Pet parents always want to be able to rest assured that they are giving their dogs the best brands and products for their needs. With so many great options out there, however, it can be a bit daunting to ensure that we are picking products for the right reasons.

Freshpet acknowledges that there are many ways that work towards making more informed purchasing decisions for the betterment of our furry friends. Here, Freshpet includes a few tried and true methods that can be used to help pet parents choose from the best dog food brands available.

Conduct Research on Reputable Brands

Independent research through online resources is one of the most valuable ways to choose between reputable dog food options. When checking, it is always a good idea to look at in-depth reviews that give a lot of details relating to why people like or dislike a certain product.

In many cases, popular brands will also be reviewed a step further either through studies or more comprehensive analysis performed by avid dog lovers. These details can be excellent ways to determine if a certain food may be right for your dog. Always remember that reviews should be taken with a grain of salt, especially if they do not offer any specific insights into why a person rated the product the way they have. Still, overwhelming amounts of positive or negative reviews can usually point to some usable information surrounding certain products.

Consider the Needs of Your Pup

If you are in the market for a new dog food, reviews and information from other pet parents can be great resources, but they will only be useful if a product is created with the needs of your dog in mind. It is always most helpful to consider your dog's needs and how they will inform your purchasing decisions. For example, if your dog is a small breed, it is imperative to choose from options that are specifically formulated for small and toy breed dogs. Similarly, larger dogs will have different nutritional needs that must be addressed via products that were designed to keep them happy and healthy.

Remember that the breed, size, and age of your dog are just a few factors that will determine what foods are best for them. Other factors such as conditions or diseases that they may develop over the course of their lives are also crucial to consider as you evaluate foods that will fit perfectly within their diets.

Look Into Ingredients and Their Sources

Over the years, pet parents have become much more educated regarding the ingredients that their pets should and should not be consuming on a regular basis. Checking ingredients lists and researching their sources has therefore become common practice when evaluating foods.

A few types of ingredients that are wise to avoid are fillers and chemical additives that do not add to the nutritional value of a product. In some cases, your dog may have an intolerance to certain ingredients such as protein or produce sources and avoiding them is a great choice for helping your dog remain happy and healthy in their everyday life.

Pet parents may be interested in researching how a brand utilizes certain ingredients in their recipes. For example, premium protein sources are often ideal for helping dogs reach their necessary nutritional requirements. Sources may also be a concern. Many of the best dog food brands will proudly state where their ingredients come from and the role that they play in their recipes.

Dog food labels can provide insights on the quality of ingredients within

Learn More About the Brands' Practices

Now more than ever, pet parents are becoming more interested in supporting brands that are making efforts to build a better world. Choosing dog food brands that prioritize addressing issues such as sustainability and social responsibility helps set the standard for practices that will work towards protecting our environment.

Freshpet recognizes that evaluating both the existing practices and initiatives put in place by brands is a crucial step towards choosing the best pet foods on the market. Many of the most popular and reputable brands will have information available on how their food is produced, efforts being made to improve sustainability, the rights of their workers, and a variety of other factors that play into the quality of both their food and their upheld practices.

Consult A Veterinarian

It is always important to remember that any potential changes to your dogs diet should be addressed with a trusted veterinarian beforehand. A vet can be an excellent resource for insights on the current health of your pup, their nutritional needs, and what products are most likely to cover them. They can also help you establish a routine for introducing new foods to your dog without causing any gastrointestinal or behavioral issues along the way.

Consulting your vet is a good way to get piece of mind as you evaluate the merits of different brands out there. Freshpet recommends asking which products may be the best fit based on factors such as their breed, age, size, conditions, and current lifestyle.