One of the things that can cause us more doubts when deciding the diet of our pets is which balanced food is better. With so many brands and varieties available, sometimes it is quite difficult to choose a food that suits the needs of our dog.
Therefore, In this article on the best balanced food for dogs we are going to try to make things easy for you. We have chosen a list of the best dog foods, and we have also separated them by categories, so that you can choose the one that suits you best. We also recommend this other post about 7 best dog foods.
Feed in general
When choosing a feed or balanced food for our dog, the first thing we will have to take into account is if we need it to be of some special type, for example, for a certain stage of growth, ailment ... However, in the market There are also very high quality feed that They are suitable for all dogs, of all breeds, sizes and ages, and even hypoallergenic.
The best balanced food overall
Acana is one of the highest quality brands of feed on the market, as its ingredients include a large amount of fresh or raw meat. In this case, it is a fish-based product (Pacific herring, sardines, hake, rockfish ...), although any variety of Acana also has an incredible quality, so you can choose the one that you like the most. dog. Acana's feed contains neither more nor less than a 70% proportion of meat. This means that the feed is not fattened by wheat, rice or other “filler” foods (and which can also cause allergies in some dogs), but rather they make sure that your dog receives all the protein he needs.
This variety It is ideal for all dogs, regardless of their growth stage, even for weight control or if they have any food allergies. The only point against this high quality feed is the price, which is much higher than the average.
Specific feed
As we said, It may be that you need a specific feed, focused, for example, on the age of your dog, some disease that may appear (such as allergies) or even its breed. These feed have a composition adapted to the specific needs of dogs and that is why they are ideal in depending on what type of situations so that they remain as happy and healthy as ever.
Medicalized: the entire Royal Canin Veterinary line
We speak from our own experience when we recommend the entire Royal Canin Veterinary line. They are very high quality feed, and, as their name indicates, they are a medicalized line, focused on the specifications of your veterinarian. (That is, avoid giving your dog the gastrointestinal feed, for example, if your veterinarian has not instructed you). Thus, they have a lot of varieties to provide your dog with the perfect food according to his needs: Satiety, to control weight; Gastrointestinal, for digestive problems; Urinary, for problems with the kidneys; Anallergenic, for allergies; Diabetic, for diabetic dogs ...
In addition, Another point in favor is that the same brand has the entire version in the form of feed or wet food so you can choose the one that best suits your dog. Wet food, although less comfortable to give, for example, tends to appeal to dogs more thanks to its texture and flavor.
For puppies: Acana Puppy & Junior
We return to Acana to talk about their puppy food, a balanced food of the highest quality that it will make your puppy's development simply excellent. We have already spoken on other occasions that the ingredients they use in Acana are meat in abundance (and whole pieces), in this case free-range chicken, as well as eggs to provide more protein. The croquettes are also small, so it is not difficult for the smallest dogs to chew them.
Finally, This variety is also recommended, in addition to puppies (considered more or less up to 7 months of age) for junior dogs, that is, adolescents (approximately 7 months a year).
For seniors: Orijen Senior
Another top brand like Acana (in fact they are from the same manufacturer) very good both in flavor and ingredients. This particular feed follows a mild diet of chicken, turkey, fish, eggs and vegetables, making it ideal for older dogs while still being very good. In addition, the croquettes are quite small, so they do not cost anything to chew.
A negative point is that some Amazon reviews complain that it has made their dogs feel bad, so it is recommended that, before changing the feed, you ask your veterinarian.
For mini adult dogs: Royal Canin Mini Adult
In addition to the Veterinary line, one of the main advantages and characteristics of Royal Canin, one of the most recommended brands by veterinarians (the founder was not one for nothing), is that it seems to have products adapted to all races, sizes, ages and conditions. In the product that we present here, a high quality feed is offered for adult mini-size dogs.
Do you want more? The same product is available in a wet food version in case you want to combine it with the feed or simply give your dog a treat.
For sterilized dogs: Purina ProPlan OptiWeight
It is no secret that Sterilized dogs tend to get fatter than those that are not, so it is also important to choose a feed adapted to their needs. This one from Purina is very good, as it reduces the feeling of hunger while helping the dog lose weight based on its delicious chicken-based recipe. In addition, it is designed for all breeds and for all sizes.
