The ideal dry food for dogs
A dog's nutritional characteristicsOur dog is often considered a fully-fledged member of the family however, we should not forget that dogs have physiological, behavioural and very specific nutritional needs that we need to respect by offering a diet as close to their nature as possible.The ancestors of today's dogs hunted in packs and ate small and large prey; fruit and berries were also part of their diet.Over the years, natural and human selection, along with the domestication process, has led the dog to become an 'opportunistic carnivore' meaning it enjoys a very varied diet.The Nutritional Advice of Almo Nature for dogs to achieve optimal nutritional balance is to put dry food at the centre of their diet, alternating between meat and fish kibble.
Five characteristics of the ideal dry food
1- Must Be High QualityA dog, unlike a cat, can very easily adapt to a wide variety of ingredients in its daily diet. However, it is essential that at least 10% of their daily caloric intake comprises animal protein, which is necessary to provide essential amino acids and also has a higher biological value than other foods - for example - vegetables. To ensure good assimilation (absorption) of the nutrients, it is also important that the recipe includes a good percentage of fresh food among the ingredients so as to guarantee a high nutritional profile and excellent quality.
2- Must Be Highly DigestibleThe level of digestibility of a dry food is crucial because it ensures that all proteins in the diet can be used by the body. Cooking is an essential step in this respect because it can have a positive and negative effect on proteins, maintaining or reducing their digestibility. Dry foods listing meat meal or dehydrated meat among the ingredients have lower digestibility as the food undergoes a double cooking process: first when it is dehydrated and processed into meal, then again when turned into kibble. Products using fresh ingredients therefore guarantee higher digestibility.
3- Must Be AppetisingThe perfect dry food must also taste great. Choosing a dry food made with fresh meat makes all the difference, making it more appealing, especially for dogs used to eating fresh food.
4- Must Be VariedFor ideal nutrition, Almo Nature recommends varying the diet as much as possible, rotating between different protein sources such as poultry, red meat and fish. Our Alternative recipes, which offer a variety of protein sources, are therefore ideal to provide a healthy and balanced diet.
5- Must Be AccompaniedDry food, when combined and flavoured with a small amount of wet food is more inviting for dogs since it stimulates their sense of smell and this makes the meal even more satisfying. Wet foods are also a source of micronutrients that are useful to provide a balanced diet. Comparison of Almo Nature Dry Foods for dogs
|Alternative 170Chicken and Rice||AlternativeChicken and Rice||Holistic GrainFreePork and Potatoes||HolisticChicken and Rice|
|Fresh HFC* Meat||75%||50%||0%||0%|
|Selected Meat Meal||0%||0%||17%||23%|
|Meat Meal Free**||yes||yes||no||no|
|Crude oils and fats||15%||13%||16%||14%|
* fresh meat and fish originally declared fit for human consumption ** Does not contain meat meal, dehydrated or dried meat