Canned food for dogs: types, manufacturers overview and selection features

Nutrition for dogs is the main guarantee of their health, long life, well-being and beautiful appearance. Therefore, the correct choice of food and its specific type becomes an important task for the owner of the animal. In this article, we will look at feeding dogs with wet prepared food, talk about their types and differences from each other. We will also find out which manufacturers you can really trust.

Today, ready-made dog food is understood to mean two types of it - dry and wet.

Canned food is wet or liquid food. Although in reality these are two subspecies of the same nutritional option. Its main distinguishing features are the following.

• High moisture content. This is due to the semi-liquid consistency. This food option is ideal for those animals that, for some reason, do not drink the daily volume of water they need. Wet-fed dogs do not become dehydrated.
• Soft and homogeneous consistency. Even the large pieces of meat in this feed are very soft. This food is ideal for seniors, puppies and pets with gastrointestinal problems.
• Compared to dry food, canned food in its composition have a higher percentage of protein and a lower percentage of carbohydrates... According to the veterinarians themselves, wet food is much higher than dry food precisely because of the better quality composition.
• Artificial flavors are also almost never used in wet foods. Such food is made from natural meat, which smells very appetizing to animals.

But if you approach the choice of food for your pet correctly and responsibly and carefully study the recommendations of the manufacturer himself, as well as consult a veterinarian, then for any dog ​​you can find the ideal option for both dry and liquid food.

Wet food, like dry food, like natural food, has positive and negative sides. Let's consider them.

Pros:

• more natural and balanced composition compared to dry food;
• most of the packages are designed for one-time use;
• this food is suitable for dogs of all breeds and ages;
• lack of preservatives and flavorings, as well as flavor enhancers;
• in the line of liquid feeds there is also canned food intended for animals with certain diseases.

Minuses:

• High price. Wet dog food always costs several times more than dry food.
• High-quality feed of this type can only be purchased at veterinary pharmacies and specialized stores.
• Opened packaging should not be stored for more than one day.
• Not all types of canned food are suitable for daily feeding of a dog. Some can be used exclusively as a delicacy no more than twice a week.

In fact, dry and wet food are complementary in a sense.

All dog food options today can be divided into several groups, depending on their main taste and component:

• meat feed - beef, pork, lamb;
• fish - cod, pollock, salmon;
• from poultry - chicken, turkey, goose or duck.

Also in the assortment of some manufacturers there are feeds with a high content of vegetables, dried fruits or cereals.

Wet dog food comes in several varieties.

• Canned food. It is sold in standard cans. They can contain both a single portion for feeding the animal and a daily portion. In this case, the feed itself is semi-moist. It can be in the form of a paste or a semi-liquid substance with pieces of food.
• In soft PET packs. Such food is often called wet, it is pieces of meat or poultry in a sauce, while the liquid component in a pack can be up to 65%. This is what explains its consistency.

In addition, wet food for dogs is also subdivided into several more types:

• standard food;
• health food;
• dessert food.

The first option is suitable for daily feeding of healthy dogs of various breeds and ages. The second option is food suitable for those pets that have certain diseases that prevent them from consuming food from the first group. And the third type of wet food is a special food that can be used by dog ​​owners as a treat for their pets.

Professional dog breeders as well as veterinarians know best of all which feed manufacturers to look out for first. Therefore, if you need to choose really high-quality and safe food, check out the list below.

Foods from this category are distinguished by a high protein content in the composition, the absence of harmful ingredients and preservatives, and also by the fact that they are suitable for animals with any diseases. The best in this category are the following.

• Barking heads - wet food produced in England. These canned foods consist of 85% meat, do not contain dyes or preservatives. Ideal for older dogs, small puppies or animals with a weak digestive tract.The product line features several different flavors: chicken, salmon, beef, pork and rabbit. Each type of feed is enriched with vegetables and vitamin and mineral complexes.

• Belcando - this is another canned meat canned food with a mass fraction of meat in the composition of 80%. All natural, safe for the health of dogs. Wet food of this brand is available for sale in various flavors. In some types, cereals are present in the composition, but the manufacturer indicates this information on the packaging.

All of these types of food are expensive.

