients list, or if the product specifies exactly how much protein is from animal sources. Then look at what types of meat are listed. Are individual meat sources, such as beef or chicken, specifically named or are they grouped together under the generic description of ‘meat’? Transparency of the protein sources is especially important when purchasing food for dogs with sensitivities. 

What types of carbohydrates are in the food?

Cereals offer a rich source of digestible carbohydrates, providing sustainable energy for growth and endurance. Rice which is easily digested by dogs - like meat - has good nutrient bioavailability. Brown rice is one of the best sources of digestible carbohydrates – it contains rice bran oil, a natural source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It’s also rich in omega fatty acids, which support brain development, aid joint flexibility, help ease inflammation and are excellent for skin and coat conditioning.

Does it contain other useful supplements & antioxidants?

Non-essential but functional nutrients also take nutrition from baseline to good. Check for additional features such as glucosamine - which assists in rebuilding cartilage with an anti-inflammatory effect, DHA - an essential fatty acid for eye, brain and heart health, antioxidants - which may assist injury healing, can aid muscle recovery and boost immunity – therefore playing a vital role in keeping your dog fit and healthy and Yucca Schidigera Extract - a natural plant extract, which has positive effects on reducing stool odour and supporting good gut health.