When you first adopt that sweet puppy from the shelter or from a friend’s dog’s litter, there are a million different thoughts racing through your head. Potty training, regular training, bedding, toys, and grooming are all things that we need to supply our dogs with to make sure that they can be happy and healthy.
There’s one huge factor that we also take into consideration when getting supplies together for our dogs: food.
There has been a lot of different, conflicting information that has come out in recent years around dog food. What’s good, what’s bad, how much you should spend, what the right food can do for your dog, what fillers to avoid, and many other things that can just make our heads spin as dog parents.
What do many of these trendy new terms even mean? And how do you know what’s right for your dog?
To clear up the confusion, we’ve broken it down into a simple, straightforward explanation. We’re going to weigh out the difference between air-dried and fresh dog foods to help you make the best decision for your pup.
Why Your Dog’s Food Matters
What “Fresh Dog Food” Means
We’ve all heard the term “fresh dog food” by now, but what exactly does that mean?
Fresh dog food typically refers to whole, natural foods that have been cooked slightly and packaged for consumption by your dog. They usually come in some sort of a tube or plastic tub containing a mixture of meats, veggies, and even fruits. Fresh dog food is moist and needs to be refrigerated to make sure that it, well, stays fresh.
Benefits of Fresh Dog Food
There are many benefits to this particular type of dog food. For starters, fresh dog food already contains plenty of moisture to keep your dog hydrated. It’s also made without preservatives or additives that make food harder to digest for your dog and could make your dog lethargic, cause issues with healthy skin or fur, and even lead to issues like obesity and other illnesses.
Fresh dog food is good for dogs in the same way that fresh, natural food is good for us: simplifying things and skipping out on preservatives makes sure that your body gets all of the nutrients it needs and none of the junk it doesn’t.
Drawbacks of Fresh Dog Food
The biggest drawback to fresh dog food is the price. Fresh dog food is made from natural and whole ingredients, meaning none of those cheap fillers will be in your pup’s meals. Unfortunately, without those cheap fillers, you get hit with the premium prices.
It also doesn’t keep very well and expires quickly due to the lack of preservatives and the need for it to be refrigerated. This makes it inaccessible to pet parents with budgets.
What Is Air-Dried Dog Food?
If you have never even heard of this before, you’re definitely going to be wondering what is air dried dog food?
If you’re thinking of those packs of “space foods” that you may have tried as a kid, or the packs made for survivalists, you’re almost correct. Those are typically freeze-dried, meaning there is a freezing process used to zap the moisture out of the food while preserving flavor and nutrition.
Air-dried food, however, uses a different process to receive a similar, but better, result. Air-drying uses an evaporation process to lightly and gently taking moisture out of the ingredients while allowing them to retain some moisture. This makes them tastier and healthier for your dog that kibble, since the moisture is still there.
Benefits of Air-Dried Dog Food
Much like the benefits of fresh dog food, air-dried dog food cuts out cheap fillers, preservatives, or artificial food coloring.
The process also has the added benefit of killing off the bacteria that may lurk around in raw meats. It’s high-quality dog food that is protein-focused, making it healthy for your dog and easier to keep on hand than other traditional fresh pet foods.
It can also cut back on any allergies your dog may have to certain foods.
Drawbacks of Air-Dried Dog Food
Though there are few drawbacks to air-dried dog food, one of them is that this fresher food doesn’t have the seemingly infinite shelf-life that traditional kibble does. This is a pretty fair trade-off, though, if you ask us.
Your Dog Deserves Good Food, So Try Something Different Today
Our dogs are truly a part of the family, so it’s about time we start feeding them like they are. Try out air-dried dog food and see just how much your puppy likes it.
