What your best buddy requires more than affection is the best dog food available to him. The primary part of taking care of your puppy is to give him food that not only suits his stomach but also keeps him healthy in a given lifestyle.
Getting the best dog food in India can be a task. Since India has one of the largest growing pet industries, there is a massive availability of dog food leaving parents confused about the best dog food for their pupper.
Dogs are not just to cuddle. When you get this little ball of fur home, you bring a res-paw-nsibility. The pup is yours to take care of and deserves to get the best life, and of course the best dog food. Your dog needs a proper diet that keeps him hearty.
Rank Dog Food Dogisworld Recommended
1 Homemade Dog Food Doggy-doggy yes!
2 Royal Canin Recommended
3 Farmina N&D Grain-Free
Recommended
4 Taste Of Wild Grain-Free
Recommended
5 Canine Creek Recommended
6 Acana Recommended
7 Grain Zero Okay-ish!
8 Drools Focus Okay-ish!
9 Purina Not Recommended
10 Pedigree Not Recommended
With that, we present a handbook for the best dog food in India with review directly from the consumer’s mouth.
Mutt (Read: But) – there’s always a mutt!
You have to educate yourself about the different types of dog food and why is each of it important.
Table of Contents
The Kinds
People who make the best dog food are no less than gods and thank god, they have various kinds to serve the palette and appetite of your hungry baby. The most famous and widely bought is the kibbles- dry dog food. However, there are different variants like wet, cooked, and BARF that has recently entered the Indian dog food market.
Homemade Dog Food
A hundred percent dogisworld recommended diet, homemade dog food is the best for your buddy. Surprisingly, it is also the most preferred dog food in India.
There are no biological reasons to prove why this diet has suited dogs and the only explanation we can give is, long before commercial dog food existed, dogs ate human or homemade food for survival.
A dog’s digestive system is flexible, but there are dog-special homemade dog food recipes that need to be followed if you want your pooch to remain healthy. By feeding certain toxic foods for dogs, you can really gamble with his life.
Note: Not every human food is good for the dog and you need to research thoroughly before feeding any personally curated meal. Read our Guide To Homemade Dog Food to educated yourself.
B.A.R.F. Diet
Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones And Raw Food, whatever you want to call it simply means a composition of raw meat and fresh vegetables that are fed uncooked and wild.
Dogs are believed to have come from wolves that were dependent on raw meat for survival. With a thought that the best diet for such a digestive system would be raw meat and vegetables like good ol’ times, vets developed a B.A.R.F diet. The raw diet was high in proteins, moderate in fats with a minimal amount of Carbohydrates.
This diet has proven to work very well with dogs giving them a leaner, more muscular body, and making them less obese. However, it is still a new thing in India and a lot of people end up following the wrong method. It is a nutritious palette for your dog if the food is properly cleaned and well prepared. In most cases, dog parents do not clean the meat properly and then blame it on the diet.
Dry Dog Food
Dry dog food is the majorly bought dog food. It took hype especially after the Pedigree dog food ad with Golden Retriever, and ever since people have started believing in fancy dry dog food.
Kibbles, treats and chew stick generally fall into this category.
Mainly made of dry food products, it contains only 6 to 10% of moisture and works wonders for dogs who have pathetic table manners.
“I totally think I should move on to dry food for Scooby again because he is a mess every time he sits to eat. ZERO ETIQUETTES!”
Wet Dog Food
Wet dog food is not widely recognized as a type, especially in India. Though in Europe, wet dog food was a boom when it started in the 1900s because there was no expiry date for this one.
A complete opposite of what dry dog food looks like, this one has gravy for your baby containing a 60-70% of moisture.
Low on wastage, and easy to mix with homemade dog food, people preferred wet dog food before Pedigree happened.
It is trying to make its comeback in India with different variations and flavor and slowly becoming a trend again. Some dog parents also prefer dry dog food mixed with their dog’s favorite wet dog food flavor.
Grain Free Dog Food
Dogs can eat and digest anything but that however, does not mean table scraps are for him. Packaged grain dog food was introduced during WWII and it was mostly made out of table scraps, corn, rice and other leftovers to reduce the cost – that was the need of the hour.
