Choose dry food according to your dog's age and size
The most important choice you make is not about brand, but about what your dog is: a puppy in growth, an adult dog with normal activity or an older dog with lower energy requirements. A puppy needs a food with a different ratio of protein, fat and minerals than an adult dog, because bones and muscles are still being built. Large breeds also need to grow more slowly and in a more controlled way than small breeds, which is why puppy food is often divided into small breed and large breed.
With us, the starting point is the Beginning - kibble for puppies, while the adult dog is typically fed on one of the foods in the LIVING series. If the dog is older and less active, there is Older Kibble, which is put together for a dog with lower energy consumption. Start by clarifying two things: age and expected adult weight. Then half the choice is already made.
How to read the label on a bag of dry food
The ingredient list is sorted by weight, so what comes first makes up the most. If a named meat source appears high up (e.g. salmon or chicken), that is a better sign than vague terms like 'meat and animal by-products'. Be aware that fresh meat contains a lot of water and therefore weighs heavily before drying, which can push it up the list. So also look at the overall analysis further down.
Here you will find protein, fat, crude ash and crude fibre stated in percent. Crude ash is not a filler, but the total amount of minerals left behind if the food is completely burned, that is, among other things calcium and phosphorus. A normal level is typically somewhere between 5 and 8 percent; very high values can point to a lower content of good-quality meat. If you want to read more in depth, we have gathered it in the article what dog food contains.
How much dry food should the dog have per day?
The daily amount depends on the dog's weight, age and activity level, not on how big an appetite it shows. All our food bags have a feeding guide printed on the back with grams per day based on the dog's weight, and that is your starting point. Feel free to split the daily ration into two meals rather than one, especially for larger breeds.
The adjustment is made with eyes and hands, not just with the scale. If you can feel the ribs without being able to see them clearly, and the dog has a visible waist seen from above, you're usually on target. If the dog uses a lot of energy, the need may be higher. If it is mostly active on the sofa, it is lower. A working or hunting-active dog is a completely different calculation, and for that there is working & sporting with a higher energy content.
How to switch to a new dry food without stomach upset
A dog's digestion gets used to one food at a time, and an abrupt switch can cause loose stools. So switch gradually over about a week. Start with roughly a quarter of new food mixed into the old, and increase the proportion of new food over seven to ten days until you are fully over. If the dog has a sensitive stomach, feel free to stretch the period even further.
If you want to try a food before buying a whole bag, you can order sample meals of 100 grams, including superior Living sample and highland living samples. That way you can see whether the dog takes well to it without committing to a large amount. If the stomach is already delicate, it may be worth looking at sensitive stomach.
Grain-free dry food or food with grain
Grain-free food typically replaces grain with sources such as potatoes or legumes. This makes sense for dogs that react to certain types of grain, but grain-free is not in itself healthier for every dog. Many dogs digest grain just fine, and a well-balanced food with grain can easily be a good choice. The point is that 'grain-free' describes what the food does not contain, not that the quality is automatically higher.
If you have a dog that reacts to certain ingredients, a grain-free meal may be the way forward, and we have gathered them under grain free meals. If you are unsure what the reaction is caused by, it is often fastest to try one food with a simple, transparent ingredient list and keep an eye on skin, coat and stool over a few weeks.
Dry food for dogs with allergies or sensitive digestion
Food hypersensitivity in dogs is most often directed at a protein it has eaten for a long time. Therefore, an allergy-friendly food is less about a particular brand and more about a short, transparent ingredient list with one named meat or fish source, so you know exactly what the dog is getting. Symptoms typically show up as itching, ear infections or gastrointestinal problems.
A simple ingredient composition makes it easier to rule out what the dog cannot tolerate. Our SIMPLICITY is designed for exactly that: few ingredients and a manageable content. If the dog has long-lasting problems, you should always involve your vet before trying things out on your own.
Dry food for overweight and for dogs that need to gain weight
Weight is controlled first and foremost through the amount, but the food's composition makes a difference. If the dog needs to lose weight, a food with a lower fat and energy content helps, so the portion still fills the stomach while the calories drop. For that purpose there is Contour - Kibble, which is made for weight control.
If, on the other hand, the dog needs to maintain a high and stable performance or build fitness, the need is the opposite. Here a food with higher energy density makes more sense, which you will find in Stamina - Kibble. Regardless of direction, changes should happen slowly, and you should weigh the dog at regular intervals rather than guessing.
Buy dry food in 2.5 kg or 10 kg
The bag size should match how quickly your dog finishes the bag. A large dog empties a 10 kg bag in a reasonable time, while a small dog takes longer, and dry food keeps best when it is used within a reasonable time after opening. For a small dog or to try out a new food, 2.5 kg is often the most practical, while 10 kg is the economical solution for the large dog or the household with several dogs.
Most of our foods come in both sizes, for example superior Living - size - 2,5KG and superior Living - size - 10KG. Store the bag dry and closed, preferably in the packaging itself, so the fats do not go rancid and the aroma is preserved.
