We get asked all the time, what should I feed my dog? We always suggest checking with your veterinarian and if you purchased your dog from a breeder, do not hesitate to ask the breeder what food they feel their dogs do best with and why! Both of these resources can help tailor a diet that benefits your specific pup. After the FDA released results regarding canine dilated cardiomyopathy correlating to specialty diets lacking in grains (and heavy in legumes), we started searching for diets with healthy grains and GAP Certified meats. Sustainable protein sources are a primary concern for me personally, as I want to ensure my dogs aren't contributing more than needed to climate change and I never want to encourage the mistreatment of other animals. (Included below are Amazon Affiliate links to the exact products we use and recommend.)
With these goals, we have found that Tender & True brand and Open Farm brand offer some great ethically sourced, grain inclusive diet options.
The Honest Kitchen has also started offering Food Clusters, which boasts GAP certified meat sources, grain inclusive diets and human grade food. I personally use this brand along with Darwin's Raw Natural Selections Food to provide both of my dogs the most optimal nutrition on a daily basis.
Also, I strongly encourage dog owners to remember that as a human your diet needs vary day to day. On higher activity days, my body requires more fuel to sustain me, while on more relaxed days, my body requires less. Our dogs are no different. Guidelines provided on bags are just that, guides, they are not the exact right amount at all times for all dogs. I include a kibble in my dogs' diets to ensure I can easily adjust their calorie and nutrient consumption based on that day's activites. My dogs daily meals can vary up to a full cup of kibble or .5lb of raw based on the energy they expended throughout the day.
Our facility offers both of these brands as options for your pup's meal time, and if you are interested in transitioning to one of these brands, bring your dog's normal food & we'll do the transition for you!
Some dogs have sensitive digestive systems and can be overwhelmed in new environments, and for these dogs our facility also offers Hill's Science Diet GI which provides the optimum fiber to protein ration to ensure your dog's stomach can relax so he can too!