Sellers are still trying to slip in such materials in dog food. And we understand that dogs can digest anything but that does not mean it is good for the pooch. Recent studies should the ill-effects of such recipes and with it emerged grain free dog food.
Grain free dog food, as the name suggests, does not include grains in the recipe and is made out of fresh fruits and veggies. It can either be wet or dry but this one is made especially for a dog’s digestive system.
Puppies who are fed grain free dog food are less prone to stomach upset and allergies.
Choosing The Best Dog Food In India – Five Golden Rules
Fraud forms a sub-niche of any industry, and the same goes for the pet industry too. Since people are adopting dogs every day, the demand for dog food is increasing and with it is increasing trickster who are ready to loot you.
Dog food price can go from a Rs. 100 a kilo to Rs. 2000 a kilo but how do your which is the best dog food for your pooch? There is way of understand whether or not a bag full of kibbles is authentic and fit for your dog.
Understanding the label is a key deciding factor. Every dog food brand will propagate its product and try to pitch a sale but there are five hacks you need to look out for to know you are heading the right way.
- The First Fives
Dog food brands put the quantity of ingredients from high to low, and the first five components comprise of the 65-70% of your dog’s diet. It becomes the ruling point to figure out if the product is paw-up or not!
A poor dog formula generally does not give a clear list of ingredients and will mostly contain of by-products and adulterants.
- Everything Meaty
A good formula will always give out the different kinds of meat used. Check for the percentage of the meat that should not contain less than 22% of proteins.
The product should have at least of 30% of dehydrated meat or 50-80% of fresh meat. This is the only form of protein that is entering your pooch’s body.
Do not buy dog food that suggest meat by-products – that’s a clear doubt!
If your dog is high-performance breed that does activity for more than 2 hours a day, he requires high protein dog food.
- Beware Of Toxic Elements
Every dog food requires a bit of preservatives to elongate the shelf life. Natural preservatives generally include herbs like rosemary, green tea, and Vitamin E.
However, some companies try to use toxic preservatives to reduce the cost of production and increase shelf life.
Dog parents hardly understand and end up trading their dog’s health for a cheap dog food.
- Look For The Grains
Grains are not good for your dog’s tummy. Though, it is necessary to add a little amount of carbohydrates in the ingredients but a lot of dog food brands put grains in name of carbohydrates – again, to reduce the cost.
Look out for healthy sources of carbs like apple, sweet potato and beetroot instead.
Grains can make your dog sluggish, and lethargic and may lead to gut syndrome.
- Eye For Hidden Ingredients
People are foolish. You serve them the simplest of recipe with a fancy name and they are ready to eat it. The same happens when you go to buy dog food. They serve you filth and gyp dressed in scientific names.
A dog food brand with a bad formula will always try to hide its products by giving scientific names.
Break the science!
Generally, they play around with names of Sugar and Salt. Sugar becomes “malt”, “syrup”, “starch” or anything that ends with “ose” – glucose, fructose, lactose. Salt on the other hand becomes “ate” – sodium nitrate, bicarbonate.
So, Dexter! Now you are a scientist. Go grab your fido’s food bag and look for the composition label.
What To Avoid?
- Avoid giving spicy and flavored dog food.
- Do not buy dog food brands that contain corn, meat by-products, meal, food dyes, or rendered fat.
- Try avoiding B.A.R.F. diet in India because most of the places serve unhealthy meat and B.AR.F. diet demands absolutely clean meat. You do not want to trade your pooch’s life for a chicken!
- Either choose a popular dog food (not Pedigree dog food, please) or talk to people who have experience in this.
Best Dog Food In India 2020
Commercial dog food started in India as a response to a growing number of non-native dog adoption. All the Great Danes, Golden Retrievers and Labradors have a sensitive stomach and need a properly curated formula. Indian dog breeds on the other hand are happiest when served homemade dog food.
Feeding a dog depends not only on the exercise and energy needs of your dog but also on certain external factors like the geography, topography, and lifestyle of the dog.
Keeping the Indian context in mind, we have curated a list of the best dog food in India along with a proper review and guide.
