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Best Dog Food in the Philippines -- Choosing the Right Meal for your Canine Best Friend

Dogs are among the most affectionate, protective, and caring pets you could ever have. They can be your best friend and loyal companion throughout their lifetime. Besides frequent walks and belly rubs, it is a pet owner's responsibility to feed their dogs every day to help maintain their pet's health and well-being.

Water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals are crucial to your dogs diet. As responsible pet owners, we need to provide these basic nutrients to ensure our dog lives happy and healthy life.

The rows of dog food at the supermarket and the long list of ingredients on their labels can be overwhelming for new fur parents. To help you out, we have created an in-depth dog food guide with the following topics:

Different types of dog food

The first step to choosing the right dog food is understanding its many types. There is not one best type rather, it comes down to your pets preference and the time available to prepare their meals. There are five types of dog food that you need to know about: dry, canned, semi-moist, home-cooked, and raw.

Dry food

Otherwise known as kibbles, this is the typical dog food you see in many pet and grocery stores. Dry food is the conventional choice for many dog owners because of its affordable price, easy preparation, and long shelf life. Dry food is also known to strengthen your dogs teeth because of its hard texture.

Always read the labels when shopping for dry dog food. Ideal percentages may vary depending on your dogs life stage, but it should contain at least 30-70% carbohydrates, 18-25% protein, and 10-15% fats. Also look for essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, E, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. Even though its considered dry, kibbles should contain water as part of its ingredients.

Canned

Canned or wet dog food is also a common type. It has a long shelf life but is a little bit more expensive than dry food. When shopping for canned dog food, make sure to check the guaranteed analysis section of the label. This will give you an idea of how much fat and protein it contains. The ideal amount depends on your dogs needs. For example, if your dog is overweight, you should look for canned food that has less fat and vice versa if theyre too thin.

As with kibbles, look for canned dog food with named protein sources like lamb or beef rather than just meat, and avoid products containing generic fat sources labeled simply as animal fat and artificial colors and flavors.

Semi-moist

An ideal snack rather than an actual meal, semi-moist dog food contains about 60-65% water by weight. These are snacks made to look like bacon, pork chops, or hot dogs. Semi-moist food contains more sugar, salt, artificial flavors and colors than dry or canned meals, so use it sparingly. It is a great occasional treat like the occasional McDonalds for us humans!

Home-cooked

Aside from store-bought food, pet owners can prepare meals from scratch for their fur babies. Home-made diets haven't been proven to be 'better' than ready-made dog food, but whole and unprocessed ingredients are well-known to have long-term benefits. It helps restore a natural balance to your pets gut system as well as eliminate fillers and preservatives.

When preparing home-cooked dog food, you should include proteins such as beef, turkey, lamb, chicken, pork, tuna, and the occasional egg. Avoid fatty cuts or anything covered in garlic or various seasonings. Take great care to remove chicken bones since they tend to splinter. You can also include vegetables such as peas, carrots, spinach, cucumbers, pumpkin, sweet potato, and corn. Carbohydrates like rice, pasta, oatmeal, and even quinoa are also important. Avoid including alcohol, avocados, chocolate, coffee, garlic, grapes, raisins, mint, and artificial flavors in their meals.

While most of us would prefer to prepare home-cooked food for our pets, it can be expensive and time-consuming. Feeding your fur babies canned or dry dog food doesnt mean you dont love them any less!

Raw

Dogs are carnivores, so a raw diet is an obvious choice for many dog owners. A raw diet can comprise of organ and muscle meat, whole or ground bone, raw eggs, dog-safe fruits and veggies, and even dairy products. It can be home-made, freeze-dried, or dehydrated. However, before you transition to a raw diet, be sure to consult your veterinarian.

Recommended food for different life stages

While browsing the pet aisle at your local grocery store, you might have noticed labels like formulated for all life stages. Although these mostly cover the basics, they might not have all the nutritional needs of a growing puppy or a nursing mother. Many veterinarians recommend feeding your dog according to their life stage to maintain optimal health and wellness.

Puppy (0 to 9 months)

From birth to nine months old, puppies need the right amount of nutrition to support their growth and development. At six to eight weeks, they need to be fed as often as four to six meals a day. At six months, they are about 75% to their adult size and can be fed two to three meals a day.

Puppy dog food should include high amounts of calcium and protein to support bone and muscle growth, especially for large breeds. After weaning, they lose their ability to digest lactose. Although small amounts can be tolerated, milk may cause an upset stomach and diarrhea.

