Choose dog food based on age, size and needs
The most important choice when you're standing with dog food in hand is about matching the food to exactly your dog. A puppy, an adult dog and an older dog have different needs, and that's why the range is divided by life stage: food forpuppies and juniors, foradult dogsand forseniors. Size also plays a role — small breeds and large breeds have different energy metabolism and jaw size, and you'll therefore find food aimed atsmall dogsandlarge dogs. If you're unsure where to start, you can ordersample mealsand let the dog taste before you commit to a larger bag.
Dry food, wet food or a combination?
Dry food is the most widespread form of dog food, because it's easy to portion, keeps for a long time and is practical for daily feeding. If you want to give your dog more variety or extra moisture in its diet, you can supplement or replace it with wet food. You'll find a wide selection ofpâté in 400 g cans, which can be used alone or as a topping on top of the dry food. Many people combine the two: dry food as a base and a spoonful of pâté to make the meal more tempting — this can be especially helpful for fussy dogs or dogs that need to eat a little more.
Grain-free and allergy-friendly food for sensitive stomachs
Some dogs react to certain ingredients with itching, an upset stomach or loose stools. In such cases it may be relevant to choosegrain-free dog foodor anallergy-friendly food, where the recipes are put together with fewer and gentler ingredients. If your dog needs to lose weight or maintain its weight, food with alow fat contentmay be a better match than a standard food. Whatever you choose, the rule is that changes in the diet should be made gradually over several days, so the stomach can get used to the new food without being strained.
How to change your dog's food without stomach trouble
If you change the food too quickly, you risk the dog getting loose stools or poor digestion. The simple rule is to phase it in slowly. Mix a small amount of new food into the old for the first few days, and gradually increase the proportion of the new food over about a week, until the dog is eating 100 percent new food. Keep an eye on stools and appetite along the way — if there are signs of discomfort, you can extend the transition by a couple of days. For treats along the way, you can use food from the same philosophy, for exampletraining treatsor natural chews with along chewing time.