This category also includes wet food from various manufacturers. The best options are considered as follows.

• Happy dog - these are canned meat and pâtés with a variety of flavors. The assortment includes food both made from meat and vegetables, and those that include healthy grains.

• Applaws - the range of this manufacturer includes dry and wet food. At the same time, the main emphasis is placed on the manufacture of products for puppies of large and small breeds, as well as for dogs over the age of 7 years.

• DUKE'S FARM Is a balanced complete food for dogs of predominantly wet type. A wide variety of tastes and types, affordable price and natural composition - this is what the manufacturer offers to its customers.

• Hills Ideal Balance - This is canned meat from poultry of two types with chicken and turkey. The manufacturer uses vegetables and vitamin and mineral complexes as additives. The price for such food is affordable, but due to the scarce range of products, the demand for products is low.

• Eukanuba - This is canned food for the standard daily feeding of pets, as well as special pates for puppies and dogs suffering from obesity. The main mass fraction of the product is made from poultry and its by-products; the manufacturer uses vegetables, flax and sunflower seeds, oils and vitamins as additives.

Food for dogs in this category is suitable for healthy animals of all breeds, and the division of products by age category allows you to choose food for dogs of all ages.

This category includes wet food, which not only consists of vegetables, meat and poultry, but also includes cereals. The best food in this category is Pro Plan. It is the optimal choice for daily feeding of dogs of different breeds and ages. The composition is safe and balanced, the range of food itself is quite wide. There are no additives and preservatives that are harmful or dangerous for the animal.

Foods from this category are distinguished by a high calorie content, a low protein content in their composition and a high content of fats and carbohydrates. Therefore, they cannot be used to feed sick animals or those who suffer from obesity. The most popular products in this category are the following.

• Darling - this food is characterized by a high content of fats and carbohydrates. The mass fraction of protein is only 5% and is mainly accounted for by poultry by-products. Such food cannot provide the daily requirement of the animal for vitamins and proteins. Therefore, the diet in this case should be enriched with meat and vegetables.

• Pedigree - This is quite a budget, but balanced pet food. It contains meat (up to 25%), vegetables, oil, yeast and vitamins. However, cereals are presented in the form of the cheapest and least useful cereals - wheat and barley.

• Chappi - this is canned meat made on the basis of cereals and cereals, the meat component in the list of ingredients is indicated only in third place.Therefore, such feed should be supplemented with raw meat or fish additionally.

Products made by Russian manufacturers should also be included in a separate category.

Domestic brands today have also learned how to create high-quality food for premium and super-premium dogs. First of all, you should pay attention to the products of such brands of Russian production.

• Cesar is a wet dog food in the form of pates or sauces with chunks of meat or fish.
• Royal Canin is a dietary, daily and health food for dogs of various breeds and ages. Presented as dry and wet food.

Domestic manufacturers manufacture their products in accordance with all international standards. Therefore, there is no reason to doubt the high quality of the above feeds.

So that ready-made industrial dog food will only benefit your pet, when choosing it, the following recommendations should be observed.

• It is necessary to consult in advance with a specialist and clarify whether the pet has any diseases. Indeed, in this case, he will need to select a medicinal food.
• It is worth choosing products from trusted manufacturers. Therefore, first of all, you need to study the range of the above brands.
• Food should be selected based on the age and size of the dog. For example, for puppies or older dogs.
• If a treat is given to a dog, it must be made by the same manufacturer as the main food.

As for the additional enrichment of the diet with vitamins and minerals, everything here depends on the composition of the feed, as well as the needs of the animal.

To keep your pet healthy and strong check out the advice of veterinarians and experienced breeders.

• The diet should be varied. If the dog ate food with beef today, then it should be fish tomorrow.
• It is best to mix wet food with dry food or alternate them every other day. Moreover, both types of food must be produced by the same brand.
• As a treat, the dog can sometimes be given pieces of vegetables and fruits, raw or cooked, but it is better to use ready-made mixtures.
• The animal should always have access to clean, cool water.

And yet, if wet food remains in the pack, then it can be frozen in case of emergency. Before feeding the pet, the food is thawed and heated to room temperature.

For canned food for animals, see below.