How to Choose the Right Food for your Dog

Choosing the right dog food for your dog can be an overwhelming process. There are so many choices these days, from grain free, to de-hydrated, to raw – how the heck are you supposed to pick one?

Open Farm Ethically Raised Dog Food Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

While my mom claims to be no pet food nutrition expert, she thought it would be helpful if we gave you some handy tips as to how she chooses pet foods for me.

March Breakfast Barkbox // Ammo the Dachshund $5 off with code AMMO5

For starters I’ve been on a rotational diet since I was just a wee pup. What this means is that each time I get to the end of a bag of dog food, mom switches me to a different brand of food. Who wants to eat the same food every day of their life? Not me! Plus mom believes that different foods have different nutritional benefits, so rotating foods makes sure I get the best of all of them (at least thats the theory). This rotational diet may not work for all dogs, especially ones that may have sensitivities to certain things, or are on special dietary restrictions due to health reasons. So it’s best to know what might work for your own dog and your own situation.

Tips for Keeping your Pet Trim // Ammo the Dachshund

Now while many people might defer to their veterinarian for feeding recommendations, I’ve found that while vets are schooled in medical issues, most of them are not trained in pet nutrition. Many of them just recommend what’s suggested within their industry, and while that’s not to say it’s always a bad suggestion, my mom feels that doing her own research will provide me with the best choice in food.

March Breakfast Barkbox // Ammo the Dachshund $5 off with code AMMO5

So before I dive into what my mom looks for in a pet food, lets talk about the different types of dog foods:

Dry: The “kibble” most people are familiar with. It travels and stores well, but is considered a more processed food because the ingredients aren’t fresh.

Wet: What many people might call “canned food”, this food is kept moist and easy for most dogs to ingest. It is much more perishable because of this.

De-Hydrated: This is essentially raw foods that have been dehydrated to lock in the nutrients. It’s less processed than dry food, but can take time to prepare as it typically needs water to “plump up”.

Raw: Fresh whole foods in their purest form. Typically you have to buy meats frequently to maintain freshness, and ingredients have to be handled properly to prevent illnesses to your dog.

Homemade: Fresh ingredients that are selected by the owner, and made to their own specifications. You have to have a thorough knowledge of what your dog can eat and may need, and it does take a good bit of dedication to make.

Sleepypod Yummy Travel Bowl Product Review & Giveaway via Ammo the Dachshund

I have never eaten Raw or Homemade dog food, mostly because mom doesn’t know a ton about feeding these types, and more importantly because of my lifestyle. I sometimes eat dinner at home, other times on the farm, and frequently at work – so these types would not travel well or keep as fresh in these situations.

I’ve tried Wet food before (when I was a puppy), but I wasn’t a super big fan of it, not to mention it also doesn’t travel well either. My pal Trooper eats a scoop of it everyday in all his meals and loves it, so it may depend on your own dog.

What I do eat is Dry (which is what I have eaten since I was a puppy), and more recently I am testing out De-Hydrated food as well. In the coming weeks I will be reviewing some of my picks for both types of food, so stay tuned for that!

JClay Pottery Dog Bowl Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

So since I’m most familiar with Dry & De-Hydrated Pet Foods, lets talk about what my mom looks for when choosing a brand for me to eat.

Dog Food Ingredients

What to look for when choosing a pet food:

