Dry food for large dogs

When a large, barking pet appears in the house, the owners have a lot of questions. And one of them is how to feed the toddler so that he grows and develops properly. After all, to grow a big healthy dog is not an easy task. Moreover, it should be provided with full nutrition throughout life. Most owners prefer ready-made dry rations, so what is their advantage and which dry food for large dogs to choose?

The advantages of dry feed

Having a big dog, the owners often face the problem of its feeding. After all, they eat such pets a lot, and, moreover, they need to cook daily. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the needs of the pet in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and also it is important to get acquainted with the list of products that are not in the dog's menu. Complicated? For most people, leaving in the morning to work and returning in the evening, very. That's why most owners of four-legged friends are beginning to be interested in ready-made rations, because they also have a lot of advantages:

dry food is characterized by long storage, but not due to preservatives, but due to evaporation of excess moisture and the addition of natural vitamin and antioxidant supplements;
convenient dosage - just look at the table shown on the package and calculate the portion based on the weight of the pet (this is a very important aspect, since many large grains, such as Labradors, are prone to overeating and obesity);
dry rations are economical, since half a bowl of pellets can replace three such volumes of cereals with meat;
It should be noted and a clear advantage over natural food - the owner does not need to engage in cooking;
in feed, the balance of various components is taken into account, which is extremely difficult to achieve with natural feeding;
you can fill the food in a bowl and, not waiting for the pet to get enough, go to work, the food will not spoil;
the feed is used as an encouragement for training, and when the pet is left alone, the granules can be filled up in special dispensers intended for games;
it is solid food, when eating the dog does not form tartar , there are no problems with the teeth and gums; In addition to mechanical cleaning, while eating food, the dog stimulates the process of producing salivary fluid necessary for a full digestive process.

However, when feeding with dry food, owners should take into account one thing - the pet must have constant access to clean drinking water.

See also: what to feed a puppy German shepherd .

4 classes of dry feed

Choosing food for your pet, experts recommend considering not the most advertised products, but those that contain the most useful ingredients. There are 4 classes of feed on the Russian market:

economy;
premium;
super premium ;
holistic

They differ primarily in quality. In cheaper diets, the presence of various chemical additives (of course, not the most useful for the body of pets), in the expensive no additional artificial components. In addition, the main difference of the highest quality products is that the basis of the feed contains meat, quality by-products or slaughterhouse waste. It is worth considering each class separately.

Feed from the economy category

The advantages of these products can be noted for their low price and availability, since you can not go to a specialty store for such food, but buy it at the nearest home market. However, their cheapness is due to the fact that the raw materials of the lowest quality are used for the manufacture of feeds, and in order to enjoy such waste with pleasure, flavor enhancers and flavors are added to the composition.

After the owners feed the dog with cheap food, and then try to translate it to a higher quality product, their pet may refuse to eat. The point is not at all in the quality of the newly acquired menu, but in the absence of chemical components in it, which stimulate the appetite, to which the animals very quickly get used to.

And yes, there is no meat in them, but only a low percentage of meat and bone meal and low-grade offal. Of course, no manufacturer will tell the truth that its products include bird feathers, tails, skins, etc., although in most cases this is the case.

Another nuance important for large and very large dogs. Since representatives of such breeds most often suffer from problems with the joints and bone apparatus, similar foods for them are destructive. After all, meat and bone meal contains a high amount of phosphorus and calcium, and their excess leads to brittle bones and problems with cartilage in the joints.

Premium feed

Not so long ago, many dog owners were convinced that only those dogs for whom appearance is important need quality nutrition. That is, they are participants of exhibitions, competitions, service pets, etc. However, today this opinion has changed dramatically, and for the owners of even companion dogs it has become important to provide the pet with full rations. That is why today feed premium are in great demand.

They include high-quality products: meat, cereals, vegetables. The by-products used are high-quality internal parts - the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, which contain beneficial trace elements and vitamins. And the meat part is not less than 50%, which is important for such carnivores as dogs. In addition, the composition should not include flavors and other additives, as well as soybeans and corn, as a source of cheap protein.

Almost all manufacturers care about the balance of their diets and enrich them with useful additives, for example, rosemary extract, which is an effective antioxidant.

Super Premium Feed

An even better product, in the lines of which you can find food, which does not include cereals at all. In this case, manufacturers are focusing on the predatory nature of dogs, because their body is better assimilated by animal proteins than vegetable. Soybean and corn are not digested by the digestive tract of animals at all, therefore they are not in their rations.

