September 9th, 2021

Choosing the pawfect petfood can be confusing. What was once a question of ‘wet vs dry’ has now turned into an overwhelming mission.  

Fancy packaging and advertising buzzwords can pull the fur over your eyes – and that’s before you get the opinion of every man and his dog.

We all want to do the best thing by our best friends – it’s why we started Fetched.

But short of typing ‘What dog food is the best?’ into your search bar, how can loving pawrents navigate the confusion?

Without further awooooooo, here are 5 important things to look out for when choosing dog food.

In Australia, food manufacturers are required to list their ingredients in order of predominance. So it’s essential you take note of the order and proportion the ingredients are listed in.

Kibble should list meats like kangaroo or lamb first, followed by legumes and vegetables.

Be cautious if you see these listed in the first 5 ingredients:

• Starch
• Flour
• By-products
• Artificial colours.

If those are topping the list, you can bet it’s missing the premium nutritional value your doggo deserves.

Just like us humans, many puppers get bloated, farty and lethargic when they eat gluten. Let’s face it, dogs wouldn’t be harvesting grains in the wild.

Gluten from wheat, barley or oats causes some dogs to develop allergies and suffer from digestive distress.

And it’s not just tummy troubles to look out for when it comes to gluten sensitivity or allergies.

If you notice your dog suffering from these ailments, it may be time to ditch the gluten: 

• Stinky ears
• Chronic ear infections
• Itching or hot spots.

To play it safe by your favourite pawson, opt for a premium grain-free kibble formulation.

When it comes to figuring out what dog food is best, bigger is not always better.

Sure, it might be cheaper to buy in bulk. But would you eat a bag of chips that’s been left open for 3 months?

The longer a bag of kibble sits open, the greater the exposure to air, humidity and infestation. This reduces the palatability and nutrients.

Pre-pawtioned smaller bags like Fetched are great because they ensure that the kibble is free from oxidation.

Marketers have become very clever with the way that they list meats as part of the ingredients. If you want to ensure you’re feeding your pup premium quality, avoid phrasing that contains the word ‘by-product’.

You want to have meats listed exactly as they are – beef, chicken, lamb etc. Be suspicious of products that fail to identify the specific source of meat.

Another thing to question when purchasing dog food is the use of buzzwords.

Sure, words like ‘artisanal’ and ‘gourmet’ might sound fancy, but what do they really mean? To do right by your four-legged friend, look past the packaging and do your due diligence with the ingredients list.

When it comes to navigating what dog food is best, Fetched has got you covered.

Want more bloggos for your doggos? Peruse the Fetched Paw-riodical.