Instructions
Determine the best type of diet for your dog. Puppies need high-calorie diets. Overweight dogs need lower-calorie diets. Older dogs or arthritic dogs, benefit from lower-calorie diets supplemented with glucosomine. Inactive dogs may also need more fiber in food. Talk to your vet about what types of ingredients are important to your dog if you are unsure.
Evaluate brands with similar claims. Comparing a puppy kibble to a low-calorie kibble won't be of any help. Find brands that meet the basic health needs of your dog.
Read the label of the dog food and what type of food is claims to be. If it says "chicken dog food" then chicken must be no less than 95 percent of the total food weight, excluding the water needed for processing. Some labels state "chicken dog food dinner." The word "dinner" gives the manufacturer more leeway with ingredients, requiring that the named ingredient be only 25 percent of the total.
Look at the ingredient list. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. Food fillers in dog food include corn, brewers rice, soy flour, potato or cereal byproducts. If the dog food has these listed as the first or second ingredient, then you are paying for filler, not nutrition. Read the label for other information about the specific type of diet you need for your dog, whether it is higher protein, lower calories or amounts of supplements per serving.
Calculate the cost of the food per pound. Do this by dividing the price of the food by the number of pounds in the bag. Note that smaller bags of kibble generally have higher prices per pound.
Look at another food that claims to be a similar type of diet. So for an inactive dog, make sure you are comparing not just the basic brand, but the product in that brand that is for inactive dogs. Review the label and ingredient list, comparing it to the other food you researched.
Use online resources such as dogfoodanalysis.com or nutrapet.com to compare certain brands with others. These resources help you compare things side by side, but not all dog food brands are available. These are good resources to help you understand how to look at a snapshot of the label and take the important information from it.
How to Compare Brands of Dog Food Online
You have many choices when it comes to what you can feed your dog. Dog food ranges from dry kibble to wet blends. There are formulas specially designed for puppies as well as formulas to help senior dogs maintain a healthier lifestyle. There is a lot of information available online to help you make the best dog food purchase for your best friend. Understanding what is the best type of food for your dog will help you find the right brand.