Defining Quality: What Is Good Dog Food?

In recent years, the pet industry has increasingly discovered that dog owners are prepared to do almost anything to make their pets happy. And therefore also themselves. Impressive figures show this: In 2023 alone, Germans spent almost 2 billion euros on dog food alone. Spending on non-food items for dogs is also considerable. Nevertheless, nutrition plays a particularly important role when it comes to your pet. After all, the way to a dog's heart is through its stomach and nutrition is not only the key to a good dog-human relationship, but also an important prerequisite for a healthy dog's life.

Many dog owners consciously refrain from feeding their four-legged friends cereals. There is not always a scientific or health-related reason for this. The research results of the Axellson studies on cereals in dogs have shown that gluten intolerance, as it occurs in humans, is extremely rare in dogs. Cereals and fibre can therefore be a valuable source of energy as long as the dog does not have a specific intolerance. As always, the same applies here: It's all in the mix. The composition of the food should always be balanced and include both high-quality proteins and carbohydrates in order to optimally fulfil the dog's nutritional requirements.

Herbs for dogs: Absolutely! Herbs can actually provide a variety of health benefits for dogs, including supporting the immune system, aiding digestion and relieving inflammation. It is important to ensure high quality and transparency when using herbs in dog food to ensure they are safe and effective. Careful selection and dosing of herbs can make a positive contribution to a dog's health and well-being. In general, care should be taken not to add too many herbs and thus burden the dog with an excess of essential oils. It is also advisable to proceed cautiously with the number of different herbs in order to avoid undesirable interactions between the herbs.