The food for dogs is the dry balanced food, which comes in the form of small crunchy balls. Ideally, it should cover your dog's nutritional needs and help them maintain good he alth and fitness. However, this depends on the quality of the feed in question, which can vary greatly from brand to brand.
That is why almost all dog owners question at some point whether it is worth giving their dog a commercial feed or if it is better to give him another type of food, either industrial or homemade. If you are in that dilemma, you have to consult your dog's veterinarian, since your pet is unique and its nutritional requirements may be different from those of other dogs. Anyway, In this article on our site you have a general comparison of advantages and disadvantages of dog food with respect to other foods.
Food for dogs vs. Wet food
Both dry food and wet food have balanced nutrients Therefore, both options can be good to feed your dog if you choose one good quality brand. However, the feed offers some advantages that make it the preferred option for most.
The advantages of the feed compared to wet food for dogs are:
- Food is cheaper (wet food can be outrageously expensive for medium and large dogs).
- Helps remove tartar from your dog's teeth.
- Does not dirty excessively.
- It can be kept for a long time at room temperature (wet food, once the package is opened, must be consumed during the day or refrigerated).
- It is easier to dose.
- Dog gas is less odorous when it eats dry food than when it eats wet food.
Among the disadvantages of dog food compared to wet food you can simply find one:
Wet food is more palatable to dogs
Food for dogs vs. Semi-moist food
Semi-moist food does not come in cans like wet food, but in plastic packaging. This food does not contain a proper balance of nutrients and therefore is not a good choice to feed your dog.
In fact, semi-moist food has very high percentages of carbohydrates and fats, which can cause tooth decay and diabetes in the long term. If you plan to give your puppy semi-moist food, you should consult your veterinarian and it should only be for some time or occasionally as treats for dogs.
The advantages of dog food over semi-moist food are:
- Contains the right balance of nutrients (assuming it's a good brand, of course).
- Does not stick to teeth.
- Helps clean dental tartar.
The only disadvantage of dry food compared to semi-moist food is that dogs like the latter more. However, this preference is for the high content of fats and carbohydrates, so it is not a disadvantage in terms of he alth.
Food for dogs vs. Homemade food
Homemade food dogs usually likemore than commercial dry food. When it is well prepared, it contains the necessary nutrients for your pet and is an excellent option to feed it. However, if it is poorly made, it will lack important nutrients and can lead to he alth problems.
Homemade diets based solely on meat are very harmful, they no longer offer the nutritional balance that the dog requires. It is also not he althy to give the dog leftovers from human meals. That is not a homemade diet. That's just irresponsibility.
The advantages and disadvantages that you have in this section refer to feed compared to correctly prepared homemade food.
Advantages of feed compared to homemade food:
- The nutritional balance is always adequate (in home cooking it can vary from day to day, even though it is correct on average).
- Dog food generally turns out to be cheaper than homemade food, although it may not seem like it at first glance.
- You save time and effort by not having to cook.
- It is easier to clean.
- It keeps well for a long time at room temperature.
Among the disadvantages of dog food compared to homemade food you have:
- Dogs like homemade food better than dry food.
- The feed does not allow variety in the dog's diet, which has to eat the same thing every day. Home cooking does offer that variety.
- With the food, the dog does not perform many natural behaviors when eating, such as tearing the meat or dividing some food. With homemade food, the dog can have these behaviors that are definitely part of the eating experience.
- Generally, but not always, the gases of the dog fed dry food are more odorous than those of the dog fed homemade food.
Do I think premium, regular or generic?
If the option is taken and your dog is fed with feed, you only have to define what feed you will give him. The high-end ones are the most expensive and are usually indicated as "Premium" on the packaging. The regular or current ones are the feed of recognized brands, but they are not premium. Generics are those sold in bulk at supermarkets and some pet stores.
Theoretically, premium feeds are the best as they are made with better quality ingredients. Obviously, they are also the most expensive and this makes them an option only for some.
Regular feed from well-known brands meet the nutritional needs of dogs, but they are made with lower quality ingredients than those used in premium feed. Therefore, the digestibility is lower and it is necessary to give the dog more food to satisfy its hunger.
Finally, generic dog food is of poorer quality and in some cases may not even cover the dog's nutritional requirements. The worst thing is that since they are often sold in bulk, you do not know what ingredients they contain or what the guaranteed analysis is. In addition, the proportions of its ingredients can vary from one bag to another.
Therefore, if money is not a problem for you, a premium feed will be the best option to feed your dog. But if your dog's food affects your monthly budget, as it does for most people, regular food is a good option In any of the In both cases, consult your dog's veterinarian for advice on a brand. If he only recommends brands that are out of your budget, don't be shy and tell him so. In this way you can advise a cheaper feed but that is suitable for your best friend. The generic feed that is sold in bulk is a bad option and is not recommended for your pet. Only take it into account if you really have no other alternative, but even then consult the veterinarian. Maybe I can give you recipes for cheap but nutritious home cooking.
We hope we have helped you decide what type of food or food for dogs to give your pet with these comparisons.
