Commercial Dog Food: "Recommended" Products

As you may know, I'm certified in canine nutrition and completely obsessed with the subject. Because this is common knowledge among those who know me, friends and clients often ask me which commercial pet foods I would recommend. The truth is, if I had it my way, every single dog in the world would be consuming a fresh food diet; either cooked or raw. Alas, I know this simply isn't possible for everybody. Not yet, anyway. So now I'm writing this all down once and for all.

If you're feeding commercial food, please consider canned food, or at least some portion of canned. Your dog's intestines and kidneys need the moisture, and generally, they contain higher quality, more bioavailable proteins than dry food. Canned food is a bit more expensive than kibble, so if you have a large dog, you'll likely prefer a combination. But do whatever you can to provide moist food.

My recommended canned foods are:

Go! by Petcurean 

Organix by Castor and Pollux 

Shredded and Gold Recipies by Fromm

My recommended dry foods are:

Holisic Blend by Holistic Blend

Carna4 by Carna4

Go! by Petcurean

Orijen and Acanca by Champion Pet Foods

And that's really it folks. Please keep in mind I'm not saying each of these foods is suitable for every single dog. They're each different, just like each dog is unique. You'll need to figure out which one or combination works for you. (Don't be shy to ask for 'sample' or 'trial' packs at your friendly, local pet store.) Remember, unless you know your dog to have an "iron gut," transition very slowly when switching food.

I chose the above products based on quality and where they're made, also because they're readily available in Toronto. Specifically, you can find these in our neighbourhood at Helmutt's Pet Supply, Timmie Dog Outfitters and The Dog Bowl.

I should also mention these shops do offer ready-made raw diets such as Tollden Farms.

I hope you find this information helpful.

My real, true recommendation is real, fresh food. If you're ready to switch to a home-prepared diet, I would love to help!