Whenever we place dogs, we often receive questions about recommendations on food. Historically, we have always encouraged owners to feed the highest quality, nutrient dense food that works for their budget; Weimaraner’s aren’t small (usually!) and they can cost a lot to feed.
It’s not because we are food snobs! The rationale behind eating a whole food, varied protein nutritious diet for humans, also applies to our canine friends. Eating better has enormous benefits for us as it does for them. Reducing over processed food can mean fewer allergies and intolerances, as well as better stools, coats and helps them maintain a healthy weight.
The good news is that dog owners have more great food options than ever before. The challenge, is that there are many options available now and that equals an overwhelming number of choices. Read labels!!
Here are some things to consider:
If you are willing to home cook, a little time and an instant pot are your friend! Just make sure you work with your vet so that you are giving your dog a nutritional supplement and are using base mix ingredients that get them everything they need. There are a lot of resources on line including many articles from https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/category/food/ to help ensure that happens.
Even easier are the use of “Base Mixes” from companies like Happy Dog Food or Honest Kitchen that offer gently dried food where all you need to do is add the protein of choice that your dogs likes (and tolerates). Other brands include Dr. Harvey’s and Sojo’s to name a few. Smaller “boutique” or local pet stores usually have an excellent selection and sage advice. They will often have samples of food or allow you to return unused food if your dog won’t eat it or tolerate the formulation.
Any dog food made to be a complete meal with have the correct nutrient profile to sustain them. This is different from those that are intended to be mix-ins or toppers only.
Consider rotating proteins to avoid intolerances while increasing interest. The “Land, Sea, Air” approach is popular. Some companies make Limited Ingredient diets that are designed for this purpose; they are formulated to interchange them regularly without digestive upset. Others offer recipes with multiple protein sources.
All kibbles are not created equal. Read the labels. All ingredients should be in order of protein (including whole animal parts), and a few other ingredients you can easily understand. Avoid all fillers such as corn, soy, wheat etc. and other additives that offer little to no value nutritionally and are often high in calories. Cheap fillers make for cheap dog food; that is why companies use them. Some kibbles are “slow dehydrated” to preserve as much nutrients as possible and make them easier to digest; while others are raw coated to make it tastier. High heat processed kibble loses most off the vitamins and minerals, which needs to be added back to the ingredient list so that it meets requirements nutritionally. Focus on high quality, nutrient dense food.
There are lots of great freeze dried raw, sous vide cooked meal toppers that can add a great deal of interest to your dog’s diet without breaking the bank.
Novel protein foods can be helpful for dogs that have allergies to common proteins. Just like humans, if you are having digestive issues with your dog, go back to bland basics and slowly reintroduce to your dog a more novel protein that is easier to digest.
Lastly, there are a number of enhancements that dogs may enjoy such as goat’s milk, pumpkin, bone broth, quail eggs etc. All these have dog specific formulations that are intended for canine use and not humans.
Just remember that what your dog enjoys one year, he may not years later. Have patience with your dog’s diet; consult a nutrition specialist or your vet if your pup is having problems. And avoid sharing your human meal or a restaurant “doggy” bag with them, as most of what we eat is not digestively compatible and can even sometimes be dangerous.