Dog Food & Nutrition Hub: A Practical UK Guide for Dog Owners

Choosing what to feed your dog should not require you to become a nutritionist.

For most healthy dogs, I would start with an appropriate complete food designed for the dog’s life stage, feed an amount that maintains a healthy body condition, account for treats and other extras, and monitor the dog in front of you.

The difficult part is often getting past the marketing.

Dry, wet, fresh, raw and homemade diets all attract strong opinions. Packets use words such as premium, natural, grain-free, high-meat and human-grade. Social media can make it sound as though there is one correct way to feed every dog.

There isn’t.

This hub brings my dog food and nutrition guides together so that you can start with the question that actually matters to your dog.

I am a professional dog walker and pet sitter, not a vet or veterinary nutritionist. I follow owners’ feeding instructions, maintain familiar routines and notice changes in appetite, weight, stools or behaviour that may be worth mentioning.

If your dog is unwell, growing abnormally, losing or gaining weight unexpectedly, pregnant, receiving a veterinary diet, taking medication or living with a medical condition, their veterinary team should guide their individual diet.

Summary

• Start by checking whether your dog’s main food is complete and appropriate for their life stage.
• Wet, dry, fresh and commercially prepared raw foods can all differ considerably. The format alone does not tell you whether a diet is suitable.
• The feeding guide on a packet is a starting point, not an exact prescription for every dog.
• Weigh food where practical and monitor your dog’s weight and body condition.
• Treats, chews, training food, scraps and food used for enrichment all count towards the overall intake.
• Change food gradually unless your veterinary team tells you otherwise.
• Puppies need nutrition designed for growth. Their needs are different from those of adult dogs.
• Homemade food can be nutritionally unbalanced even when every individual ingredient looks healthy.
• Food allergies and intolerances exist, but itching, ear trouble, vomiting and diarrhoea have many other possible causes.
• Some human foods are safe in small amounts, while others can be poisonous.
• A sudden or persistent change in appetite, weight, thirst, digestion or behaviour deserves attention rather than repeated food changes.

The British Veterinary Association recommends choosing a complete food appropriate to the dog and life stage, feeding an appropriate amount and making significant dietary changes gradually.

Start with the feeding question you need answered

You do not need to read this entire hub before feeding your dog.

Choose the question that matches what you need today.

Choosing dog food

What Does Complete Dog Food Mean?
Wet, Dry, Fresh or Raw Dog Food?
How to Read a Dog Food Label in the UK

Portions, weight and treats

How Much Should Your Dog Eat?
Healthy Weight and Body Condition in Dogs
Dog Treats: How to Choose the Right Treats
How to Train a Dog With Treats

Puppies and changing food

Puppy Feeding Guide: What, How Much and How Often?
How Do I Change My Dog’s Food?
Human food and everyday extras

Can Dogs Eat Human Food?
Can Dogs Eat Fruit?
Dog-Friendly Vegetables

Health and food safety

Dog Food Allergies and Intolerances
Toxic Foods for Dogs

If you simply want to know where to begin, keep reading.

What should I feed my dog?

For most healthy dogs, I would start with a food that is:

• labelled complete
• intended for dogs
• appropriate for their life stage
• practical for you to buy, store and feed correctly
• tolerated well by the individual dog
• fed in an amount that maintains an appropriate body condition.

In the UK, a pet-food label should state whether a product is complete or complementary, which species it is intended for and provide feeding directions. (UK Pet Food)

A food does not automatically become more nutritious because the packet is more expensive, contains attractive photographs or uses words such as premium or natural. BVA similarly advises owners to look first at nutritional completeness, suitability and the individual dog rather than assuming higher price means better nutrition.

For the detailed explanation, read What Does Complete Dog Food Mean?

What does complete dog food actually mean?

A complete food is intended to provide the nutrients the animal needs when fed according to the directions.

Complementary food is different. Treats, chews, mixers, some toppers and some other products are designed to form only part of the diet rather than provide everything a dog needs on their own. UK Pet Food describes complete and complementary food as distinct nutritional categories that should be identified on the label. (UK Pet Food)

That does not mean every complete food suits every dog.