Wet food: Lily's Kitchen
Y we ended up with another brand that boasts of using huge chunks of meat and fish in the preparation of their wet food, Lily's Kitchen. Although it is quite expensive, according to the comments it seems that the dogs love its taste, although a negative point is that you can only buy a package with all the flavors, so if your pet does not like any of them he will have to bother .
How to choose the best balanced food
As you have seen, there are a lot of balanced foods with a very high quality in the market, so it can be quite difficult to choose the one that suits your dog the best. Therefore, it is advisable to pay attention to the following:
Age
Age is one of the first things, if not the first, that you should take into account when choosing a feed for your dog. The needs of a puppy, for example, are not the same as those of an adult dog, just like those of one who is already a venerable age. Many foods prepare a specific diet aimed at the age of the dogs.
Race or size
Race or size too are determinants for certain foods, which tend to adapt their content to the needs of a specific breed. Therefore, size is closely related to race, since it is a characteristic that their individuals tend to share. In addition, certain breeds are more prone to developing certain health problems in the future, so giving them a feed adapted to them can be a very good idea.
Specific needs
This type of balanced food is determined by the vet. It is aimed at those dogs affected by a specific disease. For example, if the dog is allergic, a hypoallergenic feed will be adapted to the nutritional needs of dogs affected by the allergy. Other typical feeds are those aimed at diabetes, being overweight ...
Likes of your dog
The likes of your dog they are also very important when choosing a foodBecause if you don't eat it comfortably, you may not be eating enough, which can obviously give you problems. That is why it is highly recommended to choose a flavor that you like: fish, chicken ...
Veterinary advice
Last but not least, veterinary advice is vital to choose a good feed. Take advantage of if you take your dog for a check-up (to give him vaccinations, for example) to ask the vet what I think he advises you in his case. After all, professionals are the best prepared to recommend what to feed our pets.
Wet food or feed?
Another of the great doubts that we face when choosing the best balanced food for our dog is whether wet food or feed is better. The truth is that each one has its advantages and disadvantages:
Dog Food
I think it is usually the type of food that is used to having the most success. It is very comfortable to give, since you simply have to put it in the bowl and wait for the dog to eat it to your liking. Normally it comes in the form of dry kibbles that are pleasant to eat and with all the necessary nutrients, in addition, being dry food helps to clean the dog's teeth and its digestive health, since they have to chew them before swallowing them.
One of the most obvious drawbacks of feed is that it does not contain as much water as wet food, with which we will have to be especially attentive so that our dog consumes the water it needs.
Wet food
Wet food It is ideal for those dogs that are a bit fussy when it comes to eating, since its texture is more pleasant and its flavor is usually much more good and intense than that of the feed. On the other hand, its other great advantage is that, being humid, it contains much more water than feed, which is an extra hydration.
However, wet food is not as comfortable to feed as I think. You will have to be attentive to the portion that the dog gets (in most products determined by weight) and make sure that it eats it in one sitting so that it does not spoil.
Where to buy balanced dog food
There is a lots of places you can find balanced dog food in the form of feed and wet food, although some are more recommended than others.
- Amazon It is undoubtedly one of the most recommended options, since it allows the bags (usually very large and bulky) to arrive at the door of the house with total comfort. In addition, they have endless brands and varieties.
- En online stores for animals You will also find a lot of brands and varieties, in addition, you can go in person for advice.
- Although, if you want advice, the most useful are those of the veterinarians, which will recommend the best feed for your dog. In addition, most have bags for sale or their version in wet food, from the best brands, as well as the medicalized versions.
- Finally, We do not recommend that you opt for any feed that you can find in supermarkets and department stores, especially if they are white label. These feed do not usually have the minimum quality that your dog's diet requires.
Choosing the best balanced food for our pet is quite an odyssey, but luckily we can always ask a veterinary professional, since they will know how to advise us on the best variety for our pet's needs. Tell us, have you tried any of these feed? What do you think? Is your dog more of wet food or feed?