Types of dog food

Dry foods

The majority of British dogs are fed on dry foods. Their popularity certainly owes a lot to their convenience as they're available everywhere, they don't need any preparation at all and they don't have any special storage requirements.

Dry foods can be produced in a number of ways:

Extruded foods

Extrusion is by-far the most common cooking method for dry dog foods. In the extrusion process, raw materials (usually pre-dried and ground ingredients in the form of powders) are mixed and passed through what is essentially a giant steam cooker. The mix is then passed through a 'die' where it is cut into the individual biscuits which are then rapidly dried with hot air, cooled and given a coating of oils to enhance their flavour.

A growing number of critics claim that the multiple levels of processing that are required to produce extruded foods and particularly the high temperatures they involve may destroy many of the natural nutrients contained in the ingredients, particularly vitamins, some amino-acids and enzymes. Supporters, however, advocate that the cooking process kills parasites and might actually increase digestibility.

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Baked foods

Baking is an alternative cooking method that allows foods to be cooked at lower pressures than extrusion and therefore may leave more of the nutrients intact. Baking does, however, usually rely on a certain amount of wheat gluten to bind the biscuits. The process typically involves the biscuits passing slowly through a long oven atop a conveyor belt.

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Cold pressed foods

Cold pressed dog foods are still relatively new on the scene but are growing in popularity rapidly as they present all of the advantages of more conventional dry food processing but without the potentially damaging high temperatures. Ingredients do, however, still have to be dried and ground before pressing and some, like grains, also have to be pre-cooked so there is a certain level of processing, but the final stage is certainly a lot less intensive than extrusion.

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Air dried foods

Air drying takes things one step further as the ingredients usually start the process fresh rather than ground or pre-cooked. The food is exposed to a current of heated air, gently removing the water through evaporation which is thought to reduce the damage to proteins, vitamins and enzymes compared to conventional cooking methods. Some air dried foods need to be rehydrated by adding water so, while these packs might seem small, the volume of food you get from them is considerably larger.

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Freeze dried foods

Freeze dried foods are created by first freezing and then gently heating the ingredients within a vacuum to remove any moisture. In this way, the nutrients undergo very little damage making it arguably the most 'natural' form of dry food available. Freeze dried dog foods also tend to be eye-wateringly expensive but they do have incredible shelf lives without the need for any artificial preservatives. As with some air-dried foods, many freeze dried diets require rehydration with water before feeding.

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Wet foods

Wet pet foods have been losing some market share over the years but they remain a popular choice. They most often come in tins, trays, pouches and chubb rolls. Ingredients are blended and cooked before being vacuum sealed into their containers. They are then heat sterilised. The temperatures and durations of both cooking and sterilising can vary considerably but typically sterilisation involves temperatures in excess of 100^oC for periods of up to 90 minutes. Raw feeding advocates believe that such high temperature levels are likely to damage some of the natural nutrients contained within the food. The vacuum sealing and sterilisation do, however, ensure a long shelf life without the need for any added artificial additives.

Wet foods, naturally, contain much more water than their dry counterparts. For some this makes wet foods a more 'natural' choice, at least compared to some dry food types like extruded foods. The high moisture content might also be beneficial for dogs that don't drink very much or those with a history or urinary problems, for example. The high water content does, however, mean that you have to feed much more of a wet food than you would of a dry which often makes wet foods a relatively expensive option.

Wet foods come in several forms:

Paté and loaf foods

Paté or loaf type wet foods can be identified by their firm, generally uniform consistency. Many owners slice or mash these foods before feeding.

Paté foods currently make up the majority of the wet food market and are especially popular with higher end producers.

In order to bind the ingredients and achieve the characteristic texture, paté foods need gelling agents and thickeners, some of which are fairly controversial. You can find out more here.

Chunks in gravy or jelly

Chunks in jelly or gravy tins or pouches have been around for years and still account for the lion's share of the budget wet food market. In these foods the meat/vegetables/grain ingredients are visible within a liquid or jelly formula.

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Fresh foods

Another category of pet foods has recently started to emerge - fresh complete foods. The idea is that they provide a convenient version of home cooking so they tend to include a balanced selection of high-end fresh ingredients, cooked and packed in trays or pouches. With fresh ingredients and a low level of processing, fresh complete foods are likely to retain a high proportion of their natural nutrients, at least compared to conventional dry and wet foods.

Since no preservatives are added and since the food usually hasn't been sterilised like standard wet foods, fresh foods generally don't stay fresh for as long as we have come to expect from our pet foods. For this reason, most fresh pet foods need to be kept refrigerated even when sealed. In the fridge they typically last up to 14 days from the date of manufacture but they can also be frozen and defrosted later before feeding.

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Raw foods

If you have noticed the growing number of freezer units popping up in pet shops, raw foods are the reason. Raw feeding is regarded by many as the most natural way to feed a dog and over the past decade or so it has become the fastest growing feeding trend in the UK. Many raw feeders prepare their own diets for their dogs but a growing number of companies are developing pre-prepared complete (or 'balanced' - see below) raw foods, usually in the form of frozen blocks or nuggets, which provide all of the benefits of raw feeding with all the convenience of a conventional dog food. Ok, maybe not all of the convenience - transporting frozen foods for extended periods (for holidays and so on) can be tricky and having to thaw them over-night before feeding isn't as easy as opening a bag or a tin, but most raw feeders agree that it is a small price to pay.

However, raw feeding is by no means free from criticism. Many vets and industry experts have raised concerns over the safety and nutritional balance of raw foods. This is a topic of enormous, often heated discussion and is too big to cover here but we do have a great article on the subject here.

Like wet and dry foods, pre-prepared raw foods come in both complete and complementary forms but it is worth noting that a significant proportion of raw producers prefer to steer clear of synthetic vitamins and minerals, instead relying on the natural nutrients found in the right balance of meat, bone and offal (and, in some cases, fruit and veg) to provide everything a dog needs. Since these foods do not adhere to FEDIAF's guidelines for complete foods, they do not receive our 'nutritionally complete' logo. You can find out more in our guide to complete foods.

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