You still need to consider:

• puppy, adult or other life stage
• size and expected adult size where relevant
• body condition
• activity
• appetite and digestion
• diagnosed health conditions
• allergies or other veterinary dietary requirements.

The word complete is an important starting point. It is not a substitute for looking at the individual dog.

How do I read a dog-food label without getting overwhelmed?

Start with the useful information rather than the advertising on the front.

I would check:

1. Is it complete or complementary?
2. Is it made for dogs?
3. Which life stage is it intended for?
4. What does the feeding guide say?
5. What is listed under composition?
6. What do the analytical constituents show?
7. Who manufactures it?
8. How is my individual dog actually doing on it?

UK pet-food labels include required information such as product type, species, feeding directions and analytical constituents. Ingredients may be listed individually or through legally permitted category descriptions.

An ingredients list is useful, but I wouldn’t judge an entire food based on the first ingredient alone. WSAVA specifically advises looking beyond marketing claims and ingredient lists and considering factors such as nutritional expertise, quality control and manufacturer information.

For a proper packet-by-packet walkthrough, read How to Read a Dog Food Label in the UK.

Is wet, dry, fresh or raw dog food better?

No single food format is automatically right for every dog.

A suitable dry food can provide a complete diet.

So can a suitable wet food.

Commercially prepared fresh food can also be complete.

Commercial raw food can be labelled complete, although uncooked animal products introduce additional hygiene considerations.

The useful question is therefore not simply:

“Is wet better than dry?”

It is:

“Is this particular food nutritionally appropriate, safe to handle, practical for this household and suitable for this dog?”

Read Wet, Dry, Fresh or Raw Dog Food for the detailed comparison.

BVA advises that uncooked animal products carry an increased risk of bacterial contamination and recommends owners considering raw diets pay particular attention to hygiene, completeness and veterinary advice.

What about homemade dog food?

Home cooking and nutritional completeness are not the same thing.

A bowl containing chicken, rice, vegetables, eggs and oil may look varied and wholesome, but appearance cannot tell you whether it provides calcium, minerals, vitamins, essential fats and other nutrients in the correct amounts and proportions over the long term.

If a homemade diet will become your dog’s main food, involve your veterinary team and use a properly formulated recipe from an appropriately qualified veterinary nutrition professional.

BVA notes that achieving the correct nutrient balance in homemade diets can be difficult and advises using recipes developed by appropriately qualified veterinary nutrition specialists rather than relying on generic recipes online.

Read my guide on Homemade dog food

How much should I feed my dog?

The manufacturer’s feeding guide is a starting point.

It cannot know exactly how much your individual dog needs.

Food requirements vary with factors such as:

• the calorie density of the food
• ideal body weight
• age
• growth
• body condition
• muscle condition
• activity
• neuter status
• health
• treats and chews
• food used during training.

Where practical, I prefer weighing a portion in grams rather than relying on a vague scoop or handful.

PDSA similarly recommends using packet guidance as a starting point and weighing portions accurately, while adjusting according to the dog’s target weight and individual needs.

Read How Much Should Your Dog Eat?

And use Healthy Weight and Body Condition in Dogs alongside it.

Why does body condition matter as well as weight?

A number on the scales does not tell the whole story.

Two dogs of the same weight can have very different frames, muscle mass and body-fat levels.

For many healthy adult dogs, you should normally be able to feel the ribs without pressing through a heavy layer of fat, see a waist from above, and see the abdomen tuck upward from the side. Breed and individual differences still matter.

This is especially important in older dogs, when muscle loss and excess body fat can occur at the same time.

My Healthy Weight and Body Condition in Dogs guide explains how body condition scoring fits alongside weight.

If your dog gains or loses weight unexpectedly, speak to your veterinary practice rather than repeatedly changing the portion.

Do treats really make much difference?

They can.

It is easy for nobody in a household to feel they are feeding very much while the dog receives:

• breakfast
• training food
• a chew
• treats on a walk
• food inside a toy
• something from another family member
• a few pieces from dinner
• the normal evening meal.

Those extras still count.

A commonly used veterinary guideline is to keep treats and other extras to around 10% or less of the dog’s daily calories, with the majority coming from an appropriate complete diet.

