How To Decide Which Dog Food Flavour To Buy?
Choosing the right dog food flavour is a legitimate concern among many dog owners. While it's vital that your pooch receives the necessary nutrients to grow and lead a healthy life, the flavour of their food can make a difference to their overall enjoyment of mealtimes.
Dogs have taste buds just like a human. Although the number of taste buds they have is said to equate to just one-sixth of the amount we have. So, what makes something tasty to a canine?
Flavour matters when it comes to your dog's food
Dogs can taste when things are salty, sweet, sour and even bitter. Most dogs will adapt to and enjoy a broad spectrum of flavours, but some of the fussier breeds will have lifelong preferences from the word go. Often, what a puppy is given in their early life will determine how choosy they are in adult life. If you're creative and keen to try your canine on a variety of dry and wet dog food flavours, they will be more inclined to try different flavours as they get older.
You might not be aware that the freshness of the food you give your dog has a bearing on its overall flavour. The older food gets, the more it loses its flavour and aroma. Often, the stronger the aroma, the more likely a fussy canine will be inclined to eat the food.
The safest dog food flavour options
If you want to play it safe and go for a dog food flavour that your pooch will wolf down nine times out of ten, chicken should be your number-one choice. Most breeds adore the chicken flavoured dog foods and it is very easy to digest for those with particularly sensitive stomachs.
Our most popular chicken-flavoured food for adult dogs is made by Autarky, packed with vitamins, natural antioxidants and prebiotics. The Autarky brand also specialises in chicken-flavoured foods for senior dogs and puppies too. If chicken works for your dog, you can always treat them to some chicken breast fillet chews for in between meal times from Pet Munchies.
Turkey-flavoured dog food is another safe choice as it has a similar poultry taste and aroma. Unfortunately, it is often a case of trial and error. If you want to try your puppy on a turkey-flavoured diet but you're unsure how they will react, try Burgess Turkey and Rice puppy food for sensitive tummies.
Alternative dog food flavours to explore
As we've already said, the more adventurous you are when it comes to feeding your pooch, the more your dog will be willing to broaden their horizons. Game-flavoured dog foods are proving particularly popular today. Duck-flavoured foods are rich in Omega 3 and 6 but a gamey diet is not for the faint-hearted owner.
Your canine friend will need a rock-solid digestive system to cope with the intensive flavours. James Wellbeloved offers a hypoallergenic Duck and Rice food for adult dogs that only include natural flavours and no artificial colours or preservatives.
Alternatively, fish is another fabulous protein source for your growing dog. Salmon-flavoured foods provide much-needed vitamin D as well as Omega 3 fatty acids that can improve your dog's skin condition immensely. Salmon obviously has a strong small and you will almost certainly be able to smell it on their breath after meal times, so it depends whether the pros outweigh the cons. AATU's indulgent duck-flavoured dry food is a real treat for your pooch and is perfect for dogs that benefit from a higher meat intake.
Meanwhile AATU's dry salmon-flavoured food is equally flavoursome, made with 80% wild caught salmon for the fullest, freshest flavour in your pampered pooch's bowl.
There will always be a dog food flavour that your canine adores. Believe us, your dog will never starve itself! It's just a case of experimentation and giving them the chance to explore new tastes and textures to improve their palette.