Rations are divided into many subgroups, so you can find food for pregnant and lactating bitches, neutered pets, dogs that get more exercise and other categories. In addition, they even produce feed for individual breeds, which greatly simplifies the selection.

The composition of the product includes ingredients of good quality, and the diet itself is as balanced as possible and does not require an additional source of vitamins and trace elements.

Feed holistic

These diets belong to the feed of a new generation and appeared on the Russian market quite recently. Their peculiarity lies in the fact that they are made of products suitable for feeding not only animals, but also people.

These products are distinguished by their natural composition and taste, as they are not burdened by additional components, such as cereals, soybeans and others. In the composition you can find meat, and with the obligatory indication of its type, of the croup allows the addition of buckwheat or rice.

Such foods should contain at least 10 additives of natural origin, which fill the animal body with a deficiency of essential nutrients, including Omega-3 and 6 polyunsaturated fats. Also, the presence of antioxidants is required.

In feed of this class do not include by-products of dubious origin, sugar, low-quality protein components, cellulose, and others.

See also: how to translate a dog to dry food .

Rating of dry dog food with prices

To determine the choice of dry food for your pet, you should evaluate the available ratings of rations of various classes.

Holidays:

Akana Pappi Large Breed is a Canadian product intended for feeding large breed puppies - Mountain Dogs, Huskies , Labradors, etc. A bag of 17 kg costs from 6,700 to 7,000 rubles.
Origin Edalt is another product from Canada. A bag of 13 kg costs about 7000-7500 rubles.
Grandorf - Belgian diet. Packing 12 kg - price from 4500 to 4800 rubles.
Go! Neicherel Holistic Daily Defense - Canadian food, hypoallergenic food. For a bag with a weight of 11.35 kg, the buyer will give 3100-3500 rub.
Fresh Grain Free Large Breed Adult Recipe - the country of origin is Canada, a diet for large breeds. A package of 11.35 costs 4500-5000 rubles.

Premium class:

Eakanuba Edalt Dry Dog Food For Large - American food manufacturer. A bag of 15 kg costs from 4,800 to 5,200 rubles.
Brit care care Adult Large Breed - English food, has received the approval of the British Veterinary Association. A bag weighing 18 kg can be purchased for 5000-5500 rubles.
Almo Holistic Adult Dog Large (super-premium class). The cost of 12 kg of feed 3500-3800 rubles.
Belkando Junior Maxi (super premium class) for puppies of large and giant breeds. The cost of 15 kg of feed 5000-5500 rubles.
Hill`s Canine Adult Advanced Fitness (premium class with improved quality scores) for medium to large dogs. The price is 12 kg pack 3500-3900 rubles.

Premium:

Royal Canin Maxi Adult 26 (premium class with improved quality indicators). Bag weight 15 kg, cost 3700-4000 rubles.
Hill`s Canine Adult Advanced Fitness - for medium and large dogs. A pack of 12 kg od 3500-3900 rubles.
Almo Adult Dog Large - Italian food. The cost of a bag of 12 kg 3500-3800 rubles.

Owner reviews on dry food for large dogs

Many owners, feeding their large pets with special dry food, are very pleased that they have refused a natural type of feeding.

Nikolai Uskov: We have two dogs - a golden retriever and Jack Russell Terrier, both allergic, so I had to suffer with the choice of food. Only the American Taste Of The Wild, which contains bison meat, came up. No allergies, loss of hair and ches, everything is fine. Tried and mix, just did not cause unpleasant symptoms.

Elizaveta Kurochkina: Royal canin is a wonderful food. My dog, from cheap economy class feed, had serious digestive problems. The veterinarian recommended to try the new Royal Canin food, thanks to which we, with problems like gas, frustration, burp, said goodbye. In addition, my rottweiler loves him very much, and her bowl always remains empty.

Evgeny Kulikov: I am a breeder of German shepherds and at the beginning of my work I tried various types of feeding - naturalk and combined, as well as feed of various classes. But, in the end, I realized that it is the most profitable for me and better for my pets, this is premium food. I buy several bags of 15-18 kg at once, it turns out not very expensive, and the expense is economical. In addition, all my pets can boast of excellent health, as evidenced by their flourishing appearance.

Each owner must decide for himself how and what to feed his dog, but he should first of all think about the health of his pet.