One practical option is to set aside part of the dog’s measured daily food for straightforward training or enrichment.

Read Dog Treats: How to Choose the Right Treats for Your Dog.

For using food during training, see How to Train a Dog With Treats.

Can I use my dog’s normal food for training?

Yes, if your dog values it sufficiently for the situation.

For easy exercises at home, part of breakfast or dinner may be perfectly useful.

Outdoors, around distractions, or during more difficult training, your dog may need something they value more.

That does not mean the reward has to be large.

When I use food on one-to-one walks, I generally want individual rewards to be small enough that the dog can eat them quickly and keep going.

Food isn’t the only reward, either. Depending on the dog and situation, sniffing, play, movement, or access to something they enjoy can also reinforce behaviour.

My Training Rewards Guide covers this in detail.

What should I feed a puppy?

A growing puppy needs a complete diet formulated for growth and appropriate to their size and developmental stage.

When a puppy first arrives home, I would normally keep their familiar food and feeding routine initially rather than changing everything at once without good reason.

PDSA similarly recommends continuing the food the puppy already knows while they settle and making any later change gradually.

Large and giant-breed puppies deserve particular care because their energy and mineral intake needs to support controlled skeletal growth.

Do not automatically add calcium, vitamins or other supplements to an appropriate complete puppy food unless your veterinary professional has recommended them.

Read the full Puppy Feeding Guide.

For everything beyond food, including settling, toilet routines and the first days at home, see Bringing a Puppy Home.

Do older dogs automatically need senior food?

Not simply because they reach a particular birthday.

Ageing changes nutritional needs differently in different dogs.

I would pay attention to:

• body weight
• body condition
• muscle condition
• mobility
• teeth and chewing
• appetite
• digestion
• activity
• medication
• diagnosed health conditions.

An older dog losing muscle and weight needs a different conversation from an older dog gradually gaining excess fat.

A sudden appetite change, weight loss, increased thirst, difficulty chewing or other new change deserves veterinary attention rather than automatically buying a packet marked “senior”. PDSA also advises monitoring older pets’ food and water intake closely because changes can accompany dental problems, pain and illness.

For the wider ageing picture, read 5 Things Your Old Dog Would Like You to Understand.

How should I change my dog’s food?

Unless your vet has told you to make an immediate change, I would usually introduce a new food gradually.

For many dogs, roughly 7 to 14 days is a sensible starting range, although some dogs will need longer.

Introduce a small amount of the new diet, then progressively increase it while reducing the old food.

PDSA currently advises changing food gradually over approximately two weeks to reduce the likelihood of digestive upset or food refusal.

If your dog develops repeated vomiting, substantial diarrhoea, pain, lethargy, blood in their stool, marked food refusal or another worrying sign, do not simply keep adjusting the percentages.

Contact your veterinary practice.

Read How Do I Change My Dog’s Food?

Should I keep changing my dog’s food for variety?

Not necessarily.

Dogs don’t need a constantly changing menu just because humans enjoy variety.

If your dog is eating an appropriate complete food, maintaining a healthy body condition, digesting it normally and remaining well, there may be no nutritional reason to repeatedly change brands or flavours.

Constant switching can also make it harder to work out what caused a digestive reaction.

Variety in a dog’s life can come from much more than their food, including sniffing, walks, training, play, rest and appropriate enrichment.

Can dogs eat human food?

Some human foods can be offered to many healthy dogs in small amounts.

That does not make every meal on your plate suitable for them.

The distinction I would make is between:

• safe in a small amount
• nutritionally useful
• appropriate for the individual dog
• complete enough to become their main diet.

Those are very different things.

Plain pieces of cooked meat, fruit, or vegetables can sometimes make suitable occasional treats.

The same ingredients covered in salt, butter, gravy, spices or sauces may be a different matter.

Read Can Dogs Eat Human Food?

You can then use the more specific guides:

Dog-Friendly Vegetables

Can Dogs Eat Fruit?

The vegetables page itself should remain on our nutrition maintenance list. The indexed version still contains several old nutritional claims and would benefit from the same evidence-led treatment we have given the newer cluster pages.

