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How to Find The Best Dog Food In Malaysia 2023

a dog is eating foods
(Image retrieved from: wonderopolis)

Looking for the best dog food for your furry best friend? Most of us dog lovers know that they are more than just a family pet; our dogs are our playmates, the sunshine of our lives, and our loyal companion. So, the search for the best dog food is only fair and you would not need to look further because here in this article, we already prepared the way for you to choose the best dog food in Malaysia! Before we dive into the type of dog food you should choose, let’s see the tips on how to choose the best dog food first and foremost.

Tips to Finding the Best Food for your Dog

1. Take into Account your Dog's Age, Activeness, Breed, and Reproductive Status

Some dog food brands created foods depending on breed, however, the majority just categorized between small and large breed recipes. The only differences are the kibble sizes or dog canned food, which your dog must be able to eat comfortably and safely, either way. When choosing a suitable dog food, consider your dog's physical characteristics, behaviour, and overall health. Puppies and nursing mothers need more calories each day, but elderly pets need fewer. Similarly, more active breeds require more calories than couch potato breeds—feeding your dog the right type and amount of food will help your dog prevent obesity-related health problems.

2. Recognize and Understand the "Buzz Words" on Food Packaging

For your information, the writing on the package is a code for how much of each protein is present in the food. Simple names like "Beef for Dogs" or "Chicken Dog Food" suggest that the indicated protein comprises 95 percent of the whole product, not considering the water content, according to an FDA review of pet food labels. With the addition of water, the results reach the needed 70%.

Another strong indicator is the term "dinner"; meals labelled "Chicken Stew Dinner" and "Salmon Dinner for Dogs" only contain 25% of the protein. Similarly, names like "platter," "entree," "nuggets," and "formula" follow the same criterion. If there are multiple ingredients on the label, they must account for at least 25% of the overall product.

If you see the words "with cheese," "with salmon," or "with" anything, it means that the item merely has to contain 3% of those ingredients. For example, a dry dog food labelled "Chicken Dinner for Dogs" with the addition "with cheese" comprises 25% chicken and 3% cheese. Last but not least, if the meal purports to be “beef flavour” or “chicken flavour,” only trace amounts of beef or chicken are required—just enough for a dog to recognise the flavour.

3. Read the Ingredients

Keep in mind that the contents on the label are listed by weight, and meats or meat meals are listed first since they contain a lot of water. Choose a dish that has meat or meat meal as the primary ingredient. Dogs are omnivores, and they should only be fed a vegetarian diet in exceptional cases such as severe allergies.

4. Examine the Nutritional Sufficiency Statement

The adequacy statement, which is usually found with the rest of the nutritional information on a bag or container, can say things like, "provides complete and balanced nourishment for maintenance of adult dogs," "all life stages," or "puppies." Always look for the AAFCO statement on the back; firms can opt-out of membership, but AAFCO's stringent requirements ensure that nutritional value is maintained. (Erb, 2015)

After making sure that you have applied these tips, we can then proceed to choose whether or not you want to buy expensive or cheap dog food. There are 4 types of dog food you should know which are listed below. They may come in multiple categories, but the main difference between them are the water content and shelf life.

Read also: Guides to Dog Grooming

4 Types of Dog Food

a) Dry Food

best dry food
(Image retrieved from: https://www.medicanimal.com/What-is-the-difference-between-wet-and-dry-dog-food%3F/a/ART291681 )
  • 10% of water content
  • Cleans dog’s teeth
  • Shelf life is long
  • Cost-effective

b) Wet Food

wet food
(Image retrieved from: https://www.k9web.com/dog-food/best-wet-dog-food-for-adult-dogs/ )
  • 35% of water content
  • Chunks of meat in jelly or gravy
  • Resembled cubed luncheon meat
  • Should feed this to your dog once in a while only

c) Canned Food

makanan tin untuk anjing
(Image retrieved from: https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/canned-dog-food )
  • Long shelf life
  • 70%-80% of water content
  • Expensive with less nutrients
  • Even picky eaters will like it

d) Raw Food

fresh raw food
(Image retrieved from: https://vanillapup.com/raw-diet-for-dogs-beginners-guide/ )
  • Messy, but packed with nutrition
  • No additional ingredients
  • Easier to be digested by your dogs

So, we have 4 types of dog food in Malaysia and in the next category, the cheap and expensive food’s distinct differences. In general, we have a loose idea of what made the cheap and expensive dog foods so different, such as the quality, taste and nutrition. Not all cheap foods are bad, and the same goes for expensive foods, not all are good. Now, let’s look further into what differs them both in detail.

Cheap Dog Food vs. Expensive Dog Food

Cheap Dog Food

Cheap dog food is not always less nutritious than the high-end ones, and you should still get your hands on some of them especially when you are on a budget. For example, bagged kibbles are still good for dogs and they will be able to clean their teeth as well as being budget-friendly for you. What matters is that you examine and study the ingredients. These are what you should avoid feeding your furry friend:

  • Corn and wheat gluten
  • Meat byproducts
  • BHA
  • BHT
  • Food dyes
If you are truly on a budget, it is advisable to stick with kibbles as it is more nutritious than cheap canned food. This is because cheap canned food could be just an imitation of meats, thus less to no nutrition.

Expensive Dog Food

When you are buying expensive dog food, the number one ingredient to pay attention to should always be meat. If you choose food made from all-natural components, you will almost certainly pay more money. Natural foods, on the other hand, often contain more whole ingredients and aren't loaded with preservatives or additives that can cause your dog to gain weight or even cause health problems. What ingredients to look for in your dog’s food?

  • Meat
  • Meat meal
  • Grains (carbohydrates)
  • Vegetables
  • Fruits
  • Fats
  • Vitamins and minerals

Furthermore, if your dog has a pre-existing disease or digestive concerns, investing a little more for their food may be worthwhile. Certain ingredients, such as grain, are not well tolerated by some dogs. As a result, their owners are recommended to eat grain-free foods. (Lee, 2021)

Read also: Best Cat Food