  • Small Breed Size: When possible I try to eat a small breed formula because as a small dog I need more calories to fuel my fast metabolism. Most small breed foods are formulated for this, and they also come in a smaller size which makes it easier for small dogs to chew.
  • Adult Food: Since I’m only 6, I like to pick a food that is formulated for adult dogs (if I were a puppy or senior dog I would look for something formulated for this). Different life stages require different formulas, and these types take that into consideration. When I turn double digits I may start looking into a senior formula.
  • Meat: As far as ingredients are concerned I always look to make sure the first ingredient in a pet food is always meat. Specifically avoiding any foods that list “meat-meal” or just “meat” (not specifying the type) and “by-product”. Whole meats are always my top choice in a food, but many dry foods that I have seen still contain products such as “chicken meal” or “fish meal”. Dry Foods are still processed so I think it would likely be pretty hard to avoid any type of meat meal if you’re feeding this.
  • Origin: I would never feed anything made in China due to all the issues we have been hearing about in the news lately associated with dog deaths and health issues. I prefer my food to be made in the USA and Canada.
  • Un-Healthy Ingredients: There are certain things that should not be in a dog food. See the chart above for some examples of what I wouldn’t want in a pet food.
  • Healthy Ingredients: There are many ingredients that are healthy and great for a dog to be eating (see chart above for examples).
  • Grain-Free: Grain Free foods simply means that the food does not contain any unhealthy fillers such as wheat, corn, soy, and barely. Some alternatives that are healthier for your dog would be a food that contains: white potatoes, green peas, sweet potatoes, carrots, and chickpeas. Research has showed that grains were never really part of the diet that our wild dog ancestors may have eaten. Many dogs have sensitivities to grains in their foods, but even if they don’t eating grain free may still improve their digestion and skin & coat health.
  • Protein: A high protein food can help with easier digestion and nutritional absorption. It can also mean better bathroom visits for your pet. So I look for a food that has a higher protein percentage.
  • Reviews & Recalls: I always check to see if a brand has any recent recalls, and I search the web to see what types of company reviews they have. Steer clear of any brands that might have a history of a lot of recalls, and bad customer reviews.

Can you spot which of these foods my mom wouldn’t feed me based on the ingredients?…. (click on the images to view them larger)

Pedigree Pet Food Label

 

Trufood Ingredients List

Without naming names, the second label pictured is a much better choice, and one of the brands I eat myself. You’ll notice with the yellow label the very first ingredient was Corn, followed by “meat and bone meal” (which doesn’t even specify what kind of meat it is), and also included a lot of dyes that weren’t healthy. Definitely a product I would be steering clear of personally.

Following these guidelines for choosing foods, my mom also does the same for any treats or cookies she feeds me.

Happy Thanksgiving // Ammo the Dachshund

While my search for great pet foods never really ends, here’s the current list of foods that I have been rotating through my diet:

Stay tuned for a few reviews coming up soon on my blog with some of these foods, I’ll also be giving away some pet food to some lucky readers too! *contains affiliate links

Tips for Keeping your Pet Trim // Ammo the Dachshund

For recommendations on how to keep your dog looking trim, you might want to check to check out one of my past posts on 5 tips for keeping your pet trim. Which also includes how much food I actually eat on a daily basis!

What brands and type of food do you feed your dog? Any recommendations you suggest and think I will love? Do tell!

Thanks to Reviews.com and the PetsMart Food Center for helping me with some great information for this post! Ammo the Dachshund // Blog Signature // Celebrity

Disclaimer: this post is meant to be a general guide for choosing dog foods. Ammo nor his parents are pet nutrition experts, and if you are unsure about what to feed you should always consult a vet or pet nutrition expert first. What works for Ammo may not work for all dogs, and feeding what we feed may not be recommended for all dogs and all situations. We are not responsible for any issues or illnesses that may result from feeding what we feed our own dog.

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June 2015 Monthly Recap

I’m back from my annual camping trip, but before I share all those adventures I thought it would be fun to recap all the excitement from June!

First, I wanted to give a shoutout to my special sponsors & affiliates! Thanks to them I’m able to bring you exciting posts, so make sure you give them some love and check out what great products they carry!

Barkbox Summer Ad Save 10% OFF!Barkbox is a monthly subscription service for your dog. Starting as low as $19 a month (shipping included) you can get a box of the finest treats and toys sent right to your front door every month! Choose from packages for small, medium, and large dogs and as a bonus 10% of their sales go to supporting rescue groups! You can check out just what goodies your dog could be getting every month by reading my reviews!

Use code AMMO for 10% off your Barkbox Subscription.

