H E A L T H
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W E L L N E S S
H E A LT H Y D I E T
Happy Dog
W R ITT E N
BY :
K AT E
L A N C A ST E R
Hollywood Feed, Marketing Content Coordinator
One of the most frequent questions we at Hollywood Feed get from our customers is “What is the best food to feed my dog?” The answer is typically never simple. While we carry some of the highest quality pet foods available, there is not a one-size-fits-all formula. Does your pet have any food sensitivities or allergies? Is your dog at a healthy weight? Are your dogs picky about certain types or textures of food?
All these considerations are essential to determining the right food for your pet and the proper diet can be crucial to your dog’s health and well-being. Like with humans, a healthy digestive system generally equals a strong immune system. Feeding a nutritious, well-balanced diet will help maintain both. Today, the pet food industry is continuing to grow and the availability of healthy diet options is at an all-time high. Whether you decide to feed dry dog food, canned, raw, dehydrated or freeze-dried foods, there are benefits to each type of food. Dry dog food was developed in the mid-1800s as an alternative to raw meat and has been optimized over time. It is the easiest type of diet to feed as it requires no prep. Dry dog food is nutrient-dense and contains very little moisture, allowing for a long shelf life. It is also the most cost-effective option. Most dry dog food brands make a range of formulas with different protein sources and a similar base mix. This makes rotational feeding – switching your dog’s food to provide nutritional variety – simple. Changing the formula from one bag to the next within the same brand also decreases the likelihood your dog will get bored with the food.
Wet or canned dog food contains around 60 – 80% water. This makes it a good choice for dogs who require extra hydration. Canned food is also usually more palatable because of higher protein and fat content so it is often preferred by finicky eaters. Raw dog food was first developed in the 1990s with the goal of mirroring what dogs would eat in the wild. Over the past few decades, raw diets have been developed to also include vegetables and fruits. Raw diets are minimally processed, making them highly digestible and palatable. Dehydrated dog foods were developed as an alternative to dry foods. Dehydrated foods are slow cooked using low heat in order to preserve the nutrients in the raw ingredients. They do not require refrigeration and are easy to store. Freeze-dried foods, like raw and dehydrated foods, were designed to keep processing at a