What’s in the Bowl? A Dog Owner’s Guide to Choosing the Right Food

What’s the Most Important Thing to Look for When Trying to Find a Food for Your Dog?

Feeding your dog the right food can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. The most important thing is making sure your dog is getting a balanced diet with the right amount of protein and nutrients. Here’s what you should know:

Protein Matters—But Not Too Much

According to the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials), adult dogs should have at least 18% protein in their diet. Puppies and pregnant or nursing dogs need more—at least 22.5%. That said, more isn’t always better. AAFCO recommends staying at or below 30% protein for healthy adult dogs.

Senior dogs often benefit from higher protein levels, 28% to 30% to help maintain muscle mass, but if they have kidney issues, your vet may recommend keeping protein closer to 12–14%. It’s always best to consult your vet before switching foods, especially for older dogs or those with health conditions.

Summary of recommended protein in dog food:

• Puppy at least 22.5% protein

• Pregnant or nursing at least 22.5%

• Adult at least 18% protein 

• Senior 28-30% 

• Maximum recommendation for all life stages is 30%

• Seniors with kidney issues or at risk should be lower, 12–14% (talk to your vet about your senior dietary needs)

Dog Size	Weight	Puppy Stage Estimates	Senior Life Stage Start Estimate
Small	Up to 25 lbs	Up to 9 months	9-11 years
Medium	25-60 lbs	Up to 12 months	8-9 years
Large	60-90 lbs	Up to 18 months	8 years
Giant	90+ lbs	Up to 24 months	6-8 years

The above are all general estimates, each breed and dog are different. Consult with your veterinarian

Know Your Protein Sources

Protein comes from a variety of sources—meat, meat byproducts, and plants such as, wheat gluten, corn gluten meal, and soy protein. While animal-based proteins are rich in essential amino acids, plant-based proteins can also be effective when properly supplemented (for example, with taurine and essential amino acid) which any approved AAFCO food should be. 

One study compared dogs fed deboned chicken, chicken byproduct, wheat gluten, and corn gluten meals, and all diets supported balanced health based on blood work and fecal analysis (Sieja, Kelly M et al., 2023). Even soy protein has been shown to be a solid option and has a nutrient digestibility comparable to poultry meal, often demonstrating no significant differences between these protein sources (Kim, Hee S et al., 2023).

Quality of Animal Protein

When looking at dog food ingredients it can be quite daunting and confusing. A simple sign of low quality dog food to look out for is when the protein source is generic and not animal specific.

• Low quality: Animal Fat, Meat and Bone meal, Beef and Bone meal, and Animal Digest.

• High quality: Beef fat, Fish Meal, Chicken by-product Meal, and Poultry and Pork Digest.

Fresh vs. Kibble—What’s Better?

There’s a lot of debate around raw (fresh) food versus quality kibble, but research shows both can provide a healthy diet. In a study comparing premium kibble and pre-made raw diets, dogs on raw food had slightly better coat health and firmer stool but blood values were similar overall—within healthy ranges for both fresh and quality kibble diets.

If raw (fresh) isn’t in your budget or lifestyle, don’t worry. A high-quality kibble that meets AAFCO guidelines is a perfectly good choice.

Please remember, any meat, fish, or egg products you give your dog should be cooked as recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association. 

Wet Food vs. Dry Food

Another common question is whether to feed wet or dry food. Both can be part of a healthy diet, but they differ in some important ways. Dry kibble may help reduce plaque buildup and support dental health, simply because the chewing action helps scrape the teeth.

Wet food, on the other hand, tends to be more palatable and easier to eat—especially for older dogs or picky eaters—but comes with a higher moisture content (typically 75–78%), compared to 10–12% for kibble. That means you need to feed three to four times more wet food to match the calories in dry food. For example, a dry food may offer 4,004 kcal/kg, while the canned version could be around 1,143 kcal/kg.

A single cup of kibble might be equal to more than a full can of wet food. Make sure you’re feeding the right amount, not just matching volume.

That’s why a single cup of kibble might be nutritionally equivalent to more than a full can of wet food—sometimes even up to four 13-ounce cans depending on the brand. If you switch between food types, make sure you’re feeding the right amount, not just matching volume.

Balanced is Best

Whether you're feeding kibble, wet, raw, or cooking meals yourself, the key is balance. Homemade diets can be tricky because it’s harder to ensure your dog gets all essential vitamins and minerals. If you go this route, work closely with your veterinarian to make sure your dog’s nutritional needs are met.

Cited Sources:

Sieja, Kelly M et al. “Evaluation of high-protein diets differing in protein source in healthy adult dogs.” Journal of animal science vol. 101 (2023): skad057. doi:10.1093/jas/skad057

Hiney, Kristina et al. “Clinical health markers in dogs fed raw meat-based or commercial extruded kibble diets.” Journal of animal science vol. 99,6 (2021): skab133. doi:10.1093/jas/skab133

Kim, Hee S et al. “Evaluation of Soybean Ingredients in Pet Foods Applications: Systematic Review.” Animals : an open access journal from MDPI vol. 14,1 16. 19 Dec. 2023, doi:10.3390/ani14010016