Which foods are dangerous for dogs?

Some familiar foods can cause serious poisoning.

Important examples include:

• chocolate
• grapes
• raisins
• sultanas
• currants
• onions
• garlic
• leeks
• chives
• xylitol
• alcohol
• caffeine
• macadamia nuts
• mouldy food.

This is not a complete list.

If your dog has eaten something potentially toxic, do not wait for symptoms before seeking advice.

Do not make your dog vomit or give salt water unless a veterinary professional has specifically instructed you to do so.

Keep the packaging or ingredient list where possible and be ready to explain what was eaten, roughly how much, when it happened and your dog’s approximate weight.

Animal PoisonLine specifically advises owners not to induce vomiting themselves and identifies foods including grapes and dried vine fruits, xylitol, alcohol, macadamia nuts and mouldy food as potential poisoning hazards.

Read Toxic Foods for Dogs.

Also see my Dog Health and First Aid Hub.

Is my dog allergic to their food?

Possibly, but food is only one potential explanation for symptoms such as itching, recurrent ear problems, vomiting or diarrhoea.

Repeatedly changing proteins and brands without a plan can make the picture more confusing.

Where your vet suspects an adverse food reaction, they may recommend a controlled elimination diet. Follow it carefully, because treats, chews, flavoured products, and scraps can interfere with the trial.

“Sensitive stomach” is also a description rather than a diagnosis.

Persistent digestive problems, skin problems or unexplained weight loss deserve proper veterinary investigation.

Read Dog Food Allergies and Intolerances: Signs, Food Trials and What to Feed.

Are grain-free foods healthier?

Not automatically.

Grain-free describes the formulation. It doesn’t prove the food is nutritionally superior.

BVA advises that most dogs can digest cooked grains and recommends speaking to your veterinary team when you suspect a genuine intolerance rather than removing ingredients because they are currently unfashionable.

I would apply the same basic questions:

Is it complete?

Is it appropriate for this dog?

Why am I choosing it?

How is the dog actually doing on it?

Can food be used for enrichment?

Yes.

You can often use part of your dog’s measured food allowance for safe enrichment instead of simply adding extra calories.

Ideas can include:

• scatter feeding
• a snuffle mat
• a lick mat
• a suitable food toy
• a simple search game
• a slow feeder
• an easy puzzle.

But a food puzzle is not automatically better than a bowl.

Some dogs become frustrated. Others guard food toys. A senior dog may find a particular feeder physically awkward. A nervous dog may prefer a simple familiar meal.

Start easy and watch the individual dog.

Read Ditch the Bowl at Mealtimes.

For the wider subject, see Dog Enrichment Ideas That Actually Help Calm and Tire Your Dog.

How I manage food when I am caring for your dog

When I walk or house-sit somebody else’s dog, my job isn’t to redesign their diet.

I follow the feeding and treat routine agreed with the owner.

That may include:

• feeding at familiar times
• weighing an agreed quantity
• using owner-approved treats
• using part of the normal food allowance for training
• keeping pets separate at mealtimes
• following written storage instructions
• giving agreed medication where appropriate
• observing appetite and stools
• letting the owner know when something appears different.

I do not introduce a new food, supplement or treat simply because I prefer it.

That matters particularly during house sitting.

An owner being away is not the ideal time to make an unnecessary dietary experiment. Familiar food, familiar timings and clear written instructions remove one source of change.

My Finchley Dog Walker Welcome Pack asks owners to provide feeding quantities, food location, recent changes, allergies, intolerances and any foods that must not be given.

If you are preparing to go away, also read Leaving Your Dog with a Pet Sitter for the First Time.

And if staying at home suits your pet better than boarding, see House Sitting in Finchley

When should food concerns become a veterinary question?

I would contact your veterinary practice if your dog:

• unexpectedly gains or loses weight
• stops eating or has a significant appetite change
• becomes unusually hungry
• repeatedly vomits
• develops persistent or significant diarrhoea
• has blood in vomit or stools
• struggles to chew or swallow
• seems painful around food
• drinks or urinates substantially more than normal
• is not growing as expected
• loses noticeable muscle
• may have eaten something toxic
• needs a therapeutic diet
• has a health condition that may be affected by diet.

