Dog food is a very hot topic these days, with everyone having very strong (and often conflicting) opinions regarding what is "best" to feed your canine.
I was fortunate enough to receive professional instruction on the nutritional needs of dogs during my veterinary technician program of study, which included not only lessons taught by the representatives of numerous dog food companies but also unbiased information from dozens of other sources. I've fed my own dogs multiple diets over the years, including raw/BARF, dehydrated, high-end boutique brands, etc. All my food changes are accompanied by a great deal of research on my end into not only ingredients and their ratios, but also the companies producing each of the foods themselves. In short, I've been studying canine nutrition since 1998, and I've learned quite a few things along the way that I feel are worthy of passing along to my puppy families.
It may surprise to you discover that most dog food companies spend the bulk of their money on advertising! Companies seek to appeal to current human diet trends and to the emotions of people who love their dogs, with their goal being simply to sell you their food - regardless of the actual suitability of those foods for a balanced & appropriate canine diet. Right now, for example, many humans are eating grain-free and/or gluten-free diets, and there has been a surge in popularity in feeding similar diets to dogs. There is an article here on why grain-free foods are NOT always the best for your pet. Corn is an ingredient decried as terrible on many "choose the best food for your dog" websites (the most popular of which is run by a human dentist!), but it is actually a wonderful antioxidant that has been fed to dogs for thousands of years with good reason; and contrary to popular belief, more dogs are allergic to chicken than any other ingredient, including corn.
So, after all my research, what do I feed my own dogs? Purina Pro Plan and Royal Canin are the only two brands fed in my home. Both Purina & Royal Canin put their funds into actual scientific research to determine which ingredients are truly best for our dogs (and cats). My dogs eat mainly Purina’s Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon formula and Royal Canin’s Bulldog formula, with a few special needs eaters getting different formulas from both of these brands. I’m enrolled in both Purina & Royal Canin’s breeder programs, which allows me to provide puppy literature and coupons to new puppy owners. It's important to note that both of these companies support responsible breeders and your right to choose the dog that is the best fit for your family. I urge you to support both of these brands whenever possible!
What to Feed
