How to Find the Best Low-Fat Dog Food for your Healthy Friend
Concerns Regarding Low-Fat Dog Food
First and foremost when you are buying low-fat dog food, you must consider the age of your dog, your dog's breed, rate of growth, the times per day you are able to feed. You will also want to consider the amount of food you are giving, and other health conditions before putting your dog on a low-fat dog food diet.
It is best to always consult a veterinarian first about dietary concerns and recommendations for your dog. Since growing puppies and large dogs can both suffer from improper nutrition which can later lead to other health complications.
A sneaky fact about many dog food brands is that although they put meat first, it may not be what you are getting. Dog food companies often weigh the meat and list that weight before dehydrating it for the dry dog food. Meat being approximately 70% water ends up losing most of its vitamins and minerals after the dehydration process.
Many low-fat dog foods often sacrifice protein along with the fat content, which is terrible for dogs, especially large dogs who require significant amounts of protein for a healthy diet. Dogs, like other carnivorous animals, require meat (protein) predominantly in their diet to function. Think about wolves, the distant cousin of the dog, who eat copious quantities of meat in the wild.
Reasons Why a Large Dog May Need Low-Fat Dog Food
- Obesity
- Sensitive stomach
- Allergies
- Pancreatitis
- Veterinary recommendations based on other ailments or conditions of concern
What To Look For When Buying Low-Fat Dog Food For Large Dogs
- High protein content (beef, chicken, turkey, fish, venison, etc.)
- Omega fatty acids: Flaxseed and fish are something to look for
- Glucosamine and chondroitin (necessary for bone, cartilage, and joint health)
- High-quality ingredients
- High-quality grains like brown rice, peas, oats and barley
- Made in the USA or Canada
What To Avoid When Buying Low-Fat Dog Food For Large Dogs
- Too many carbohydrates even if they are organic. It is not exactly good for dogs when the food is 80% carbohydrates and only 20% meat
- Low-quality ingredients
- Grains like corn and soy
- Meat meal
- BHA and BHG are two preservatives that are bad for a dog's health
- Questionable animal fat and animal byproducts
- Propylene glycol, this is related to ethylene glycol (anti-freeze)
- Made in China; China has many issues of including toxic additives such as melamine in their pet foods
- Added salts or sugar
The Extra Mile Option (Making Your Own Dog Food)
If you ever feel like the dried food or wet food varieties aren't giving your loving pup enough nutrition or even the right nutrition, there is always the raw food diets and making your own pet food; this allows more control over what your pet is really getting in their food nutrition wise, and permits you more liberty in excluding anything that is causing health issues for your pet.
If you ever feel like the dried food or wet food varieties aren't giving your loving pup enough nutrition or even the right nutrition, there is always the raw food diets and making your own pet food; this allows more control over what your pet is really getting in their food nutrition wise, and permits you more liberty in excluding anything that is causing health issues for your pet.
There are many recipe guides and books to steer you in the right direction of making your own homemade dog food. These guides include The Healthy Homemade Dog Food Cookbook, Feed Your Best Friend Better: Easy, Nutritious Meals and Treats for Dogs, or Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats.
All of these books and guides offer a wide selection of tips, tasty recipes, and other important nutritional information regarding your dog's health needs
Top Five Low Fat Dog Foods
Pros:
- Designed specifically for overweight dogs
- Great for large breed dogs, puppies and adult dogs with conditions such as pancreatitis
- Made in the USA
- Grain free
- Naturally preserved
- Made with meat such as duck, chicken, and herring
Cons:
- Expensive
Rating: 4.6
$$$
Pros:
- Formulated specifically for large breed dogs
- Grain free
- Made in the USA
- Contains high-quality ingredients
- Made with meat such as beef, chicken, and turkey
- Formulated with glucosamine and chondroitin
Cons:
- Fairly expensive
- Comes in only 22 lbs. bag
Rating: 4.6
$$$
Pros:
- Formulated specifically for large dogs
- High-quality ingredients
- Comes with recommended serving sizes listed
- Made in the USA
- No corn, wheat or soy which are common allergens for dogs as well as potato free
Cons:
- Not grain free (other types of grain are used)
- Fairly expensive
Rating: 4.6
$$$
Pros:
- Holistic weight control food formula that is ideal for adult dogs of all sizes
- Made with real meat such as pollock, turkey, and chicken
- High-quality ingredients
- Comes with recommended serving sizes listed
- Made in the USA
- No corn, wheat or soy which are common allergens for dogs as well as potato free
Cons:
- Fairly expensive
- Is not grain free (other types of grain are used)
Rating: 4.4
$$$
Pros:
- Complete food formula for a large dog's diet
- Made in the USA
- High-quality ingredients
- Made with real meat such as chicken, whitefish, and salmon
- Has strict sourcing of where ingredients are from so as to provide quality food for your pet
- No corn, wheat or soy which are common allergens for dogs
Cons:
- Fairly expensive
- Is not grain free (uses other grains)
Final Thoughts and Recommendations
Although good dog food tends to be on the expensive side it still offers the best quality food and ingredients for your dog's health. For dogs that really need to lose weight, and do not have allergies, any of the listed low-fat dog foods above will easily satisfy your dog's needs.
For dogs that do have allergies, Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe Dry Adult Dog Food is a great choice. If in doubt on what to get, always consult your veterinarian prior to changing your dog’s diet. They will be able to give you a few options as well based on your individual pet's specific needs.
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