Which kibble to choose for your dog?

There are many different brands and ranges of kibbles. It is sometimes difficult to choose the best and most adapted ones for your dog. This choice will depend on his age, his activity, and his health condition.

Among dog owners, many prefer dry kibble or industrial food to homemade meals and wet industrial food (canned food or fresh packets). Practical, complete, and relatively economical, several arguments plead in their favor. However, you must be careful to choose the kibbles that are best suited to your dog. To help you do this, here are a few things you should know.

The advantages of kibbles

When they are of good quality, kibbles ensure a complete and balanced diet for your companion. They are, in fact, formulated to ensure that your dog gets all the daily nutrition he needs, including protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals...

The choice of dry food is a particularly practical option. Indeed, it saves the effort and time necessary to prepare a household ration. Moreover, it is often a less expensive option. Generally, the price of kibbles is between 5-10€/kg.

Finally, well packed in their bag, they can be easily stored and kept for a long time.

The disadvantages of kibbles

As already mentioned above, kibbles are dry food. Although this is a clear advantage for their conservation, you should always make sure to provide your dog with a source of fresh and clean water so that he can quench his thirst at will.

Also, be careful with the quantity you offer at each meal. The kibble represents a significant energy concentrate. It's easy to be fooled into giving more than you need. Many owners also feel quickly "frustrated for their dog" to give only one type of food and easily fall into the excessive distribution of "side dishes" to please, such as table scraps, a piece of butter toast, a piece of cheese... In addition to the bad habits that dogs may develop by asking for food, this will lead them straight to overweight or even obesity.

On the whole, kibbles are often less appetizing than homemade rations and wet food. It may be more difficult to get a dog that is already used to eating other foods to eat kibble.

Finally, if the daily nutritional requirements are covered in a balanced way with high-quality kibbles, it is unfortunately not the case with "low cost" kibbles.

Prefer high-end kibbles

To ensure a good diet for your dog, you should choose brands known for their high-end products, which are a guarantee of quality. For the most part, these high-end kibbles are made with quality products and with the help of specialists and veterinarians, so that they are the most adapted to the energy and nutritional needs of dogs according to their age, breed, activity, health status, etc.

In general, avoid "low cost" ranges (supermarket brands) whose prices are too low to be trusted. Very often, these kibbles are made from animal by-products (carcasses, parts that are not easily digestible such as tendons, etc.) and therefore contain poor-quality proteins that are not easily digestible and do not provide the essential amino acids that your dog needs. They can also be unbalanced and contain too much sugar, fat, salts, or phosphorus...

It should be noted that the excess of salt and fat makes them more palatable and attractive to your dog. If we let him choose, he might prefer these brands to the detriment of high-end brands, but it is not because he prefers them that you should give in and let him choose. Animals do not always know what is good for them, it is up to their owners to ensure their good health.

Also read: Organic dog treats

Choosing kibble adapted to your dog's characteristics

Each dog has a specific type of kibble. A puppy does not have the same nutritional needs as an adult, older, or sterilized dog. Similarly, an animal suffering from an illness may have to eat differently than when it was healthy. Currently, the market offers a range of kibbles adapted to each of these conditions: puppy, young dog, sterilized dog, a senior dog, and this often according to their breed or at least their size.