The right dog food for your dog – A comprehensive guide

Choosing the right food for your dog is one of the most important decisions you can make as a dog owner. A balanced and species-appropriate diet contributes significantly to your dog's health, quality of life, and longevity. But with the wide range of options available on the market, it can be challenging to navigate. In this guide, we explore the different types of dog food, highlight their pros and cons, and explain how to choose the right food for your dog.

Fresh food is distinguished by its high quality and naturalness. At HelloBello, we offer freshly cooked dog food that is tailored specifically to your dog's needs. The ingredients are gently cooked to preserve their nutrients, and the food is produced without artificial preservatives or additives.

Benefits:

• High digestibility: Fresh food is significantly more digestible than dry food or canned food, meaning your dog can absorb more nutrients from the food and produce less waste. Studies show that fresh food allows for significantly higher nutrient utilization and thus contributes to better health for your dog¹.

• Individually customizable: At HelloBello, the food is tailored specifically to your dog's needs – whether by size, age, activity level, or health requirements².

• Naturalness: Fresh food contains no artificial preservatives and uses natural ingredients, which are often sourced regionally.

Disadvantages:

• Shelf life: Fresh food has a shorter shelf life than dry food, which is why it should always be stored cool and consumed within a few days³.

Dry food is one of the most popular types of food due to its long shelf life and ease of handling. It is usually produced through extrusion or cold pressing, where the ingredients are heated to high temperatures to form the desired pellets. This high heating causes many of the important nutrients to be destroyed, which affects the digestibility of the food.

Benefits:

• Long shelf life: Dry food is easy to store and has a long shelf life.

• Practical handling: It is easy to portion and feed without requiring refrigeration.

• Very high acceptance & better taste: Due to the high moisture content, fresh ingredients, and gentle preparation, fresh food for dogs is particularly sensorially attractive. The smell, consistency, and taste more closely resemble natural food, which leads to a significantly higher acceptance – especially among picky, older, or health-compromised dogs³⁴.

• From veterinary experience, many dogs prefer fresh food over dry food and often over highly heated wet food as well.

Disadvantages:

• Lower digestibility: Due to the intense heating and high starch content, dry food is harder for many dogs to digest. Reduced digestibility means that a larger portion of the food is excreted undigested². Lower digestibility not only means less nutrient absorption, but also larger amounts of waste. If digestibility drops by about 10%, the amount of waste can nearly double. This puts a strain on the digestive tract and can lead to gastrointestinal problems in the long term.⁴.

• Additives: Many dry food brands use artificial preservatives and colorings to make the food shelf-stable. These can negatively affect your dog's health in the long term⁵.

• Lower acceptance: From veterinary experience, it is also evident that many dogs prefer dry food less than fresh or wet food. The weaker smell and dry consistency have a negative effect on acceptance – especially among sensitive, older, or picky dogs.

Wet food is often sold in cans or pouches and has a high water content (approx. 70%). It is made shelf-stable by heating, where the ingredients are cooked at high temperatures to preserve the food. However, this high heating can also lead to the destruction of many of the natural nutrients in the food, which can lead to lower food quality.

Benefits:

• High moisture content: Wet food is particularly suitable for dogs that drink little water, as it contributes to fluid intake⁶.

• Taste: Many dogs prefer the taste of wet food, as it is more aromatic than dry food.

Disadvantages:

• Packaging: Wet food is usually packaged in cans or pouches, which is more cumbersome than dry food.

• Expiration date: Wet food contains fewer preservatives, therefore it also has a shorter shelf life and must be consumed quickly after the can is opened.

• High heating: The high heating during production can lead to a loss of important nutrients, which can affect the nutrient density and digestibility of the food.

BARF (Bones and raw food) is based on raw ingredients and is usually sold frozen. It is a natural feeding method where dogs are fed raw meat, bones, fruit, and vegetables.

Benefits:

• Natural nutrition: BARF is a natural diet that aims to feed the dog in accordance with its natural instincts and evolution. Raw meat feeding provides a good nutrient base for dogs, if combined correctly⁷.

• High nutrient density: When prepared carefully, BARF offers a balanced nutrient composition.

Disadvantages:

• Increased risk of infection:
  Raw meat can contain pathogenic germs such as Salmonella, Listeria or Campylobacter and E. coli. These pose a risk not only to the dog itself, but also to people in the household – especially children, older people, and immunocompromised people⁹.

• Risk of antibiotic resistance:
  Antibiotic-resistant bacteria can be ingested through raw meat. These can settle in the dog's intestine and enter the environment through feces, which can impair the effectiveness of antibiotics in the long term⁹.

