Dog food classes: lists, ratings, differences

General information

Today, each type of dog food – dry, semi-moist, wet, canned – has its own classification. It cannot be called unified, unified for all leading companies producing ready-made dog food, but conditionally it is divided into the following components: economy class food, premium class food, super-premium class food and holistic food. Each of them is characterized by rather specific parameters:

• category of meat products;
• sources and quality of protein – a special concentrated protein;
• vitamin palette;
• the quantity and range of minerals, their ratio;
• the presence of flavors, food colors, preservatives;
• the presence of additives that positively affect the work of individual organs of the dog;
• cost.

Economy feed

The basis of feed in this price range is food production waste. Of course, you will not find dietary meat in the assortment of meat ingredients included in this ready-made meal. Very often, in such products, meat as such is generally absent, and it is replaced mainly by animal fats, tendons and bone meal. The dominant source of protein is vegetable proteins obtained from soybean meal, wheat and other crops (usually, manufacturers of ready-made food of this class characterize plant components with the word “cereals”). The overall composition of the product is not balanced enough, the amino acids present in it, micro- and macroelements do not differ in variety. The energy value of such feed is from 240 to 310 kcal/100 g.

Judging by the fact that most dogs like economy class food, its palatability is quite tempting. But such a piquancy of the product is due only to the flavors and artificial flavors present in it. External attractiveness of the feed is due to food dyes. The dog himself is unlikely to pay attention to this quality, but the owner, of course, will be pleased to buy an appetizing looking product.

Actually, this type of food includes all the minimum ingredients necessary for a dog, but there is little benefit from such food. If an alternative to economy-class food is a menu of vermicelli and sausages, then it’s better to stop at the first option, but when choosing between a finished product and, for example, buckwheat porridge with a good piece of meat, of course, preference should be given to natural treats.

Regular and long-term nutrition of economy-class food is contraindicated for a dog, since the low quality of the meat component and the minimum amount of nutrients in the product will sooner or later affect the health of your pet and its appearance, in particular, the condition of the coat.

The list of the most popular economy class feeds in Russia includes the following brands:

• «Pedigree»;
• «Darling»;
• «Our brand»;
• «Chappi»;
• “Caesar”;
• “Psarny yard”;
• «Stout»;
• “Oscar”;
• “Meal”.

Premium feed

In Russia, dog owners most often prefer premium food. Their range is very wide and heterogeneous. Some of them almost do not lose in their qualities to a super-premium class product, while others, on the contrary, slightly exceed the level of the economy class.

Premium-class feeds, along with meat ones, contain by-products of the II category, however, as a rule, there is no information on the product packaging about which meat products were used in the production process. The amount of meat ingredients is up to 30%, the dominant component in this feed is most often rice.

The described product contains more proteins of animal origin than in economy class products, vitamins, macro- and microelements are much more widely represented in it, while the complex of all nutritional ingredients is quite well balanced. However, there are also such undesirable chemical compounds as dyes, flavors, preservatives. The energy value of the product is 310-350 kcal/100 g.

Since the ingredients of various premium foods stand out for their impressive variety, percentage of meat, and, as a result, price, seek the advice and recommendations of a veterinarian or breeder when choosing a product. You can also consult with the owners of dogs of the same breed as your pet, read reviews about the food you have chosen on the Web. Among the most famous premium feeds are the following:

• «Royal Canin»;
• «Hills»;
• «Probalance»;
• «Pro Plan»;
• «Purina One»;
• «Dog Chow»;
• «Natures Protection»;
• «Brit Premium»;
• «Advance»;
• «Chicopee»;
• “RosPes”.

The first three of the above feeds top the rating of the most popular dog foods by Russians.

Super premium food

Feeds of this category, which have the status of elite, contain exclusively first-class and highly nutritious components. Among them are chicken and chicken meat, turkey, lamb, chicken eggs, boiled rice, which is the most easily digestible cereal for dogs, beet pulp rich in fiber. As part of the product, you can also find meat by-products of the 360st category (liver, tongue, kidneys, heart), all of which meet the highest quality standards. Some companies’ products contain only those food components that are certified as suitable for human nutrition. The energy value of this product is 470-100 kcal / XNUMX g.

A dog that regularly eats such wonderful food does not need to expand the menu, because such food satisfies not only his nutritional needs. The feed is designed taking into account the peculiarities of the animal’s digestion, metabolism in its body, the need for vitamins and minerals. This balanced food is highly digestible: digestibility exceeds 80%. There are also various product options designed for pets of different age categories.