Adult (9 months to the beginning of the last 25% of their estimated lifespan based on breed)

Choosing adult dog food depends on weight and activity levels. Compared to puppy food, adult maintenance dog food usually contains lower fat and protein. Overweight dogs need less fat and protein and vice versa for underweight dogs. Active and sports dogs can consume food for all life stages since it covers all the basics.

Senior (the last 25% of estimated lifespan based on breed)

During your dog's twilight years, a specialized diet with high protein, low sodium, and healthy carbohydrates are beneficial. Ingredients like prebiotics and probiotics help maintain a healthy gut by promoting microbial populations. Increased omega-3 fatty acids can combat inflammation and help promote a stronger vascular system. Glucosamine can also help promote joint health and combat arthritis. Senior dog food may also contain triglycerides to keep your dogs brain sharp and slow down the effects of senility.

Useful information about feeding your dog

When it comes to dog food there is never a perfect type. What might work for other dogs may not work for yours. Here are quick FAQs when it comes to feeding your fur babies:

How much should I feed my dog?

As descendants of wolves, early hunting dogs are capable of ingesting large portions of food before going for days without eating. However, dividing meals once or twice per day is recommended for household pets these days. Regardless of their feeding schedule, never allow your dog to exercise after a big meal, especially when they consume it rapidly. This can help avoid intestinal obstruction, bloating, and other digestive problems.

Should I avoid grain in dog food?

Unless your dog suffers from intolerances to grains or carbohydrate malabsorption, a small amount of gluten-free grain can serve as part of a healthy diet. If not, it's best to feed your dog grain-free dog food packed with nutrition to help them stay healthy and active.

What if my dog has allergies?

Believe it or not, dogs can be allergic to certain foods. Meat, dairy products, and eggs are some of the most common allergens for dogs. If you see symptoms such as redness in the skin or paws and loss of coat, try switching to a different protein source until you have narrowed down the source of the allergy.

Best dog food brands in the Philippines

As fur parents, it is our responsibility to provide the best for our pets. Here are some of the best dog brands in the Philippines that you can purchase online:

Beef Pro

One of the most popular dog food brands in the Philippines, Beef Pro takes pride in the nutritional value of their products. Loaded with vitamins and minerals, Beef Pro also contains Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids to give your fur babies a shiny coat and healthy skin.

Aozi

Aozi dog food is packed with different vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to give your pups the energy boost they need. This dog food brand also gives your puppies healthy skin and fur and boosts their immune system. Aozi dog food comes in two variants - lamb and apple - which have different health and nutritional benefits. The lamb variant is a good source of iron and helps improve their nervous and immune system.

IAMS

IAMS is a meat-based dog food that contains 25-29% quality protein, packed with fibers and fructo-oligo-saccharide (FOS) -- a natural probiotic to promote healthy digestion. IAMS has developed different variations of their dog food for different types, breeds, and life stages of dogs. For adult smaller dogs, the IAMS Dry Dog Food Adult Small Breed is an ideal choice as it is made with quality chicken protein and is rich in nutrients.

Good Boy

The Good Boy brand has distinct variants depending on the size of your dog and life stage. The Good Boy Little Dog food and Good Boy Puppy is best suited for small dogs and puppies. It contains lamb and beef to give them the nutrients they need to power through the day. It also has anti-tartar to give your adorable puppies healthier gums, stronger teeth, and fresher breath. The Good Boy Original is best for adult dogs or large-breed dogs.

Holistic

Holistic dog food comes has two popular dog food lines the Holistic Puppy Variant and Holistic Adult Dog. The former is formulated specifically for puppies and pregnant or lactating dogs that require a certain nutritional value, while the latter is made for adult dogs aged 1 and above. Both contain ingredients such as green tea, lamb meal, and brewers rice. They are also formulated with a hypoallergenic formula that is used to offer all dog breeds the proper digestion they need.

To wrap it all up...

Providing the best food for our pets is a top priority for any responsible fur parent. We need to make sure that every serving has the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates, nutrients, and minerals to meet the needs of the body. Whether its dry, canned, home-cooked, or raw food, it is important to know your dogs specific needs at their current life stage. Always read the label to avoid unnamed meats, preservatives, artificial colors, and flavors. Avoid dog food containing meat by-products, animal fat, BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin.

While some may find it unconventional, many dog owners are now shopping for dog food online. Not only is it easier and more convenient, but it is also cheaper than buying from the pet store or grocery store. One trick when shopping online is to find the products on iPrice and easily compare which shop has the best price! Try it on our dog food catalogue now!

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