How to choose the right dog food

With so many different pet food products on the supermarket shelves, it can be a challenge to work out which one is best. Here’s our quick-and-easy guide to choosing the best dinner for your dear dog:

Look for the words ‘complete and balanced’ on the packaging. This is critical, as it announces whether or not the food contains the right nutrients in the appropriate portions to keep your dog in good health.
While wet food, dried food and packaged raw food are covered by the Australian Standard for the Manufacturing and Marketing of Pet Food, the standard is voluntary — so paying attention to the ingredients on your dog food really does count.
Consider age-appropriate food. Some meals are labelled ‘puppy friendly’ or ‘senior class’ — but why is it important that your older and younger dogs get different nosh to your adult one?
One reason is the size of your pet’s teeth. Puppy teeth are different to adult dog teeth, and so the food is made to suit. Puppies and senior dogs often have different nutritional needs to adult dogs too, with some requiring different levels of protein and/or calories to help them meet their developmental and lifestyle needs. Choosing food that is age-appropriate helps your dog thrive.
Avoid table scraps and human treats. It’s all too easy to feed your cute four-legged friend a little snack from the table, but human food can upset your dog’s stomach, and there are some human foods, such as chocolate, onion and grapes, that can be extremely dangerous should your dog eat them. Feeding them complete and balanced dog food made specifically for your pooch is always the best choice — and if you need to spoil your furry friend, consider a commercially made dog treat or a fresh (never cooked) dog bone.

This pet health tip is brought to you by Nutrimate, producers of premium-quality, food-grade pet food. For more information, visit nutrimatepetfoods.com.au or phone 08 6161 7779.

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