So you turned your dream of becoming a pet parent into a reality (congrats!), but now you have to actually take care of your new fur baby, which tbh requires a lot more work than your previous life of just double tapping every dog pic on Instagram.
The main task on your how-to-be-the-best-dog-parent-ever list: Figuring out exactly what to feed your pup (who’s ever met a dog that wasn’t obsessed with food?). But according to Darcia Kostiuk, DVM, senior veterinarian at Champion Petfoods, canine diets aren’t one-kibble-fits-all.
“Feeding your dog is a personal and important decision and the number of diets out there can feel overwhelming,” Dr. Kostiuk says. “I would recommend that you talk to many different people and professionals and ask what they feed their pet and importantly, why.”
“Feeding your dog is a personal and important decision and the number of diets out there can feel overwhelming.”
Before having those convos, she suggests doing your research on dog diets. For example, there’s the whole raw versus cooked debate. Then, there’s the question of whether to choose a dog food with cage-free or ranch-raised ingredients, not to mention accounting for whether your dog has any food sensitivities (yes, dogs can have sensitive tummies too).
It’s a lot of info to consider, which is why Dr. Kostiuk helps sort through it all in the graphic below. And for the record, she’s a fan of cage-free and ranch-raised ingredients, like those found in Acana® Singles—limited-ingredient recipes for diet-sensitive or picky-eating pups made from high-quality protein from a single animal source.
SHOP DOG FOOD
Turkey & Pumpkin $72
Duck & Pear $77
Pork & Squash $72
Lamb & Apple $77
Beef & Pumpkin $77
Dr. Kostiuk explains that single-protein dog foods can be helpful for dogs with food sensitivities because it keeps the ingredient list short, but even so, Acana® Singles dog food still packs in the protein—with 65 percent* of each recipe coming from single-source animal ingredients.
Want to learn more about what to feed your dog, and how to know if you need to switch them to a new diet? Keep reading for more intel from Dr. Kostiuk.
Scroll down for a breakdown on what to feed your dog, according to a veterinarian.
Paid Content for Acana®
*Approximate and based on the unprocessed state of the ingredients
Top photo: Getty/AleksandarNakic
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