How to choose the ideal food for your dog

Feeding your dog is not complicated, but it is important. Their diet determines their life expectancy, coat quality, energy, digestive health and cuts down on vet visits. This guide helps you make informed decisions while avoiding the marketing traps.

Types of food available in the UK

On the UK market you'll find 4 main categories:

• Dry food · the most practical and economical option
• Wet food in tins or pouches · more palatable, less economical
• Raw (BARF) diet · meat + meaty bones + vegetables
• Home-cooked food · recipes formulated by vets

Each has its pros and cons. What matters is that it's nutritionally complete and balanced for your dog's age, weight and activity.

Dry food: the most practical option

Dry food (also called kibble) is the most common option because:

• Long shelf life (6-12 months sealed)
• Lower cost per kg than other options
• Mechanically aids dental hygiene (abrasive effect)
• Easy to measure exact portions

Cons:

• Lower moisture content → your dog needs to drink more water
• Some budget brands use low-quality meat meals
• Lower palatability than wet food (may be an issue for senior or recovering dogs)

Wet and semi-moist food

Tinned or pouched food has 70-85% moisture compared with 10% for dry food. This makes it more palatable and helps with hydration. It's good for:

• Senior dogs or dogs with dental problems
• Dogs that don't drink enough water (especially in summer)
• Very thin dogs that need to gain weight
• Dogs with kidney problems (more moisture = less renal load)

The cost is 3-5x higher than dry food. Many owners make a 70% dry + 30% wet mix to improve the diet without blowing the budget.

Raw (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) diet

The BARF diet is based on mimicking what a wild canine would eat: raw meat + meaty bones + organs + fruit/vegetables in specific proportions (typically 70/20/10).

Real advantages: many dogs improve their coat, digestion, teeth and weight with well-formulated BARF.

Serious risks if done badly:

• Calcium/phosphorus deficiencies (without the correct proportion of bone)
• Bacterial contamination (salmonella, listeria)
• Obstructions from poorly chosen bones (NEVER cooked bones)
• Cost in time + money higher than premium kibble

If you want to feed BARF, hire specialist veterinary guidance (don't improvise from YouTube videos).

Home-cooked food

Home-cooked food is valid if it's formulated by a veterinary nutritionist. Typical recipes include cooked lean meat + cooked rice/potato + vegetables + a specific mineral/vitamin supplement.

The cost is similar to a premium kibble. Advantage: total control of the ingredients. Disadvantage: preparation time + the risk of imbalances if it isn't formulated by a professional.

How to read the food label

The food label is where premium brands are set apart from the marketing traps. Always read the order of ingredients: they're listed from highest to lowest by weight. Whatever appears first is what there's most of.

What you want to see in the first 3 ingredients:

• "Fresh chicken", "Fresh salmon", "Fresh lamb" (specific fresh meat, NOT "meat and derivatives")
• "Dehydrated chicken meal" (good-quality concentrated protein)
• Potato, sweet potato, brown rice (slow-release carbohydrates)

Red flags:

• "Meat and animal derivatives" (a generic mix of by-products)
• "Cereals" without specifying (could be cheap wheat or suboptimal maize)
• "Vegetable oils" without specifying (dubious quality vs a specific salmon oil)
• "Antioxidants and EU-approved preservatives" (may include BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin — carcinogenic according to studies)
• Added colourings (dogs don't distinguish colours the way we do — colourful food is there so the owner buys it)

Ingredients to look for and to avoid

Excellent: fresh chicken / salmon / lamb / turkey / duck · whole egg · brown rice · potato · sweet potato · carrot · blueberries · salmon oil · added taurine · L-carnitine · glucosamine (senior dogs)

Acceptable: meat meals (dehydrated from a specific animal) · wholegrain maize in small amounts · beet pulp

Avoid: unspecified "meat and by-products" · added sugar · excess salt · colourings (E-129, E-110, etc.) · BHA / BHT / Ethoxyquin · soya in large amounts

The right amount based on weight and activity

The amount varies by brand (check the table on the packaging), but as a general reference 2-3% of the ideal weight is a good starting point:

• 5 kg dog → 100-150 g/day
• 10 kg dog → 200-300 g/day
• 20 kg dog → 400-500 g/day
• 30 kg dog → 500-650 g/day
• 40 kg dog → 700-850 g/day

Adjustments based on activity:

• Sedentary (short walk + home) → −20%
• Normal (2 walks + play) → base amount
• Very active (hunting dog, working, agility) → +30-50%
• Pregnant or nursing → +50-100%

Split into 2 meals (morning + evening) for adult dogs. Puppies: 3-4 meals up to 4 months, 2-3 meals up to 6 months, 2 meals from 6 months.

Puppy vs adult vs senior

Each life stage needs a different formulation:

Puppy (0-12 months, up to 24 in large breeds):

• More protein (min 28%) and fat (min 15%) for growth
• Balanced calcium and phosphorus (key for bones)
• DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid) for brain development
• Small-sized kibble so they can chew it

Adult (1-7 years):

• Protein 22-26% · fat 12-18%
• Weight maintenance → watch the amount

Senior (7+ years in large breeds, 9+ in medium, 10+ in small):

• Good-quality but moderate protein (kidney function)
• Less fat to avoid being overweight
• Joint supplements (glucosamine, chondroitin, omega-3)
• Softer or wet kibble (dental problems)

How to switch food without diarrhoea

Switching food abruptly is the #1 cause of acute diarrhoea in healthy dogs. Always follow the gradual transition over 7-10 days:

• Days 1-3 · 75% old food + 25% new
• Days 4-6 · 50% + 50%
• Days 7-9 · 25% + 75%
• Day 10 · 100% new

If your dog gets diarrhoea, go back to 75/25 for a few more days before moving on. If the diarrhoea lasts >48h or vomiting + lethargy appears, go to the vet.

In short: choose a premium brand with a specific fresh meat as the first ingredient, work out the amount based on ideal weight and activity, adjust to the life stage, and make food changes gradually. If you have specific questions, the vets in the Mizuu network can advise you on the most suitable diet for your dog.