Ruffwear Ad

Ruffwear carries performance dog gear designed to enhance and inspire outdoor adventures for dogs and their human companions. Totally my kind of company that carries anything from dog hiking packs, harnesses, camping essentials and more! You can check out my review of their dog boots (that even work for dachshund’s too) as well as the Ruffwear Swamp Cooler to keep your pup cool in the summer and one of my favorites, the Ruffwear Front Range Harness!

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If you would like to find out more about advertising with me, visit my advertising pageAnd thanks again to all of my wonderful sponsors, I couldn’t do it without you!

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And now onto my June Adventures…

Washington Monument in Pet Friendly D.C. with Ammo the Dachshund

I kicked off June by sharing all the adventures of my week long road trip, first stop, Washington D.C. and the National Mall!

Skyland Resort in Shenandoah National Park // Pet Friendly // Ammo the Dachshund

The next stop on my trip was the Shenandoah National Park, where I met my first Bear!

The Great Smoky Mountains // Dog Selfie // Ammo the Dachshund

In the Great Smoky Mountains I ran into Elk!

TaylorHappy Glucosamine Supplement for Dogs // Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

I took a break from my travels to share the secret weapon against joint pain for my best friend Trooper.

Super Heroes in Gatlinburg with Ammo the Dachshund

Next up I took a tour of downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee!

Jacks Bar-B-Que in Nashville Tennessee - Pet Friendly

I ate BBQ in Nashville, Tennessee!

BlogPaws Nose-to-Nose Awards 2015 // Ammo the Dachshund

Then I found myself in Nashville where I walked the red carpet at the BlogPaws annual conference.

Peach Pillow Bed Kickstarter Campaign with Ammo the Dachshund

I shared the new Kickstarter campaign for my friends at Peach Industries (which got fully funded by the way!)

Earth Rated Scented Dog Poop Bags // Review and Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

I picked up pony poop thanks to my friends at Earth Rated.

Visit Knoxville Tennessee to see the Sunsphere

I made the last stop on my road trip, Knoxville, Tennessee, to see the Sunsphere!

Dachshund Plays Dead at Ryerss

I helped support the non-profit, Ryerss Farm, by attending (and performing) at their Family Day. My pal Minnow the Painting Pony tagged along too.

Oh The Places You Sleep: Vol. 3 with Ammo the Dachshund

I shared Vol. 3 in the places I love to sleep series!

Doggie Days Boutique Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

I modeled my new Gooby collar from the Doggie Days Boutique.

The Dog Toy Your Dog Won't be too tired to play with! via Ammo the Dachshund

I played tug of war even though I was so tired I could barely stand (there’s a video for proof).

How Ammo the Dachshund got his name

I shared the story of how I got my super awesome name.

When your Dog Barks and Yells at You! Ammo the Dachshund

I barked back and shared how sometimes I can have an attitude too.

Open Farm Ethically Raised Dog Food Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

I tested out some ethically raised dog food, and you can still enter to win a bag for your dog too!

Wow, did I really fit in all that excitement last month? I blink and it just flys by! Stay tuned this week as I share my next big adventures on my annual camping trip. Ammo the Dachshund // Blog Signature // Celebrity

What did your dog do in June? Anyone else go on a road trip?

 

Open Farm Ethically Raised Dog Food Review & Giveaway

Disclaimer: This post and giveaway is brought to you by Open Farm. All opinions are my own, and I only share products I think you and your dog will love!

Open Farm Ethically Raised Dog Food Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

With so many choices in pet food nowadays it can sometimes be overwhelming with choosing the best dog food for your dog. I’m lucky that my mom cares a whole lot about what I eat, and while she doesn’t claim to be any sort of pet nutrition expert, she does try to choose the healthiest options for me to eat. Recently I got the chance to try the brand Open Farm, a healthy pet food that is ethically raised and sourced.

