Dry food for large dogs

The size of the dog is important not only when choosing ammunition or bedding - the nutrition of the animal should also be adjusted based on its parameters and needs. For example, dry food for large dogs should have a moderate calorie content to prevent the development of obesity, include special additives to help keep joints healthy. But with all the variety of offers on the market, the rating of the best manufacturers will hardly include five items in each class.

Specialized food is usually produced by large brands. Large and massive dog breeds are relatively rare, and the segment of food produced for them is also quite narrow. However, when purchasing food that takes into account the individual characteristics of the dog, there is no doubt that the dog will fully satisfy its needs for calories, vitamins and minerals.

Before choosing the optimal composition of food for puppies of large breeds or buying food for an adult pet, it is worthwhile to study in more detail the list of useful and harmful ingredients. In this list, the main product should always be meat. High-quality dry food for large dogs should include at least 30-60% lamb, beef, veal, chicken and turkey. Offal is taken into account separately (not all of them are harmless) - they are considered separately from the total share of natural meat.

The energy source for the dog is carbohydrates derived from cereals and grains. Beans are not very useful for dogs: corn, soy and other cheap sources of vegetable protein. Their presence is an indicator of poor quality. Among the useful ingredients, it is worth noting rice, wheat (in the absence of gluten allergy), barley and oats. There should be no waste in good feed - residues from threshing grain, husks, beer cake (they are included to increase volume).

Large breed dogs benefit from feed with added eggs. It will be better if you feed your pets a whole product, rather than a powder. Powdered milk is often additionally included in puppy rations. For adult dogs, this supplement is too high in calories and can cause indigestion.

Another useful ingredient is fish oil. Antioxidants, amino acids (chondroitin, glucosamine) are added to premium products.

Its source can be coarse grassy fibers, root crops (beets, carrots), pumpkin, tomato squeezes. These ingredients help to "evacuate" the contents of the intestines, prevent the development of constipation.

All existing dry feeds intended for large dogs are divided into categories that determine their quality and the balance of ingredients in their composition. Cheap food is similar to fast food for people, it contains a significant amount of fillers and fats that increase the calorie content of food. In pursuit of savings, manufacturers can use dangerous preservatives and other possible additives that do not bring health benefits.

The most affordable food for large dogs and puppies belong to the economy class. They can easily be found in mass-market segment stores, including non-specialized ones. The composition always has artificial colors, flavors, other types of hazardous ingredients. Raw materials for the manufacture of feed are taken the cheapest, meat is often replaced by offal. The proportion of protein in this diet does not exceed 5-10%.

This is a more expensive category, but due to the lack of clear norms, products here are not too different from economic taxes. The meat is still present, but complemented by offal and cereal toppings. Premium feed contains supplements that are good for your dog’s health. But dyes, cheap preservatives and fats are still used here. This is not the most useful choice for an expensive thoroughbred dog, but such a pet is quite suitable for a pet.

This is an upscale and rather expensive food with a high content of pure animal protein. In the category of super-premium there is a gradation for rations, breeds, and special needs of a pet. The composition does not include cheap crops: corn and soy. However, fiber is present in excess, and the proportion of cereals is often minimized, or they are completely removed from the list of ingredients.

Holistic food for dogs is a relatively new product that takes into account the natural needs of predators. The composition is different naturalness and balance, the proportion of animal protein reaches 70-80%. When selecting ingredients, testing is carried out according to human standards. Of cereals, only rice or buckwheat is allowed, Mandatory inclusion of antioxidants, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.

The world leaders in the production of high-quality food for large and giant dogs are the countries of North America: Canada, USA, European powers (England, France, Czech Republic, Germany). Here, strict control over the quality of products is established, there is a whole list of additives prohibited for use.

Below is a ranking of the best producers of dog food for large breeds.

• Acana This is a Canadian brand of Champion Pet Food. In this line, the manufacturer focused on the meat component of the nutrition of predators in the natural habitat.For large breeds, Puppy Large Breed, Adult Large Breed feeds are suitable for puppies and adult dogs. A distinctive feature is the balanced composition: 60% of meat and 40% of fruits and vegetables (70% of the protein in the "children's" diet due to the addition of eggs). Both types of feed are completely grainless.

• Belcando. This is a German brand that produces the specialized line of dry foods Junior Maxi and Adult Multi-Croc. They are manufactured at a family-owned enterprise; the company takes care of all stages of production. The inclusion of the meat component reaches 80% of the total volume, is formed by combining fresh and dried poultry, fish, chicken eggs.

