Feed types in comparison: wet food, dry food, or raw food?
The range of food for dogs is large. In addition to the preferences and needs of the animal, the lifestyle of the owner also plays a role.
Which types of food are best?
Dry food for the dog? Or would you prefer wet or raw food? The offer is large and the selection varied, so it is often difficult to keep track. Some people, therefore, Should I shave my German Shepherd wonder whether they should fill wet food or dry food into their dog’s bowl. Or would you rather use raw food for your dog?
The good news: Pet food, which is commercially declared as “complete food” for dogs, contains all the important nutrients that our four-legged friends need. Whether with wet or dry food, if you choose complete food, you know your dog is well taken care of.
Dog food types in the short overview
Dry food: low effort, increased water requirement, high tooth abrasion, chewing apparatus is strengthened, amount of food is lower due to high nutrient density gen you youtube
Wet food: low effort, hardly increased water requirement, low tooth abrasion, chewing apparatus is little stressed, amount of food must be higher due to low nutrient density
Raw food: high effort, no increased water requirement, high tooth abrasion (when bones are fed), masticatory apparatus is strengthened (when bone and cartilage are fed), amount of food depends on the individual components, often germ load as a problem
Dog food types in detail
Dry food is usually less odorous than wet food, which makes it popular with owners. In addition, it does not spoil so quickly and can be purchased in larger containers. Nevertheless, pay attention to the correct storage in a suitable food bin or a zip bag, otherwise, it comes e.B. by oxidation to rancidity. Dry food is easier to handle on the go than wet food. It has the advantage that it favors tooth abrasion, which can counteract tartar and tooth decay in dogs. However, a sufficient water supply is important for dry feeding, because it contains very little moisture.
In terms of taste, the wet food is far ahead of most four-legged friends. As the name suggests, it contains a high moisture content (60 to 84 percent). Wet food is easier to digest than dry food and overweight dogs find it easier to lose weight because the larger amount of food provides a filling stretching stimulus in the stomach.
Many mini breeds are wet food fans: due to the anatomy of their teeth, they cope better with the soft pieces. This also applies to all dogs with temporary or age-related painful dental problems. You should always give wet food at room temperature or slightly warmed. This is how you avoid stomach irritation. However, opened cans should be kept covered in the refrigerator to counteract spoilage.
If you want to practice mixed feeding with wet and dry food, it is important to feed the two components not together, but spread over individual meals. Wet food is used faster than dry food – both together can lead to digestive problems. For example, as an energy kick, feed dry food in the morning and wet food in the evening. A big advantage of mixed feeding: If a complete switch to dry or wet food is necessary for health reasons, your dog is already used to both. Even when traveling or if you should be sick, you are so very flexible when it comes to dog feeding.
Cooking your own dog food & BARF
Some dog owners want to make the food for their pet themselves. Thus, the quality and origin of the ingredients can be chosen by yourself and no unwanted additives are contained. There are home-cooked meals, BARF (bone and raw food, for example: organic-species-appropriate raw feeding) or the so-called “Preyen” (feeding whole prey). Vegetarian and vegan diets of dogs are also becoming more and more widespread.
Important for these species to feed the dog: You need a lot of knowledge about species-appropriate dog nutrition to implement it! Making dog food yourself is a science in itself. Unfortunately, experience shows that a large part of the self-produced dog food is deficient: certain vitamins, minerals, trace elements or the composition of carbohydrates, fat and protein are not consistent.
Therefore, in any case, talk to a specialist veterinarian for animal nutrition about it beforehand, who will also be happy to create a food plan for you. Otherwise, you will achieve exactly the opposite effect of what you actually wanted to achieve: a particularly healthy diet for your darling.
When deciding on home-cooked dog food, please also keep in mind that you can get sick or want to go on holiday. A spontaneous change of feed to dry or wet food is not possible, but is usually accompanied by severe digestive disorders.
Despite all warnings: For chronically ill dogs, planning for a german shepherd for example with renal insufficiency, home-cooked dog food is often the only practicable solution. The same applies to dogs with food allergy or intolerance that require an exclusion diet. Although the commercially available diets have been continuously improved, this does not always work in individual cases. The veterinarian will of course advise you in detail on how to put together the food for your darling yourself.
Meanwhile, there are also ready-made BARF rations frozen to buy, which makes feeding much easier. Unfortunately, raw meat in particular is repeatedly exposed to pathogenic bacteria such as salmonella. Also, it can contain parasites, which must be strictly observed during processing in the “human kitchen”.
Adapting dog food to your needs
Your dog’s size and age (Puppy, Adult, Senior) should be taken into account when choosing food. The possible predisposition to diseases (breed-specific) should also be taken into account. In addition,male and female german shepherd there is physical activity and individual energy requirements, feeding practice (once a day versus several meals) and lifestyle. This results in the perfect food for your fur nose.
Important: Always make feed changes successively to give the digestive tract time to adapt. If your pet shows indigestion such as diarrhea and vomiting, please talk to your veterinarian about it.
