Dog food from Pet Favourites

Even if your dog is not overweight, a poor or incompatible diet can lead to behavioural problems, skin allergies and other even more serious complications. And even if at one time a particular type or brand of food was fine for Fido, a dog’s tastes and reaction to food can change over time, so if a particular treat just doesn’t seem to float the hound’s boat anymore, or he starts bouncing off the walls all of a sudden, why not try something else?

If you are feeling especially brave you can even feed your dog with food that you prepare yourself. (Household pets used to survive on scraps left over from the kitchen, and this a diet that is absolutely fine for them, as long as you don’t make the mistake of assuming that they are just like little people. Research the correct balance of nutrients and ingredients that your animal requires, and don’t forget that they are animals — what they need and like is not going to be what we like. Do your research — the web is a great resource for this.)

(We would have liked to give more specific advice on preparing your own food for your pet, but we’ve seen and heard so much conflicting information — cooked meat versus raw, bones good versus bones bad — that we figure it’s a minefield best sidestepped. And everybody’s pet is different. Start carefully, talk to your vet, see how your pet reacts, and proceed from there. And yes, we realise how strange this must seem — a shop selling dog food telling you it’s fine to NOT buy dog food and make it for your dog yourself. But there you go. We reckon that honesty is the best policy.)

If you don’t want to take your dog completely off commercial dog food — and it’s worth bearing in mind that modern dog foods have been specifically designed to meet your pet’s nutritional needs — you can still mix kitchen scraps and leftovers into your pet’s meals. It’s thrifty (you’ll save on the amount of dog food you use) and it’s ecofriendly, as you’ll be cutting down on what you throw out. (Unless you’ve got a wormery.)

If you do mix kitchen scraps into your dog’s grub, remember to reduce the amount of commercial food you are including, so that the overall calorie content of the meal is the same. Avoid the temptation to give the scraps as “extras”.

With commercial feeds it’s worth remembering that the guidelines for the amounts of food you should be giving your pet are exactly that — guidelines. And like the guidelines for people that the supermarkets put on the back of our stuff, sometimes they can be a bit too generous. Feed your pet twice a day (two smaller meals are better than one large one) and put just enough in the bowl that it all gets eaten. It’s not a good idea to leave food out in a bowl all day, especially wet or tinned foods.

Some breeds have very specific dietary requirements for a particular vitamin or other nutrient, and this might not be met by the food you are using. If you are in any doubt, consult a vet or do some more research. Remember that the figures and recommendations on the back of your dog food packet are only ever going to be averages for “average” dogs.

For local customers we can usually provide a sample pack so that your dog can try a new food out before you commit yourself to a bigger purchase.

Browse and order dog foods, mixers and treats from Arden Grange, James Wellbeloved, Royal Canin, Winalot, Eukanuba, Iams, Hills Pet Nutrition, Skinners and many others.

Dog food categories

We have a wide range of dog food products, from premium brands to holistic and organic and specialist diet ranges, including specialist feeds for fast growing puppies, working dogs, dogs with sensitive digestions and other special needs, and senior food for those older animals who need that little bit of extra special treatment.

We also have our own range of working dog food, which at the moment we supply locally. Feel free to pop into the shop and talk dog food with us!