Feeding your doggo the right food, in the right amounts, is the basis of a long and healthy life for your best pal. Depending on your dog’s breed, size and age, what’s best may differ. However, there are some basic must-knows when it comes to choosing food for any dog.

First, what does your doggo need to have in his/her diet? It’s pretty simple: water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. 

So far, this is just like any healthy diet for a person. However, there are good reasons not to feed your dog the same food you eat because some foods that we commonly eat are poisonous to dogs, and that’s not good. 

What shouldn’t you feed your dog? 

  • Milk, Cheese and other dairy products
  • Avocados
  • Grapes
  • Raisins
  • Bread
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Raw Potatoes
  • Coffee
  • Chocolate
  • Potato chips

Doggos need to eat plenty of protein and healthy fats, including minimal plant-based proteins. Feeding your pet on table scraps doesn’t give them much of those good things, even if they think it’s Christmas for them. If you want to prepare your doggo’s food from scratch using fresh ingredients, that is fine for them, as long as you keep their diet as healthy as you would your own. 

Don’t overfeed your dog.

Obesity in dogs is a growing problem in modern society, as our pets get more food and less exercise (sounds like dogs are sharing a lot of people problems these days).

It’s much easier to choose a good-quality balanced dog food that already contains just what your pup needs, in the right proportions.  Look for a dog food that includes a named meat product, such as lamb meal or chicken meal. Avoid foods that list refined grain products or gluten in the ingredients. Also, of course, avoid by-products from any sources and added sweeteners or artificial preservatives. 

What’s in the box? 

Look carefully at the nutritional information on the packaging and make sure it’s balanced.

Most good dog foods already contain vitamins and minerals, so you shouldn’t need to add a supplement unless specified by your vet for a particular condition.