Homemade Dog Food With Royal Canine – Highly Recommended
Homemade with Royal Canin dog food – the only pair that goes better than Walter White and Jesse Pinkman.
The portion size for an adult dog would be 50% of each homemade dog food and Royal Canin dog food. Dog food for a puppy would size down to 75% of Royal Canin and 25% of homemade dog food.
Why choose this dog food?
- This pair works the best owing to the geographical factors, is cost-effective.
- Cost-effective
- Better digestion
- Helps your non-native dog adapt better.
- Need no supplements
Keep changing the portion size according to the size, weight, and needs of your dog.
Royal Canin – Recommended
Royal Canin dog food has been the dog food of India. Most of the breeders, vets and dog show circuits in India have given positive reviews about Royal Canin dog food.
Both Scooby and Elsa were fed Royal Canin and the results have been wonderful. Plus, they wait for a Royal K9 dinner. It is hardly so that it has shown any mixed results for my kids.
The best part about this dog food brand is that is caters to individual dogs needs and have a wide range of varieties for every size, breed, and types.
Royal Canin makes use of highly dehydrated poultry protein which comprises of 22% of the dog food, maize and maize flour and with it a perfect combination of 17% fats and 5.5% fiber.
Why choose Royal Canin dog food?
- No major recalls.
- One of the most trusted brands of breeders.
- A wide range of products that cater to the needs of every dog type.
- It does not burn a hole in the pocket.
A few people have often complained about packaging but it may be mostly because of the handling.
Farmina N&D Dog Food – Recommended
Farmina N&D Dog Food is an Italian brand catering to almost every requirement that your pooch’s body needs. It has by far been the best dog food in India with a proper breakdown of the composition label. Known majorly for its grain-free products, it contains Herring and Aloe Vera that is a high resource of Omega-3 and other essential anti-oxidants.
If you have a high-working dog, N&D dog food would be the best that you can provide him since it contains 36% protein which the highest among all available dog food. It has never had been recalled and has always received positive reviews from its buyers.
Why choose Farmina Dog Food?
- It contains 36% proteins, 22% fats, and 2.3% fiber – a well-blended formula.
- It has a huge range of grain-free, low-grain range.
- There are many reasons why Gluten can be harmful to dogs. Farmina dog food is proven to be Gluten and GMO-free.
- Gives a tough competition to Royal Canin dog food.
- Contains dehydrated chicken with sweet potatoes, herring, and other essential nutrients.
Canine Creek Dog Food – Recommended
The first Indian dog food brand that provides a clear list of its products, thank god! We can now proudly say that we are moving from trickery to sensibility. A new entrant in the pet industry it offers grain-free dog food that resembles the quality of grain-zero.
Canine Creek dog food delivers high-quality food for puppies and adult dogs with 48% real free-range chicken with fruit-based anti-oxidants.
Why choose Canine Creek Dog Food?
- It has a proper blend of well-chosen ingredients in optimal balance.
- Not very expensive or competitive.
- Excellent packing with an option to reuse.
- Price is not all that competitive and you get buy one get one offer for Grain Zero in the same dog food price.
The only drawback that stands on the way is that it is still a budding dog food brand and remains unproven in the market.
Drools Focus – Okay!
Drools Focus is a premium dog food brand that include chicken and dried egg as their two major ingredients. However, the claim of fresh meat doesn’t stand to the idea of it. Although the site of Drools Focus dog food says “No wheat, corn or soya, no chicken by-products or artificial flavors”, it does not provide a clear composition label.
We urge pet parents to depend on consumer review before buying dog food brands that do not provide a transparent list of ingredients. Drools Focus has received positive reviews but we recommend you try feeding your dog for a week and closely monitor his behavior.
Why choose Drools Focus dog food?
- Inexpensive.
- People are accepting it steadily.
However, Drools Focus dog food does not give a clear picture of its ingredients and is yet to be widely accepted.
Acana Dog Food – Recommended
Acana is a sister dog food brand of Orijen and is widely recommended for family dogs who do not work out for more than 2 hours a day. The product has 50-60% of meat curating different recipes for different dog sizes.
A premium dog food with all the ingredients at place, Arcana dog food has 29% of proteins along with quintessential vitamins, minerals and fresh vegetables.
