Whether you are shopping for dog clothes or food; it’s important to know what your pooch needs to find the best product. Our focus in this post is dog nutrition, so you can buy quality foods for your furry companion. Keeping reading.
Just like us humans, dogs too need a balanced diet that has the right amount of fat, protein, and carbs.
Proteins, as we all know – are the building blocks of the body. They form muscles while fat acts as a source of energy. Carbohydrates do the multifaceted job of providing energy, fiber, as well as myriad essential nutrients. Remember, your pooch needs these in a specific ratio.
If your dog has certain allergies, it means you need to be that much more careful when choosing foods with the right ingredients and nutritional profile.
Below are some things you can look for while searching for hypoallergenic dog foods –
Animal protein
Any good hypoallergenic dog food will have animal protein from fish, poultry, and meat listed as the main ingredient. It should also offer at least 18% crude protein. Turkey, rabbit, and venison are all novel proteins that are also commonly used in hypoallergenic dog foods.
Healthy Fats
Make sure that most of the fat intake for your dog is coming from animal-based sources rather than plant-based. That’s because dogs can process and metabolize the former better.
Digestible carbs
Most food allergies stem from grains. Grain-free carbohydrates such as beans, legumes, and vegetables should be your top-picks.
No artificial additives/preservatives
The quality of ingredients is directed linked with certain food allergies. Your road to wholesome health starts with shopping for dog foods that are free from artificial additives of any kind.
Your Guide to Choosing the Best Hypoallergenic Dog Food
Now that you are equipped with nutritional profile, here’s how you can go shopping for the best hypoallergenic dog foods while browsing through a supermarket isle –
Start by looking for foods made with the ‘natural’ ingredients list
Of course, that would mean eyeing food with the label ‘natural’. But, bear in mind that pet food claims are not as seriously regulated as foods for human consumption. So, don’t just go by the label.
Look at the ingredients list and make sure it has high-quality animal protein as the main ingredient.
Novel protein sources such as duck, lamb, rabbit, and turkey constitute for finest hypoallergenic dog foods.
Moving on to fats, although they don’t usually trigger any allergies, for good measure, look for products that have quality fat sourced from animals. It has higher bioavailability and is easier to digest.
For carbohydrates, there are no strict or specific requirements. But, make sure they are easily digestible and don’t trigger allergies.
Stick with ‘fewer ingredients’ foods
If your pooch has any allergies, it’s highly likely it could be because of certain grains. To that end, opt for stuff like legumes, beans, veggies, and fruits.
Any recipe you feed your dog should carry plenty of fiber and probiotics to aid digestion and healthy gut.
A limited ingredient diet is usually the best for avoiding triggering any allergies. That’s why dog foods made with lesser ingredients might be a good bet.