Open Farm Ethically Raised Dog Food Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

Now the fact that mom even allowed to me to taste-test review the Open Farm food (which I have been eating as my daily food for the past few weeks now) is saying a lot about what she thinks of the quality. Because if we’re being honest here, I would never be allowed to test it if my mom didn’t think it was a-ok!

Open Farm Ethically Raised Dog Food Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

Now before I get into the ingredients part of this review, lets talk about the fact that everything inside this Open Farm bag is ethically sourced. What does that mean exactly? It means that all of the farms that they source their meat and poultry from are audited and certified in humane animal care by leading third party, non-profit organizations in the field, and their fish are exclusively ocean caught using sustainable fishing practices.

Now I can’t control the fact that I’m a dog and I was designed to eat meat, but I can do my part for animal kind by choosing to eat foods that were ethically treated. Which makes me and my mom feel a whole lot better!

Open Farm Ethically Raised Dog Food Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

Now sourcing ethically raised meats is great, but what about the quality of the actual food? Here’s whats in the bag I received:

MAIN INGREDIENTS: Humanely farmed turkey, humanely farmed chicken, ocean caught whitefish meal, russet potatoes, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), green lentils, field peas, coconut oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), ocean caught menhaden fish meal, tomato, apples, pumpkin, natural flavor, flaxseed, sun cured alfalfa, carrots, chicory root, salmon oil, salt, potassium chloride, choline chloride rosemary extract

VITAMINS: Vitamin E supplement, calcium pantothenate, niacin supplement, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid

MINERALS: Zinc proteinate, calcium carbonate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate

You can read more about what’s inside by checking out the Open Farm Website.

So my mom (who is in charge of quality control for all of my food) admits that she did not look up every single ingredient in this food, and she certainly does not consider herself an expert in pet nutrition. What she does look for in the foods she chooses to feed me is that the main ingredients come from whole meats (instead of byproducts and ground up meal) and she prefers to feed me a grain-free diet (which Open Farm is).

Open Farm Ethically Raised Dog Food Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

Jeeze, so much talk about food and now I’m starving! Lets eat this stuff already!!

Open Farm Ethically Raised Dog Food Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

I had no problem munching down a bowl of Open Farm each morning and night – although I am a dog (and I’ll eat pretty much anything…including horse poop!) So it’s a good thing my mom picks out the healthy stuff for me, or who knows where I’d be!

It’s also good to know the poultry and meat are raised without the use of antibiotics and growth hormones, and the fish is always ocean caught, meaning it consumed a natural and antibiotic free diet. The fruits and vegetables are all locally grown and sourced close by to their manufacturing facility too. Open Farm recipes are free from artificial preservatives and flavors, and their recipes are preserved using mixed tocopherols, a natural preservative that also provides anti-oxidants.

And since I’m sure you’ll ask, Open Farm contains no ingredients from China. Almost all of our ingredients are sourced in Canada and the United States with the exception of coconut oil and certain vitamins and minerals that are not available in North America.

Open Farm Ethically Raised Dog Food Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

Since I’m pretty sure I could be a poster-dog for Open Farm now (I do spend my spare time on the family horse farm after all), so I’ve been practicing my super model pose for when they decide to make the next bag with my photo on it. *wink*

If you’d like to check out Open Farm for your furry friend you can check out their list of retailers on their website.

And now for the best part….

Open Farm Ethically Raised Dog Food Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

TWO WINNERS WILL WIN A 4.5lb BAG OF OPEN FARM HOMESTEAD CHICKEN & TURKEY RECIPE

Here’s HOW TO WIN:

No purchase necessary. To enter use the Rafflecopter widget below. You will be contacted via e-mail to claim your prize. All the winners will also be announced on this blog post once the giveaway ends. Open to USA & CANADA residents only. Winners must claim their prizes within 48 hours of being notified or prize will be forfeited. By entering you are agreeing to the terms & conditions set forth in the Rafflecopter widget (see below). Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read our full list of Terms & Conditions for this giveaway. Ammo the Dachshund // Blog Signature // Celebrity