• BiOMill. Swiss brand producing super premium feed. For large dogs, the Swiss Professional Maxi Junior and Maxi Adult line is designed (for adult pets). Since 2012, all feed has been produced at a factory in Italy. Poultry and lamb meat are used as raw materials, but the proportion of protein is significantly lower than that of previous manufacturers in the ranking.

• Bosch This is a well-known German concern, whose products include the lines for large dogs Junior Maxi and Adult Maxi. Dry feeds belong to the super-premium class, but in the composition you can find fresh poultry meat lost in volume after processing, as well as not very useful corn. Cereals occupy a large volume in the composition, while the animal needs a predominance of protein. But we can assume that this is a good feed, slightly inferior to the leaders in the selection of ingredients.

• Eukanuba. This is a brand from the USA that has been specializing in producing high-quality animal nutrition for more than half a century. Today it has production in the Russian Federation and Europe. The company is trying to bring ready-made rations closer to the natural composition of the food of predators in the wild. For large dogs, the specialized Puppy & Junior Large Breed and Dog Adult Large Breed ranges are the best choice. The average proportion of meat ingredients in their composition reaches 25%, and 14% falls on cereals.

• Hill's. This is an American brand producing super-premium dog food. For large breeds, the Nature »s Best series is designed with a completely natural balanced composition. In the list of ingredients you can find the pulp of citrus fruits and squeezed grapes. The share of meat products reaches 30%.

• Royal Canin. This brand is from France. It creates feeds tailored to the individual needs of pets. The product range offers offers in two lines: Maxi (26-44 kg) and Giant (over 45 kg). There is a Starter - a product for puppies and lactating dogs, separate versions taking into account pedigree features. The large amount of cereals in the composition, the presence of wheat and soybean oil make this product less useful for dogs than the proposals of the leaders of the rating.

Special attention should be paid to the category of holistic. They are positioned as the highest in quality, often represented by grainless versions. Here the following feeds are available to large breeds:

• Golden Eagle Holistic Large & Giant Breed - for puppies and adult animals, it is multi-protein (chicken, pork, salmon) with an optimal composition;
• Almo Nature Holistic Adult Dog Large Italian production, with a share of animal protein 53%.

There are other holivics, but not all of them are suitable for large dogs. In any case, animals with giant and simply tall stature need food, tailored to their special needs. You should not offer premium products to a pet or lower - it will provide only basic saturation and will not benefit the dog.

When choosing food for dogs of large breeds, the individual characteristics and needs of different age groups must be taken into account. Pregnant and lactating animals require a special approach. Separate feed lines are available for castrated and sterilized dogs.

Young representatives of large breeds, showing active growth, require the highest quality feed with a natural composition. The share of animal components in the product should not be less than 30%, Use of low allergenic crops such as oats or rice is encouraged. The best combination of meat ingredients is lamb and salmon or chicken and trout. In this case, the composition will be the most complete and easily digestible.

A special diet for an aging pet includes smaller dry feed pellets that are easy to chew. Food should be low-calorie with a precisely calculated composition and an optimal set of ingredients. The diet takes into account limited mobility, problems with the heart and joints, facilitates the condition of the animal, prolongs the days of its active longevity.

The diet of dogs that have undergone the procedure of getting rid of reproductive function should include special additives that take into account changes in the hormonal background. Dry foods of this category have a low calorie content, balanced composition does not have excess fat and cheap carbohydrate component. Proteins and healthy fiber should predominate among the ingredients.

The needs of animals are quite diverse, and in many ways their diet is built taking into account the characteristics of the breed. If the dog has a dense coat, feed should contain additives to improve it. Allergy-prone pets need specialized foods without dangerous ingredients. Active dogs purchase food with high calorie content, taking into account their energy consumption.

There is a norm of caloric intake, which should be considered when feeding a pet with dry food. It is important to consider that when determining it, one should take into account not only the body weight of the animal, but also the level of physical activity. It is also worth paying attention to the amount of protein in food: puppies need at least 24%, an adult dog needs only 15-21%.

The specialization of food is also important: for puppies, pregnant and lactating, elderly dogs, it is better to choose a food that takes into account their special needs. The averages for an adult animal will be as follows:

• with a body weight of 80 kg - 570-800 g per day;
• with a weight of 70 kg - 510-710 g;
• at 60 kg - 450-665 g;
• 50 kg - 400-620 g;
• from 40 kg - 330-525 g.

For active dogs, the daily diet is recommended to be increased by 30% - this will allow for the increased energy costs of the animal. In addition, the individual recommendations on the packaging indicated by the manufacturer must be taken into account. The calorie content of food is necessarily increased in the winter. Serving volumes for economy and super premium meals can vary significantly due to an increase in the protein content. Given these recommendations, you can organize the feeding of a large dog at the highest level.

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