• Frequent nutrient imbalances:
  Many self-prepared BARF rations do not meet the dog's requirements. Errors in the calcium-phosphorus ratio and insufficient supply of vitamins and trace elements are particularly critical. This can lead to skeletal development disorders in puppies and long-term metabolic problems in adult dogs⁹.

• Not suitable for risk groups:
  BARF is expressly not recommended for puppies, older dogs, pregnant or nursing dogs, as well as for animals with liver, kidney, or urinary tract diseases, as the risk of infections and health complications is increased⁹.

• High hygiene requirements:
  The processing, storage, and feeding of raw animal products requires consistent hygiene measures. Even small mistakes can lead to germ transmission and health problems⁹.

An important point to consider when choosing food is the difference between complete feed and complementary feed:

• Complete feed: These types of food contain all the nutrients your dog needs for a balanced diet. With complete feed, you do not need to add additional vitamin or mineral supplements. 

• Complementary feed on the other hand, does not contain all the necessary nutrients, which is why you must combine it with other foods or supplements to ensure a complete diet.

The right nutrition for your dog should include a variety of important nutrients:

• Proteins:
  Proteins are the basis for muscle building, tissue renewal, and enzyme and hormone formation. High-quality animal protein sources provide essential amino acids that the dog cannot produce itself.

• Fats (incl. omega-3 fatty acids):
  Fats are a central energy source and play a crucial role in skin health, coat shine, and cell function.
  Of particular note are omega-3 fatty acids (EPA & DHA):
  They have an anti-inflammatory effect, support the immune system, can have a positive effect on joints, skin, coat, cardiovascular system as well as on cognitive functions and are also partially used therapeutically in veterinary medicine – e.g. for skin diseases, allergies, or inflammatory processes¹⁰.
  A sufficient supply of omega-3 fatty acids is therefore an important component of a modern, health-oriented dog diet.

• Carbohydrates:
  Carbohydrates provide energy, but should be used in moderation. A continuously high proportion can lead to weight gain and increased strain on the metabolism.

• Vitamins and minerals:
  They are essential for metabolic processes, the immune system, bone health, and energy metabolism. Vitamin D, calcium, and iodine are particularly relevant, as under- or oversupply can have significant health consequences.

The digestibility of the food is an important aspect of dog nutrition. It describes the proportion of the food that the dog can absorb and that is actually available to it. Fresh food like HelloBello usually has higher digestibility than dry or wet food, as it is less processed and the nutrients are better preserved. This leads to less stool and better nutrient absorption. The degree of digestibility should therefore play a role in choosing the food.

The choice of food should always be individual, based on your dog's needs. Consider:

• Age: Puppies, adults, and seniors have different nutritional needs.

• Activity: Very active dogs need more energy and protein
  The right food for your…

• Health condition: Dogs with certain diseases (e.g. allergies, intolerances, or obesity) need special diets.

• Lifestyle: Your personal lifestyle and time resources play a role in choosing the food. If you have little time for daily food preparation, dry food can be a practical solution. Self-prepared or home-cooked food on the other hand, requires significantly more time, planning, and nutritional knowledge to ensure a sufficient supply.

Choosing the right food has a major impact on your dog's health and well-being. Fresh food offers high digestibility, a natural nutrient composition, and is also suitable for dogs with a sensitive stomach or special dietary needs. HelloBello offers tailored fresh food solutions that meet your dog's individual needs and provide them with all the necessary nutrients – completely without artificial additives or preservatives.

With HelloBello, your dog not only gets a balanced and healthy diet, 

Sources:

1. Mertens, J. (2020). Individually tailored dog nutrition: Fresh food as the perfect solution. Scientific journal for dog health.

2. Graf, M., & Müller, T. (2017). The importance of freshness in dog nutrition. Journal of Animal Nutrition Science.

3. Stiftung Warentest (2020). Dog food tested: The best and worst brands. Stiftung Warentest.

4. Vetevo (2021). Nutritional advice for dogs: What is the best food for your dog?. Vetevo Blog.

5. Fritz, J. (2015). Barfing dogs. Everything about raw feeding. Ulmer Verlag.

6. Bernd, W., & Förster, J. (2018). Dog nutrition and health: A practical guide. Springer Verlag.

7. Schmitz, D. (2019). Nutritional myths in dog nutrition. Veterinary Practice.

8. Zentek, J. (2015). Dog nutrition – basics, feeding, dietetics. Thieme Verlag.

9. Vetline.de: BARF – a risky form of feeding. Professional article by veterinarians assessing raw feeding and its risks to animals and humans.

10. Rütter, M.: Omega-3 oil for dogs – effects, benefits and use. Professional article on the importance of omega-3 fatty acids in dog nutrition and in a therapeutic context.