Dry Dog Food Ingredients to Watch Out For

When you’re feeding yourself and your family, most likely you prioritise food that is nutritious, tasty and healthy. Humans have strict food standards and regulations, and the food we buy must meet certain requirements to be sold legally. However, the same standards do not apply to dog food. 

The ugly truth about many leading pet foods is that they often contain ingredients that lack nutrition but can also be actively unhealthy. Some dry dog food ingredients to watch out for are described and explained below. 

Watch out for:

If you want your dog to have a long, healthy and happy life, you need to make sure that you are putting the right stuff in their belly. Dry dog food offers convenience and cost effectiveness, but being clued into what ingredients to avoid can ensure a higher standard of nutrition. 

Meat derivatives or animal by-products 

  • These are parts of the animal that are unfit for human consumption. 
  • These include heads, feet, feathers, beaks, hair and wool: while they won’t necessarily harm your dog, they will provide only limited nutrition 
  • If you wouldn’t eat it why should your dog?

Generic animal fat 

  • This is from undisclosed animal sources, often saturated fats, repurposed from the restaurant industry

Artificial preservatives 

  • These are chemicals used to cheaply prolong the dry food’s shelf life.

Wheat and maize 

  • Sourced from by-products of human food production 
  • High-GI carbohydrates that release large amounts of glucose over short time spans. 
  • May be harder for sensitive or grain-intolerant dogs to digest.

Your dog deserves better than this! We have great news though as we are a stockist for Barking Heads dog food, which is a dry dog kibble food made with natural, safe and nutritious ingredients. 

Healthy ingredients to look for: 

Pre-and probiotics 

  • For a stronger gut and firmer stool 

Quality protein 

  • Single source animal proteins and freshly prepared meats to create our recipes 
  • The meat is fresh, lean and highly digestible from free-run poultry, grass-fed beef and lamb, and Scottish salmon 

Vitamins and minerals 

  • Needed for the regulation of processes inside the body 

High quality animal fats, omega 3 & 6

  • Important for energy, essential nourishment, reducing intolerances, maintaining healthy joints and for added flavour! 

Quality fibre 

  • For efficient digestion and internal health

Slow release carbohydrates 

  • Sustained energy and fuller feelings 

And certainly never any: 

  • Artificial colours, Preservatives, Additives, or GM ingredients

So what are you waiting for? 

We stock a whole range of approved dog foods with high quality ingredients. Some of our recommended brands include: Edmondson’s, Eden and Fish4dogs. There are many more in a huge variety of flavours, tailored towards all dogs: young or old, small or large, and even those trying to lose a few pounds. These brands can all be found in-store and online. 

Once again, it is of utmost importance that you read the ingredients on your dog’s food. Never settle for junk: this is your dog’s life, and they depend on you for their health, happiness and general wellbeing.