There are four primary dog feeding strategies:

1. Dry dog food (kibble)
2. Wet dog food
3. Homemade dog food
4. Raw diet (BARF)

There is no definitive answer as to which dog feeding method is best.

This article summarizes each method, and presents their pros and cons. Based on this, we can decide what to feed our dog, based on his lifestyle and preferences.

What to Feed a Dog 1

Dry Dog Food (Kibble)

When considering which kibble to feed our dog, it is important to keep these things in mind -

• Note what the main ingredients are.

A good rule of thumb to distinguish the major components of a food is to look for the first named source of fat in the ingredient list. Anything listed before that, and including it, make up the main portion of the food, other items are present in much smaller amounts to add flavor, function as preservatives or because of their dietary benefits (e.g. probiotics, vitamins and minerals).
~~ [ Excerpt from the Dog Food Project ]

• Look for a kibble with meat as its primary source of protein.
• Avoid kibble with wheat, corn, or soy as its main ingredients. For sources of carbohydrates, potatoes and rice are easier to digest. Many dogs are allergic to wheat and corn.
• Avoid any food with wheat or corn gluten. Here’s why.
• Avoid kibble with too many “by-products” in their ingredient list.
• Avoid kibble with many generic ingredients, for example poultry meal or fish meal. Instead, look for chicken meal or salmon meal.
• Avoid kibble with artificial coloring and preservatives, for example BHA or BHT.
• Avoid kibble with too much filler material, such as corn hull.

I have done a fair amount of research into dry dog food, because both my dogs have sensitive digestive systems. My Shiba Inu is allergic to wheat, and my Siberian Husky is allergic to most types of grains (wheat, corn, oats), as well as fish.

Here are some good kibble brands that I have tried, and that are highly recommended by many dog owners:

• Innova EVO,
• Orijen,
• Nature’s Variety Instinct, and
• Wellness CORE.

** Note that all of the above brands are grain-free, high-protein kibble. There may be some concern over high-protein dog food causing kidney disease, but this is a myth that has been debunked .

Just be careful not to give high protein food to large breed puppies as it may cause overly rapid growth, which will stress bones and joints.

Other dry dog food brands:

Solid Gold: I did not include Solid Gold because their high protein kibble, Barking to the Moon, contains generic fish meal as its primary ingredient. Instead, we want to look for salmon meal, herring meal, or whitefish meal which is in Orijen 6, and Wellness CORE Ocean.

Blue Wilderness: This kibble has gotten some great reviews by dog owners. My dogs are currently happy with EVO, but if something changes and I have to switch brands, this one would be at the top of my list.

Timberwolf Organics: I have never tried Timberwolf Organics, but they also have a well reviewed grain-free kibble.

Canidae is often recommended as a good, medium-cost quality kibble. I have never tried Canidae, but their ingredient list looks sound.

What to Feed a Dog 2

Wet Dog Food

Once we have finished our research on dry dog food, we can just get the wet or canned versions of our favorite kibble brands. Doing this will ensure the same high quality ingredients, and packing process.

I only give my dogs a small amount of wet food everyday. They get their wet dog food in the form of frozen Kongs, which they work on at night while in their crate.

What to Feed a Dog 3

Homemade Dog Food

The most difficult part of feeding our dog homemade food, is ensuring that it has the proper nutritional balance.

The American Veterinary Medical Association warns against feeding our dogs table scraps. Table scraps tend to be too rich, and may contain foods that are poisonous to dogs. The AVMA also discourages using homemade food as our dog’s primary feeding method.

The AVMA does not recommend that people attempt to prepare home-cooked meals for their pets because pet nutrition is very complicated and unique to species and individual animals.

~~ [ Excerpt from Tips On Cooking Your Pet A Home-Cooked Meal, AVMA ]

If we absolutely want to try this dog feeding method, the AVMA recommends the book Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets: the Healthful Alternative by Dr. Donald Strombeck, or the www.petdiets.com website.

I will sometimes microwave some simple people food for my dogs, but only as a supplement to their mostly dry dog diet. In particular, my dogs really like melted cheese, boiled chicken, microwave sausage, and bacon.

When I need my dogs to endure an unpleasant dog grooming session, e.g. nail grinding or teeth brushing, I will sometimes microwave them a mix of salad greens (lettuce, and carrots), boiled chicken, vienna sausage, cheese, and a very small amount of bacon bits.

What to Feed a Dog 4

Raw Diet (BARF)

A raw diet consists primarily of uncooked meat, edible bones, and organs. Sometimes eggs, vegetables, fruits, and vitamin supplements are added to create a more balanced meal.

Whether to feed our dogs a raw food diet, is a hot debate with strong proponents and opponents.

For a more comprehensive discussion on the pros and cons of a raw diet, refer to the links below:

• Wikipedia: Raw Feeding.
• SPCA International: Understanding Homemade Diets and the Pros/Cons of a Raw Food (BARF) Diet.
• DoggieNews: BARF – the Raw Food Diet for Dogs.

Useful Dog Feeding Sites

• The Dog Food Project
• Dog Feeding Information from DogAware
• The Pet Food Report

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