How do you choose what to feed

[Greyhound family]

Pretty stumped on how to decide what to do with our hounds food - how did you decide what to feed?

Greyhound 1 - 8 years old she has been with us 3 years
Her tummy is very sensitive she arrived being fed gain which we changed to barking heads salmon and potato with a small amount of natures menu country hunter pouch in the evening (fix the issue we where having with stools)

She picks and chooses when to eat - doesnt often eat a full meal, her weight is very good and 90% of the time her stool is good

She looses interest in food quickly what was exciting one week it won't be the next

Greyhound 2 - 8 years old  has been with us for 2 weeks
He is currently under weight and had to have 30(?!) teeth removed due to sever dental disease, it is believed under weight due to the state of his mouth, pre op bloods where on the whole clear (urea was high - we have asked our own vet to look at this as doesnt have details in the report as a high reading can be normal for greyhounds)

He is currently having what he had in the rescue while he settles:
3 meals a day of wainwrights salmon and potato with a spoon (well soaked) and a spoon of chappie

Not what we want him on ideally but never had a dog with so few teeth

There are so many options not sure where to start, think the family would prefer not using raw as we travel with them a lot

[Dottie]

Hello and welcome to the forum.  Your question is an interesting one. You can find information under the 'Feeding' tab of this website, and The Feeding Guide might be useful. Like you, I have two dogs and here are my thoughts on the matter of choosing food:

* Activity level and general health - my dogs are fit and well but not all that active so I wouldn't feed anything that is high in fat and protein, particularly as one of them puts weight on easily.
* Budget - I once used a good quality wet food but I realised that it was costing me a lot of money. When added it to insurance and other things,  it was simply too expensive. Also, the dogs did not seem to do all that well on it.  It was a lesson - sometimes a cheaper product may be best.
* Health - the dog's poo should be dark brown in colour, always firm/easy to pick up. Skin, coat, eyes should be healthy. There should be no scratching, nibbling of paws and the dogs should not be malodorous.   
* Ingredients - I always read the ingredient list and try to understand what it contains. Meat should always be named and at the top of the list.  The Dog Food Directory on this website makes it easy and when searching I always place a tick in the 'no red ingredients' box.   
* Same food - I like to feed them the same as it makes it easier and cheaper for me.
* Type of food - I use a dry, non extruded food but they have wet food occasionally for a change.  Dehydrated dog food e.g. Pure and ones that mimic home feeding, e.g. Freshpet (Asda/Tesco) and Butternut Box look interesting.  For a dog who has a sensitive stomach and bowel problems it might be best to stick with just one type of food. 
* Variety - my two regularly get toppers e.g. cooked vegetables, chicken, sardines, scrambled eggs, fish.  These are in addition to their usual food but in order to keep them at a good weight I reduce the quantity slightly (no more than 25%).

 You could also use the filters on the Dog Food Directory and if you need help with this, please ask. Others may have different priorities so I look forward to hearing views on this.

[Meg]

Hello Greyhound family and welcome to the forum!

With mine I've found that it helps to have any accompanying stresses during the early settling periods in a 'new' home minimised as far as possible and of course this includes their food. So as a general rule of thumb I continue to feed them the diet they are on when they come here. If this initial diet continually suits a dog, and the dog is happy, healthy and thriving then I would continue, for a period of time, adding different varieties trying to match with the nutrients they are used to, as far as that is possible.

After a period of time (usually a couple of months) I'd begin to slowly add as much variety as suits the individual dog. So for example this would including toppings, appropriate treats, different textures, and combinations of foods. Thus gradually over time by trying a dog with various combinations of food it becomes easier to learn what the dog prefers and what diet suits the dog.

It seems fair to say that dogs are different and their preferences are different. I'm glad you asked the question as I feel as part of the responsibility of homing dogs is an obligation on us to find out what foods they prefer that will keep them as healthy and happy as possible.

[Meg]

It may be helpful to take a peek at the polls that are running which shows the different variations of diet that we on the allaboutdogfood forum are feeding our dogs currently :

 https://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/forum/dog-foods/3/what-do-you-mainly-feed-your-dog-nowadays/1317/

https://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/forum/dog-foods/3/all-about-our-dogs-dry-food-what-type-of-dry-food-are-you-feeding-nowadays/1355/