In the production of feed belonging to the elite group, certain technologies are involved with the use of gentle heat treatment, which allow you to keep proteins and fats in the most natural state. High-quality fats are stabilized with vitamin E. This dog food has no dyes, preservatives, it has a natural aroma, taste, and dogs regale it with appetite. In some cases, pets that have been eating inexpensive foods for a long time, where concentrated artificial flavors and aromas are present, do not immediately get used to natural flavors and “turn up their noses” from good, high-quality food. By the way, dogs accustomed to natural food and high-class feed are suspicious of artificial additives.

The super-premium product line also includes therapeutic and dietary foods. They are introduced into the diet of a pet that needs specific nutrition due to an illness, or for the prevention of genetic diseases characteristic of a particular breed. This kind of food has been developed for four-legged pets suffering from gastritis, pancreatitis, kidney failure, obesity, experiencing digestive problems due to a violation of the stomach microflora. They are saturated with ingredients containing the optimal amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates in each individual case. In some of them, the amount of phosphorus is reduced, and the calorie content is somewhat reduced. A distinctive feature of such products is hypoallergenicity.

Medicinal foods are not included in the dog’s menu for a long time – only during the illness, and food for the prevention of possible diseases in most cases can be included in the pet’s permanent diet. Dog owners should consult a veterinarian before purchasing this type of food.

Super-premium products of the following brands are presented in specialized stores:

• «1 st Choice»;
• “Trainer”;
• “Josera”;
• «Monge»;
• «Brit Care»;
• «Gina»;
• “Porcelain”;
• «Barking Heads»;
• «DailyDog»;
• «Eukanuba».

Some super-premium manufacturers focused on selling this particular category of dog food are supplying the market with products that are identical in price terms to the economy class product in order to attract more customers. In most cases, the quality of the food that attracts the client is superior to that offered by traditional manufacturers of inexpensive dog food.

Holistic feed

Feed in this class is called an extraordinary achievement in the system of food production for animals. Translated from Greek, the word “holos” means “whole”, “complete”, “self-sufficient”. Actually, the philosophy behind these terms underlies the development of products in this category. A holistic approach to creating feed, according to product manufacturers, can work wonders. The managers of these companies claim that an animal that has been fed holistic food since childhood is practically not susceptible to diseases. For this reason, in the holistic line, there are fundamentally no therapeutic and dietary feeds. In fairness, we note that products of this class appeared on the market not so long ago, and it is still difficult to evaluate its miraculous properties.

Holistic class feeds are a kind of assortment of natural, environmentally friendly products. They contain from 65 to 80 percent of high-quality meat, including poultry, cereals (mainly rice), vegetables, fruits, and berries. Added herbal preparations, vitamins, minerals. Meat by-products, meat and bone meal, soy, sugar, preservatives, flavors, dyes in this feed are taboo.

Some of the components are identical to the gifts of nature that an animal could eat while living in its natural environment. They are selected in such a way that the pet receives the necessary substances that would not interfere with each other’s absorption, and in their totality harmonized the natural biochemical reactions that occur in the body.

Holistic class feed in the Russian Federation is represented by the following trademarks:

• «Acana»;
• «Now Fresh»;
• «Canidae»;
• «Applause»;
• «Summit»;
• «Holistic Blend»;
• «Pronature Holistic»;
• «Savarra»;
• «Origin»;
• «Grandorf».

Price and quality

The cost of economy-class dog food ranges from 70-180 rubles / kg, premium-class products – from 180 to 500 rubles / kg. This product, in view of its special popularity, can be purchased not only in specialized stores, but also in chain supermarkets.

Super premium and holistic foods are available in pet stores. The cost of the former varies from 520 to 800 rubles/kg, the latter can be purchased at a price of 800 to 900 rubles/kg.

It should be borne in mind that super-premium and holistic foods are more nutritious and high-calorie than products of a lower class, respectively, their daily intake is lower. For example, a mature dog weighing 40 kg per day will need 300-400 g of an elite class product (super premium or holistic) or 550 g of economy class food. Such indicators somewhat offset the difference in the cost of feed of the budget and elite categories.

The more prestigious the class and cost of the product, the better the protein sources in it. In budgetary products, the main suppliers of food protein are vegetable proteins extracted from soybeans, corn, and other legumes, processed using cheap technological processes and poorly digestible. The share of the meat component in economy and premium class feeds is low and, as a rule, it consists of connective muscle tissues, as well as low-quality by-products. With an increase in the class of feed and, accordingly, its cost, the presence of first-class meat in the product increases and the presence of preservatives, flavors, flavor enhancers is leveled.

Expensive super-premium and holistic feeds contain additional ingredients that have a beneficial effect on metabolic processes in the body, the work of individual organs. Among the components that make up some feed for animals of large breeds, there are such expensive drugs as chondroprotectors used to prevent and treat joint diseases.