Which Pet Food Brand Do I Recommend?

I’m often asked about nutrition… sometimes by a client in an official nutrition consultation, other times in passing during social conversations and of course, several times during the normal course of my day as a veterinarian.

What food do you recommend for << insert pet’s name?>> 

Often, the expected answer is a brand name… revealing my chosen kibble-of-choice.   The real answer is, “It depends.”  

It depends on the age of your pet,
activity level,
health,
location,
breed,
and more.

But, the other answer is,  
“I don’t have a brand or kibble of choice.”

Instead, I recommend your pet eat whole foods as the bulk of their diet.  It’s not that all kibble is all bad.  But, kibble is like cereal.  Can you find certain cereals that are healthier than other cereals?  Of course!  But if you only ate that one cereal, 3 times a day, for a lifetime, your diet could hardly be classified as healthy.   

Your dog — like you and your kids — needs a well-rounded diet made up of whole foods.   Have I ever fed  kibble to my own dogs? Yes.  I’ve also picked up fast food for my kids for dinner.   We all live in the real world.  There are times when — let’s face it — you just don’t have time.  It’s a fast food kind of night. Or maybe even a “fast food kind of week.”  We all have them and on those nights, you sometimes choose the quick, convenient meal.  But, I don’t make a daily habit of it.

What your pet eats matters.  In fact, while food doesn’t cause every illness or condition I see, nutrition has a direct impact on all of it, including:

Diabetes,
Cancer,
Itchy dog,
Stomach upset and
More.

If you’re feeding your dog a straight kibble diet, consider mixing in  some whole foods like sweet potatoes, cucumbers, beans or carrots.  Your dog will love it!

P.S. I also talk quite extensively about nutrition in my book,The Best of Both Worlds, which you can order here.