Dry food

DRY FOOD FOR DOGS

With different ingredients and compositions for young, old, healthy and sick dogs, as well as different kibble shapes and sizes for large or small dogs, there is dry food for practically all individual needs.

But dry food also offers advantages for owners. Handling is very practical. The kibbles can be easily dosed, refilled and filled, stored, transported and usually also fed out of the hand.

BEST DRY FOOD FOR A WIDE RANGE OF NEEDS

As diverse as dogs are, so are their needs. That's why there are many dry foods for dogs that meet different needs.

Dry food for healthy four-legged friends: The ingredients contained are well-tried sources of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The supply of energy and the support of a healthy metabolism are guaranteed. With differences in energy content or natural additives, these foods are tailored to puppies, adult or senior dogs.

Dietetic dry foods: Dietetic foods are tailored to a wide range of conditions. The composition has been carefully selected so that special needs can be catered for, e.g. the reduction of proteins or fats and the addition of uric acidifying substances.

Mono-protein dry food: In the case of allergies or intolerances, it may be advisable to prefer a simple composition of dry food. A so-called mono-protein food is a good choice. These dry foods use only one - usually exotic or rarely used - animal protein source and selected carbohydrate sources to ensure a sufficient supply.

All Vet-Concept dry dog foods are produced according to our high quality standards.

WHICH DRY FOOD FROM VET-CONCEPT IS SUITABLE FOR MY DOG?

There is no one right dry food for every dog. Before buying a dry dog food, it is important to be clear about what requirements the new dog food should meet. Here are some questions that can help determine your dog's specific needs:

• Is it a puppy, an adult dog or a senior?
• How big is your four-legged friend and do you want him to maintain, gain or lose weight?
• How much regular exercise does your four-legged friend get?
• Are there any illnesses, intolerances or allergies to watch out for?

Alternatively, you are welcome to use the Vet-Concept feed assistant in the online shop or contact our expert advisors to tailor and narrow down the selection to your dog. A personal consultation on the phone usually achieves the best results. Based on the individual requirements of your dog, a suitable dry food can then be selected.

FAQS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DRY DOG FOOD

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO CHANGE FOOD?

When a dog owner decides on a new dry food, there is always the question of how to change the diet in the best way possible.

As responsible advisors, we recommend avoiding a sudden change. That is, the old food should not simply be dropped from one day to the next to be replaced by a completely new food.

Even outwardly insensitive dogs can benefit from a gentle food change. An unpredictable challenge for the gastrointestinal tract does not always have to manifest itself in intolerances, vomiting or diarrhoea.

A sudden change can also lead to fatigue, loss of appetite or restlessness. Many pet owners do not always attribute these symptoms to the diet, but they can certainly be promoted by a too rapid change of diet.

In order not to unnecessarily challenge the gastro-intestinal system, it makes sense to let the new food sneak in slowly. To do this, replace an increasing amount of the old food with the new food over a period of 5-7 days.

If your four-legged friend needs a new food for health reasons and is sceptical about it, make sure to offer him only individual kibbles between his normal meals during the first trial feedings. This way, the old food, which has been well accepted so far, will not be made unpalatable by negative surprises in the bowl. If you have any questions about further tips and tricks for changing your dog's food, please do not hesitate to contact our Vet-Concept advisors.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE MEAT CONTENT IN DRY FOOD?

According to legal requirements, the exact meat content in dog food does not have to be shown by manufacturers. However, it is increasingly being used by dog owners as a measure of the quality of a dog food. Basically, dog owners should know the following:

According to legal requirements, dry meat must be processed in dry food. This means that water is removed from the fresh meat before processing. This results in a very nutritious and concentrated meat meal.

The nutrient density in meat meal is therefore higher than that in fresh meat. Due to the high concentration of nutrients less meat meal is needed to produce a requirement-covering dry food.

The indication of the meat content is a purely percentage indication, which has little significance with regard to the quality of the dog food.

Dog owners should rather look at the analytical components - especially the digestible crude protein - of a complete feed to see what the true quality of the food is.

Wet food, on the other hand, is traditionally made from fresh meat and therefore has a high water content. The nutrient density in wet food is less than in dry food. Accordingly, comparatively much more wet food must be fed to cover the daily requirements.

HOW RELIABLE ARE THE RECOMMENDED FEEDING QUANTITIES?

When feeding dry dog food, you should always follow the manufacturer's feeding recommendations.

This is because analytical evaluations of the food and the latest scientific findings on the nutrient requirements of dogs mean that very precise information can be given on the average amount of food a four-legged friend should eat. Depending on the dog's metabolism, the recommended amount of food for Vet-Concept dry food can be reduced or increased by up to a third of the recommendation to meet individual needs.

CAN I SIMPLY FEED MY DOG DIET FOOD?

The term diet food must be defined more precisely in order to answer this question. In the daily consultation on dog food, it is often noticed that diet food is usually understood as low-fat food.

However, the term diet generally describes an adapted diet due to various illnesses or peculiarities. This means that a special diet may also be necessary if the dog needs to gain weight instead of losing it or is dependent on a protein-reduced diet (e.g. in the case of kidney insufficiency).

Switching to a diet can often help sick or allergic dogs. However, it can also make healthy dogs ill if the wrong food is chosen or if they do not need it. Feeding diet food should therefore always be discussed with the vet treating the dog.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO STORE DRY FOOD?

Due to the moisture removed, dry food can be stored well even after the package has been opened. However, a few things should be taken into account so that the shelf life lasts as long as possible. The fats and proteins contained in the food can spoil despite dehydration.

Once opened at home, the manufacturer can no longer guarantee that the dog food will remain dry and as germ-free as possible. Therefore, it is up to you, the dog owner, after opening the package.

Make sure that the food is stored in a dry and cool place. In modern flats with underfloor heating, dry food should not be stored standing on the floor during the heating period, in order to avoid localised heating.

In addition, the bag should be closed as airtight as possible after each use (see Vet-Concept Powerclip).

Alternatively, the croquettes can be transferred into a resealable bin or similar. If such a container is used, it should be cleaned with food-grade detergents after the contents have been used up, dried and only then refilled.

Vet-Concept dry food can be kept for up to 4 months after opening and under ideal conditions.