What characterises quality dog food on the ingredients list
The quality of a dog food is determined first and foremost by what appears at the top of the ingredients list. The ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so what is mentioned first makes up the largest proportion. In a high-quality food, a named animal protein source comes first: e.g. "chicken", "salmon" or "lamb", preferably with an indication of what percentage the meat makes up. This is an important difference from vague terms such as "meat and animal by-products", where you cannot see which animal or which part of the animal is involved.
Beyond a high meat content, good dog food is characterised by not being padded out with cheap fillers that only contribute calories and volume. The point is that the majority of the nutrition should come from sources the dog can actually make use of. If you want to dive deeper into how to read a product declaration, we have gathered it in the article on what should good dog food contain and a review of what dog food contains.
Protein: how much and where it comes from
Protein is the building block of muscles, coat, skin and the immune system, and both the amount and the source matter. An adult, active food typically sits at a protein content in the higher end, while the content is adjusted downwards for less active dogs. But the percentage alone does not tell you everything: a high protein figure can in principle come from plant proteins, which the dog makes poorer use of than animal protein.
That is why the key question is not just "how much protein", but "where does the protein come from". Meat and fish deliver an amino acid composition that matches the dog's needs better than, for example, pea protein added to raise the figure on the declaration. For dogs with high energy consumption such as hunting and working dogs, there is food with extra protein and fat in the working & sporting range. You can read more about the topic in dog food high protein content.
How to choose food by age and life stage
A puppy, an adult dog and an older dog have vastly different needs, and a quality food takes that into account. Puppies grow quickly and need more energy, protein and a balanced ratio between calcium and phosphorus for bone development. If you are choosing food for a puppy, you will find the age-specific meals under puppy & junior.
Adult dogs need a food that keeps weight and condition stable without a surplus of energy, and here the range under adult is a good fit. Older dogs often move less and may need more easily digestible food and support for joints and weight, which is covered by senior. If you are in doubt about the transitions between the stages, we go through them in dog food age size needs.
Food for small and large breeds
Size changes the needs just as much as age. Small breeds have a high metabolism in relation to their body weight and small jaws, so a smaller kibble size makes it easier to chew and digest. For the smallest, you will find food adapted to them under for small dogs, and we go in depth on the topic in best dog food small dogs.
Large and heavy breeds grow more slowly and need a diet that does not push growth unnecessarily, as well as support for joints and a controlled weight. Food for them can be found under for large dogs, and the choices around large breeds are described in large dog breeds choices and meals.
Grain-free or allergy-friendly for sensitive dogs
Some dogs react to certain ingredients with itching, an upset stomach or a dull coat. Here a food with a simpler and gentler composition can make a noticeable difference. Grain-free food leaves out grains such as wheat and corn and replaces the carbohydrates with, for example, potato or peas, and you will find the selection under grain-free.
If your dog has known sensitivities, food with a limited ingredients list has been gathered under allergy-friendly, and for unsettled stomachs there is sensitive stomach. It is worth emphasising that a real food allergy in dogs is most often due to a protein source rather than grain in itself, so grain-free is not automatically the answer to every stomach problem. We elaborate on it in allergy-friendly dog food and why grain-free dog food.
How to switch to a new food without upsetting the stomach
Even the best food can cause loose stools if the switch happens from one day to the next. The dog's gut flora needs time to get used to the new ingredients, and therefore a food switch should happen gradually over roughly a week. A common approach is to mix a small portion of the new food into the old one for the first few days and then increase the proportion of new food a little each day until the bowl contains only the new food.
If you keep an eye on stools and appetite along the way, you can slow the pace if the stomach becomes loose. You will find a step-by-step guide in how to switch dog food. If you want to try a new food before buying a large bag, you can start with sample meals.
This is how much food your dog should have per day
The amount of food depends on the dog's weight, age and activity level, not on a fixed amount for all dogs. On the bag you will find a guideline dosage table based on body weight, and it is a good starting point, but it should be adjusted according to how the dog thrives in practice. A dog that works or exercises a lot burns more than one that lies still for most of the day.
The best guideline is the dog's body shape: you should be able to feel the ribs without being able to see them clearly, and the dog should have a visible waist seen from above. If the dog gains weight, cut the amount down a little, and vice versa. Quality food with high nutrient density often means that less is needed per meal than with a food full of fillers. We work through it in how much dog food should my dog have and help you assess the shape in does your dog have a healthy weight.
Dry food, pâté or a combination
Quality food comes both as dry food and as wet food in the form of pâté, and the two each have their strengths. Dry food is easy to portion, keeps for a long time after opening and helps to clean the teeth mechanically when the dog chews. Pâté has a high water content and a strong scent and taste, which often tempts fussy dogs and dogs with a reduced appetite.
Many combine the two, for example by using pâté as a topping on the dry food, so that the meal becomes both filling and appealing. You will find the selection of pâté under pâté, and for puppies there is a softer variant under pâté for puppy & junior. If you have a dog that turns its back on the dry food, you can get advice in my dog won't eat dry food, and the benefits of wet food are reviewed in wet food dogs age needs.
Try the food before buying a large bag
A food switch is only successful if the dog actually likes the food and tolerates it. That is why it makes sense to test a new food in a smaller amount before you commit to a bag of several kilos. With a sample meal you can see whether the dog eats with appetite, and whether the stomach reacts well, without being left with a large bag of food it won't touch.
You will find the smaller portions under sample meals, and if you want to put together a broader selection for a new puppy, there is a complete starter package as a puppy starter box. This makes it both cheaper and gentler to find the food that suits your particular dog, instead of guessing.