A food packet cannot diagnose illness.

Neither can an online nutrition article.

If a change is sudden, persistent or worrying, get the individual dog assessed.

My simple dog-feeding checklist

When you are trying to make a sensible everyday feeding decision, I would ask:

1. Is the main food complete?
2. Is it designed for dogs and the appropriate life stage?
3. Am I feeding a measured amount rather than guessing?
4. Does that amount include treats and other extras?
5. Is my dog maintaining an appropriate body condition?
6. Is their appetite and digestion normal for them?
7. Am I changing food gradually?
8. Is there a genuine reason for any supplement or topper?
9. Does the feeding method suit the individual dog?
10. Is there a health change that needs my vet rather than another food change?

That will usually tell you more than whichever feeding trend happens to be popular online this week.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best dog food?

No single product is right for every dog.

For most healthy dogs, I would start with an appropriate complete food for their life stage, feed the right amount and monitor how the individual dog does on it.

Is dry food worse than wet food?

No.

Both formats can provide an appropriate complete diet.

Water content, calorie density, storage, texture, cost and the individual dog’s needs differ, so compare the actual foods rather than assuming the format determines quality.

Does expensive dog food mean better dog food?

Not necessarily.

Price and attractive packaging do not prove nutritional superiority. BVA similarly notes that a more expensive food is not automatically better provided the products being compared are nutritionally complete.

Can dogs have fruit and vegetables?

Many healthy dogs can have small quantities of suitable fruit and vegetables as treats.

They are still extras and should not displace the dog’s complete main diet.

Some fruits and vegetables are unsafe, so check before sharing unfamiliar food.

Can I cook all my dog’s meals myself?

You can feed a properly formulated homemade diet, but creating a nutritionally complete long-term diet is more complicated than assembling safe ingredients.

If homemade food will be the main diet, seek guidance from a qualified veterinary nutritionist.

Do I need to add supplements to complete dog food?

Usually not without a particular reason.

Adding nutrients to an already complete diet does not automatically make it healthier and can sometimes create an inappropriate nutritional balance.

Ask your veterinary team before supplementing a puppy, a dog with a medical condition or any dog where you intend to give a nutrient regularly.

Should I change my dog’s food if they are itching?

Not automatically.

Skin and ear problems have many possible causes.

Speak to your vet before repeatedly removing ingredients or switching proteins, particularly if a controlled food trial may be required.

Can I use my dog’s dinner for training?

Yes.

If your dog values their normal food, setting aside some of the measured daily allowance can be a useful way to reward easy behaviours without continuously adding extra calories.

How often should I change my dog’s food?

There is no requirement to regularly change a food that is appropriate, complete, well tolerated and keeps your dog in good condition.

Change when there is a sensible reason, and normally transition gradually.

Trusted nutrition and feeding sources

For independent or professionally led information, I would start with your own veterinary practice and established veterinary or pet-nutrition organisations rather than relying on social-media feeding claims.

British Veterinary Association: What Should I Feed My Dog?

World Small Animal Veterinary Association Global Nutrition Guidelines

UK Pet Food: Understanding Pet Food Labels

Dog food does not need to become a battleground

Feeding decisions can become surprisingly emotional.

One owner feeds dry food.

Another feeds wet.

Someone else uses fresh food.

Another chooses commercially prepared raw.

What matters to me is much less dramatic.

Is the diet nutritionally appropriate?

Is it safe?

Is the amount right for the individual dog?

Is the dog maintaining a healthy body condition?

Can the owner feed it consistently?

And when something changes, do we recognise when it is time to involve the vet?

That is the approach behind this hub and the guides linked from it.

For more practical owner guidance, visit my Dog and Pet Care Guides.
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If you need calm, individual care for your dog while you are working or away, you can also explore Finchley Dog Walker services.

This guide provides general dog-care and feeding information. I am a professional dog walker and pet sitter, not a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nutritionist. It does not diagnose illness or provide an individual feeding prescription. Speak to your veterinary team about significant diet changes, unexplained weight or appetite changes, allergies, therapeutic diets, homemade diets and any other health concern.