Why is pet food called kibble

What Is Kibble Dog Food & Why Is It Called That? Interesting Facts to Know

Kibble is ground-up ingredients that have been shaped into pellets of different sizes and is a popular food to feed your dog. There are currently so many diet options available for our dogs, which leads to differing opinions about which brand is best.

Its natural to want the best for your pet and to question what makes dog food good or bad. Read on to find out what you should be aware of when it comes to kibble food.

What Is Kibble?

The origin of the word kibble is unknown, and you might wonder how it differs from dry dog food. There isnt any difference; kibble is just another name for dry dog food.

The ingredients that make up kibble are usually meats, fish, cereals, vegetables, legumes, grains, vitamins, and minerals. Kibble size is generally determined by the size of the breed that the recipe is designed for. Puppies, for example, get smaller pellets than adults, and a bigger breed will have larger pieces than a small dog.

Youll find kibble is typically sold in bags, which make storage easy. Kibble pellets have low moisture content compared to tinned food, which may lead your dog to drink more.

How Is Kibble Made?

The ingredients we mentioned earlier are cooked at very high temperatures in a machine known as an extruder. This mixture is squeezed into different shapes and coated with fats and oils. There has been some debate about whether this process results in the food losing some nutritional value.

If the dog food includes grain, the grain is used as a binder to keep the ingredients together when mixed. If the kibble is grain-free, it will use legumes like chickpeas or another starch as a binder.

Just like cooking human food reduces the number of water-soluble vitamins, dog food will lose some nutritional value. However, this is generally considered, and the finished product will provide the vital nutrient content that supports your dog and all it requires for a healthy life. If the kibble is certified balanced and complete by AAFCO (the Association of American Feed Control Officials), it must meet several nutritional requirements. If the ingredients fail to do this naturally, synthetic vitamins and minerals will be added.

Why Choose Kibble?

Commercial kibble is nutrient-rich. Its also convenient, affordable, and tends to provide a large variety of choices for different life stages or needs, like old age or joint problems.

Not all kibbles are the same, so make sure you take the time to research different brands and their reputations. When choosing the best kibble for your pet, familiarize yourself with food labels. Avoid formulas made with preservatives, fillers, or by-products. Choose diets with high-quality, natural ingredients like real meat protein at the beginning of their ingredients list.

What About the Alternatives?

With so many choices out there, some pet parents are abandoning the traditional kibble in favor of raw diets or fresh food. The extrusion process not only diminishes the protein content of the animal meat in dog food but also impairs the nutritional value of the fruits and vegetables.

Even with premium dog food, the quality of the ingredients will never be as good as what you would get from fresh, unprocessed diets. Adding vitamins and minerals back into a food cannot truly replicate the nutrients and benefits lost through the harsh cooking process.

Final Thoughts

When choosing the right dog food, there are no wrong answers if you pick a diet based on what is nutritionally beneficial to your dog. This is somewhat nave because factors like cost, convenience, and storage space are incredibly important. Kibble has developed a reputation for being unhealthy, which isnt true for all dry dog food. Ask your veterinarian for advice if youre ever unsure where to start.

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Featured Image Credit: 279photo Studio, Shutterstock

What Is Kibble Dog Food? How Its Made, Pros, Cons & FAQ

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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As a dog lover, you want to provide your pet with the best diet possible to keep them healthy and thriving. With so many different types of dog foods on the market, though, it can be difficult to determine the differences between available foods and what each type has to offer your dog nutritionally.

Kibble is simply another term used to describe dry dog food, and it consists of solid pieces that are packed with all the nutrients that your dog needs.

This article will tell you everything that you need to know about kibble and why it is such a popular choice of food for dogs among owners.

How Is It Made?

Kibble dog food is popular in Europe, Canada, the United States, and most parts of the developed world. Some people also refer to this type of dog food as pellets, but both terms are used to describe the same thing. Kibble is made of meat, legumes, grains, vegetables, and fruits, along with vitamins and minerals. Everything is cooked and compacted together to form a uniform dry dog food that is typically a small, rounded shape.

The process of making kibble is called extrusion, as all the ingredients are mixed. Kibble dog food can be fed to all breeds that can handle chewing the hard texture of this type of dog food, and the kibble itself is available in different sizes, so you can pick one that suits the type of breed you have.

What Are the Different Types of Dog Foods?