Why choose Acana Dog Food?
- Premium ingredients.
- On point with its proteins.
- No artificial add ons.
- Offers multiple options for both puppy and adult dogs.
Taste Of Wild Grain Free Dog Food – Recommended
The best dog food available worldwide, it includes top ingredients and is known for its wonderful quality. However, it may not be as good in the Indian context of dog food.
It is imported dog food and, in the process, the freshness and the shelf life degrade. Since the amount spent on importing it is more, the consumer price also increases making it one of the most expensive dog foods in India. However, if you can afford it, then nothing like Taste of Wild Grain.
Taste of Wild is the only brand that provide high quality grain-free dog food made of duck meat that is very nutritious for dogs. It is also known to include fish meat and other essential fish oil required for a healthy dog.
Why choose Taste of Wild Grain?
It has the perfect list and quantity of ingredients.
Loved across the globe with zero recalls.
However, since it is not locally produced, it may not be easily available thereby increasing the consumer cost.
Pedigree Dog Food – Not Recommended
That may come as a shock to many people since Pedigree has remained people’s favorite for a very long time India. Pedigree dog food gained hype in India after its absolutely adorable ad with Golden Retriever. However, it does not commit to it quality.
Pedigree’s quality has gone down since they have started adding adulterants to lower the production cost. Their ingredients comprise of meat and meat by products, corn and gluten. They do not provide a clear composition label too apart from an image showing 10% fat, 22% proteins and 5.5% fiber.
Do not feed your puppy a dog food that does not give you a proper idea of its ingredients.
Why not choose Pedigree dog food?
- Low consumer review
- Unclear ingredients
Choosing low-cost Pedigree products may not be good idea. Try going for some of their “pro” product.
Grain Zero – Okay!
A recent launched product, there isn’t any proper review for this one. Though the very few who have used it have given positive reviews, we are still a little confused about the quality.
It is not a premium brand and we have to completely rely on user opinion for this one. Do not start feeding this to your puppy out of nowhere. You can try including it in his diet and closely monitoring his behavior for a week before making is a regular dog food.
Why choose Grain Zero dog food?
- Inexpensive.
- There weren’t any unacceptable ingredients.
- Vacuum packed.
- Positive review from people who have used it.
However, it is a new product in the market without any proper information of its quality. Maybe it is worth a try; Maybe not!
Purina Dog Food – Not Recommended
We would not recommend Purina Dog Food precisely because it does not have a proper listing of ingredients and compositions. Though the package says that the ingredients are best for a smooth coat, proper brain development and better immunity but we are still skeptical about its authenticity.
While everything is okay about this dog food, they still do not provide a proper composition label and that is when the doubt steps in.
Why not to choose Purina dog food?
- No ingredient analysis.
- No proper customer reviews.
Although it is inexpensive, you don’t really want to risk your buddy’s health.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best dog food in the Indian context is a good bowl of homemade dog food with alternate meals of Royal Canin. Nothing can surpass the benefits of this combination. It is not only proven to suit dogs in India but is loved by them too. The portion for an adult dog would be 50% Royal Canin dog food and 50% homemade dog food whereas for the puppy it would be 75% Royal Canin and 25% homemade dog food
Royal Canin is the most preferred, best dog food in India. Most of the vets, breeders, and dog show circuits have given positive reviews about Royal Canin dog food. It contains a perfect blend of all the essential compositions along with a dehydrated poultry protein of 22%. It can also be mixed with homemade dog food to increase the nutrient intake according to your dog’s requirements.
The top five healthiest dog food for the Indian geography would be Royal Canin, Farmina N&D Grain-Free, Taste of Wild Grain-Free, Canine Creek, Acana from most recommended to least.
Vets generally recommend Royal Canin dog food with homemade supplements, Royal Canin, Farmina N&D Dog Food, or Canine Creek dog food for the geography, topography, and lifestyle in India.
A lot of prescription diets and science diet canned foods have been recalled due to the over-presence of Vitamin D. Too much of Vitamin D has led to dogs becoming sick and sometimes leading to death. Check out for the Vitamin content in the composition label before buying any dog food in India.
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