How to Compare Different Brands of Dry Dog Food

When choosing the best dry dog food for your pet, various factors, such as breed, ingredients and price should be considered. Comparing different brands according to your dog's needs will help you choose the most agreeable food.

  1. Characteristics

    • Dry dog foods are made specifically for puppies, older dogs, overweight dogs and dogs from smaller breeds. Some brands do not offer all of these choices, so consider your dog's characteristics before deciding on a specific brand of dry dog food.

    Ingredients

    • Whenever possible, choose a food with real meat, such as beef or chicken, as the first listed ingredient. Also, check for the addition of vitamins, probiotics, antioxidants and bacteria cultures. All of these ingredients support the gastrointestinal tract, helping your dog's body to absorb more nutrients.

    Unhealthy Additives

    • Food with corn gluten, soy or wheat gluten is not easily digested by dogs. To maintain your dog's health, choose foods that omit all of these ingredients and other unhealthy additives, like preservatives, sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors or flavors.

    Price

    • To calculate which brand and size is cheaper, divide the price by weight in pounds. Choosing a larger bag of food may be more economical since smaller bags are usually more expensive in terms of price per pound.