A Dog Is What He Eats: Benefits and Drawbacks of Various Dog Foods

Dry food is so practical and has been popular for decades. Sometimes it's crunchy croquettes or pellets, sometimes it's moist and soft - dry food is easy to store, portion and is also a perfect invention to take with you on the go. Many dog owners also swear by dry food for dental health. It's supposed to reduce plaque and tartar when chewing. But what's the point of the gluttons among dogs? In general, it must be said that dry food is not suitable for every dog. Some have problems with digestion, need a softer texture or refuse to eat the food altogether. In addition, depending on the manufacturing process, it can contain a high proportion of grain. And since dogs digest grain and meat to different degrees, this can lead to problems. The proportion of grain in the food also plays a role. Grains such as wheat or rice mainly contain carbohydrates, mainly in the form of starch. If a dog food contains more than 60% carbohydrates, this can lead to diarrhea.

Undigested starch has an osmotic effect, draws in water and can then lead to diarrhea. One thing is certain: the basis of a healthy dog diet should be animal protein, meat or a high-quality vegetarian protein source. Anyone who chooses dry food should therefore pay close attention to the composition and production process in order to offer their four-legged friend a protein-rich, species-appropriate diet despite dry feeding. The carbohydrate source (grain, potato, etc.), vegetable content, fruit, herbs and additives (oils, vitamins, minerals) are also important for high-quality dry food. Less species-appropriate dry foods contain very high amounts of grain and fillers and few healthy protein sources, which can be compensated for with possible flavor enhancers. For these reasons, it is important to always pay close attention to the list of ingredients and composition.

Pros of dry food:

+ practical and easy to use

+ is said to be beneficial for dental health

+ dry food can also be used as a snack or reward

+ dry food is often cheaper than wet food with a similar composition

+ dog bowls and everything around it stay cleaner

Cons of dry food:

- much more care must be taken to ensure that the dog drinks enough

- dry food is often less attractive for generally picky dogs

- natural or synthetic preservatives and antioxidants usually have to be added to dry food

- choice of ingredients cannot be influenced

- exact origin and ingredients are usually unknown

- not suitable for every dog and often less digestible than other types of feeding

- dry food can increase the risk of gastric torsion, as the food only swells in the stomach, increases its weight and volume and expands the stomach.

- dry food is susceptible to pests such as food mites

When BARF was invented and made public by the Australian veterinarian Dr. Ian Billinghurst in 1993, there was an outcry in the dog world. BARF is based on the idea that dogs are related to wolves and therefore feeding should be as natural as possible - i.e. raw. BARF is therefore a natural feeding method that includes raw meat, bones and vegetables. BARF is a very good way to offer your dog a variety of flavors and textures. However, this feeding option requires careful planning and preparation. In addition, there is a risk of bacterial infections as well as deficiencies, incorrect feeding and overfeeding if the rations are put together without enough knowledge about the correct ration design. Storing raw meat and offal is a particular challenge. Especially when you are on the go. But raw food can also be a challenge for dog owners at home.

Pros of BARF:

+ You decide what ends up in your pet's bowl

+ BARF enables a species-appropriate and healthy diet with lots of variety

+ Low-carbohydrate diet, without sugar and grains

+ Similar price to ready-made food

+ A BARF-fed animal usually does its business less often

+ BARF does not contain any artificial flavors, colorings or flavor enhancers

Cons of BARF:

- A lot of background knowledge is required

- Careful, time-consuming planning and preparation

- Risk of infections, deficiencies, incorrect or over-supplied food

- Storage and transport of the food

Individual, sustainable and species-appropriate - that's what home-cooked meals for dogs are. If you want to have full control over your dog's diet, home-cooking is definitely a healthy option that is well accepted by dogs. It is up to you to ensure that only high-quality ingredients end up in the dog's bowl and that the diet is adapted to individual needs. Flavor enhancers or unnecessary additives are a thing of the past. For those who decide to cook themselves, a whole world of possibilities is open to them. An almost unlimited variety of recipes and absolute transparency about what the dog gets in the bowl are just two compelling arguments in favor of individual preparation. There is also the great advantage that the food can be tailored precisely to your own animal, its taste and its needs. Because if you do the cooking yourself, you can prepare it "tailor-made". This flexibility also applies to the purchase of ingredients. You can choose regional, sustainable and to suit your own budget.

Sure, cooking yourself requires a bit of practice and a bit more organization when you start. But you also gain a huge number of advantages! With recipes that we have developed from veterinary medicine, there are no unnecessary additives or flavor enhancers in the food. The quality and ingredients are absolutely transparent, the variety of healthy and delicious meals is immense and the needs of the dog are addressed individually. And by the way, cooking, if you establish it as a ritual, promotes the bond between animal and human. Once you have gained a foothold here, you can hardly feed your dog fresher, healthier and more sustainably than with home-cooked dog meals.

Pros of home-cooked dog food:

+ High acceptance by dogs

+ No unnecessary additives and flavor enhancers

+ Complete transparency about what goes into the bowl

+ Huge selection of menus

+ Individual adjustment to the animal

+ Influence on quality

+ Influence on costs

+ You can cook in advance

+ Interaction and bonding with the dog

+ Sustainability, little packaging waste

Cons of home-cooked food:

- Some ingredients need to be sourced

- A little more organizational work at the beginning

- Storing the ingredients and the cooked food