Everyday dog food that is actually complete: what to look for in a 20 kg bag

Most dogs, most days, eat dry food. It is the backbone of feeding a dog well, and an everyday food does not have to be exotic to be good. It has to be complete, honest about its ingredients and consistent bag after bag. Here is how to check, using Bitesy Essentials Dog as the worked example.

Complete first, everything else second

The word "complete" on a bag is a legal commitment: fed on its own, the food provides every nutrient a dog needs in the right proportions. Every Bitesy Essentials Dog recipe is complete, so a bowl of kibble and a bowl of water is a full diet. Treats and toppers are extras on top, and should stay under 10% of the day.

Protein: source and level

An adult dog does well on 24 to 26% protein from animal sources; a puppy needs more. Essentials Dog uses dehydrated animal proteins named on the bag: 15% beef, 10% chicken and 5% turkey in the beef, chicken and turkey recipe; lamb and tuna in the two single-flavour adult recipes at 25% protein; and 29% protein with a minimum of 20% chicken in the puppy formula. Dehydrated protein is simply meat with the water removed, which is why a modest percentage on the label delivers a lot of actual protein.

Cereals are not the enemy

Dogs digest cooked cereals well, and they supply energy and the structure a kibble needs. What matters is quality. Essentials Dog uses ancestral durum wheat, corn and rice rather than cheap fillers, and adds carob, a Mediterranean ingredient valued for digestion and natural sweetness, and F.O.S. prebiotic fibre in the puppy and lamb recipes to support gut bacteria.

Fat, and why 9 to 10% is right for most dogs

Fat is energy and coat. Working dogs and puppies need more; the average family dog needs less than owners think, and excess fat is the fastest route to an overweight dog. The adult Essentials recipes sit at 9 to 10% fat, the puppy recipe at 14%, which is the right balance for everyday feeding without a weight problem.

Do's and don'ts with a big bag

• Do keep the food in its original bag inside a sealed container; the bag's lining protects the fats from going rancid.
• Do use it within six weeks of opening.
• Don't store it in a hot garage or in direct sun; a Maltese summer will spoil fats faster than you expect.
• Do weigh the daily portion once and mark your scoop.
• Don't switch flavours overnight; a week of mixing avoids an upset stomach.