The Best Dog Food and Meal Kit Options for Your Pet, According to a Vet

Any longtime dog owner knows that the quality of their dog’s diet is directly related to its health, so shopping for pet food is a big responsibility. Besides impacting your pooch’s growth, the right food can prevent diseases as they get older, as well as lead to better absorption and digestion, producing dog poop that’s smaller and firmer. But with so many options on the market, picking the right food for your pet can get confusing, especially if you’re a newbie pet parent or have recently started fostering. Add to that the dilemma of choosing between dry, wet or fresh food, dealing with picky eaters and determining what food combo is best for your dog’s breed, size and life stage. Phew! Being a pet parent is hard work, so we consulted Dr. Carly Fox, Staff Doctor at NYC’s Animal Medical Center, to figure out how to shop for the best food for adult and older dogs.

“You always want to make sure you’re feeding your pet a complete and balanced diet,” says Dr. Fox. “It’s super important.” To make sure your pet’s food packs in all the required nutrients and vitamins they need to live a healthy life, it’s key to ensure that there’s an AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) statement on the back of the bag, box or can. The AAFCO statement is an assurance that the food is nutritionally complete and balanced, explains Dr. Fox. Another important thing she recommends is picking food options that are high quality, commercially available and easily accessible. “Meaning that if they were running low, it doesn’t require ordering in advance or a lot of preparation,” she says. “Because as a dog owner, sometimes I’ll find myself running out of food, and it’s hard to scramble to get your animal’s food quickly if it’s anything but commercially available.”

Adding sites like Amazon, Chewy, Petco, PetSmart and PetFlow to your radar is advisable, since they’re always stocked up and deliver relatively quickly. Another pro to picking commercially available food options? “Unlike small boutique companies, larger companies heavily invest in education and research, employing teams of nutritionists and experts to determine that the diet is complete and balanced for your pet,” notes Dr. Fox.

It all whittles down to personal preference, explains Dr. Fox. While wet food tends to be more palatable to dogs, it also packs in higher water content in addition to the water your pet is already drinking. “But a lot of people don’t like storing open cans in their refrigerator, or just find it more expensive,” she says. “In that case, feeding your dog dry food is totally fine.” Another option is doing a combination of both dry and wet food. But whatever you choose, Dr. Fox recommends picking food that’s easy to store and a brand you can stick with long term.

When it comes to subscription services that deliver fresh food, Dr. Fox suggests only brands that are AAFCO-approved. “These companies are well intentioned, but at this time, they’re just not able to compete with larger companies that have so much research backing them,” she says. “But if I were to feed my dog, I would pick either Ollie or The Farmer’s Dog, since both offer AAFCO-standard meals formulated in conjunction with an expert.” Pro tip: If you’re transitioning your pet from wet food to dry food or fresh food and vice versa, Dr. Fox recommends doing it slowly over the course of a few days, allowing your pet to readjust to their new diet.

Kibble size tends to be bigger for larger-breed adult and older dogs, allowing them to chew and take their time when eating. “Large dogs are prone to developing something called a GDV or a Gastric Dialation-Volvulus, where their stomach becomes very full, and it’s been linked to eating very quickly,” says Dr. Fox. “They also engulf a lot of air when they eat, so larger-size kibble can help slow them down and help prevent this from happening.” Large-breed dogs are also prone to developing orthopedic diseases, so choosing a diet that includes supplements that support joint health can be incredibly helpful.

Unlike larger-breed dogs, smaller-breed pooches have tiny little mouths, so their kibble size tends to be smaller and easier to chew. Smaller dogs are also more prone to dental and gum diseases, and kibble helps in removing some of the plaque on your dog’s teeth. Additionally, their food is more nutrient dense, since their metabolic rate is much higher than larger-breed dogs.

This post originally appeared on Kitchn. See it here: The Best Dog Food Options for Your Pet, According to a Vet