Every dog owner wants the very best for his or her pup. But as a consumer, it’s hard to know exactly what’s best—and that’s where Dr. Andrea Johnson of Minnetonka’s Gehrman Animal Hospital comes in. Here are her food recommendations for dogs of all breeds.
For the pups:
The food choice depends on the size of the dog, but Purina Pro Plan is a good product for a young healthy dog, as is anything labeled “for all life stages.”
For canine athletes:
“I’ve had a lot of success with Natural Balance,” says Johnson. “It’s especially good for dogs that have skin allergies—if the dog has ear infections or skin problems, there’s a good chance that it will have a difficulty with food allergies. Chicken and beef are usually the culprits.”
New tricks for old dogs:
“It depends on each individual dog—an aging dog food may be different for a dog with arthritis,” Johnson says. Consult with your vet for tailored-to-your-dog recommendations.
What to avoid:
Johnson says to stay away from anything that has a byproduct as the first listing. “Some over the counter products can have a lot of fillers, like cornmeal,” she says. She also doesn’t recommend the raw food diet for pups, because it can be a public health risk for salmonella.
FOR MORE INFO
Gehrman Animal Hospital
12800 Wayzata Blvd., Minnetonka
952.545.9161