Dry Dog Food

Dry dog food (pellets or kibble) is a dehydrated food that provides dogs with a uniform diet because it has all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients they need to stay healthy. This type of dog food is typically inexpensive and has a low moisture content of around 3%11%. You will find that dry dog food is the most easily accessible dog food on the market, and there are many different options to choose from when it comes to the brand, flavor, color, shape, and size of the food.

Wet Dog Food

Wet or canned dog food is typically packaged in a solid tin container and has a high moisture content of 60%78% water. Wet dog food is generally more expensive than dry dog food and is not sold in large volumes, as it has a short shelf-life once opened. It does not consist of solid compact pieces, but rather moist chunks of the food components that are soaked in moisture to keep the food from drying out.

This type of dog food usually must be refrigerated once it has been opened, whereas dry dog food can be stored for a long time in an airtight container in a dry area. Wet dog food comes in a variety of flavors and can range in color and texture.

Where Is It Used?

Kibble dog food is primarily used as a dog food because it is affordable and easily accessible and has an endless range of options to choose from. Most dog owners choose to feed this type of food to their dogs because it is the easiest option to store and purchase in bulk.

Kibble also has the benefit of being hard, so your dog must chew the pellets thoroughly, which can help remove tartar and plaque on their teeth, thus improving their dental hygiene. Many different types of kibble dog food are suitable for certain conditions that your dog might be suffering from, such as gluten or grain intolerance, and there is kibble out there that is specifically formulated without these ingredients.

Some dog owners find that kibble helps stop their dogs from being picky eaters because all the nutrients are uniformly packed into each piece, which helps prevent picky eating habits.

Advantages of Kibble Dog Food

• Kibble dog food is a highly digestible carbohydrate that is good for dogs because it contains a mixture of omnivorous foods. Carbs are necessary for a dogs diet because they are omnivores. The high carb and protein content in kibble can be used for energy.
• This type of dog food is thoroughly cooked, which enhances the digestibility of the food and kills off any potentially harmful microorganisms. Since kibble has been cooked, it also helps enhance the absorption of the carbohydrates in this food.
• Kibble dog food is typically cheaper than wet dog food and you can purchase a larger amount in bulk in comparison to wet dog food.
• Kibble has a hard, rough texture that can help prevent the build-up of plaque and tartar on your dogs teeth, aiding in better dental hygiene.
• There are many different types of kibble dog food, including ones that are grain free and have different flavors, so you can pick one that suits your dogs health condition or taste preferences. The kibble shapes themselves come in a variety of different sizes to suit all dog breeds too.
• Kibble dog food lasts a long time, and if it is stored properly and kept in an airtight container free from moisture, it can last for months and does not need to be refrigerated.

Disadvantages of Kibble Dog Food

• Kibble dog food has a low moisture content, so your dog is not getting a lot of water from eating this type of food. This makes it important to ensure that your dog is drinking plenty of fresh water every day to stay hydrated.
• Since most kibble contains a lot of fillers, dogs that have certain allergies may develop skin issues, such as rashes and redness or hair loss.
• Senior dogs that have dental problems like loose or sore teeth will struggle to eat the hard texture of kibble dog food, so it is important to speak to your veterinarian about soaking the kibble before feeding it to your dog or switching them to wet dog food.
• Overfeeding your dog with kibble can cause bloating issues due to the kibble pieces expanding in their stomach. You can test how much the pellet expands by placing one in water and watching as it becomes mushy and increases in size. It is important to ensure that your dog is getting the right portion of dry dog food.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dry Dog Food Better Than Wet Dog Food?

Both wet and dry dog foods can be good for your dog, depending on the quality, the guaranteed nutrient analysis, and whether your dog is suffering from any health conditions that require them to be fed a special diet. If you want to feed your dog a food with a lower moisture content that is high in carbohydrates and affordable, kibble dog food will be a good option.

If you want to feed your dog a food that has higher moisture content and more flavor, wet food will be a good choice. You should always consult a veterinarian or canine nutritionist when deciding on the right dog food for your dogs breed and medical conditions, as both wet and dry dog food have their pros and cons.

What Should You Look For When Choosing the Right Kibble for Your Dog?

It is important to choose the kibble according to your dogs life stage (puppy, adult, or senior) along with their medical conditions. When it comes to finding the right kibble food for your dog, you should choose a brand that produces high-quality kibble that has a decent nutritional content to supply your dog with the proper nutrients, proteins, and calories according to their age, weight, and breed.

There are plenty of kibble dog foods to choose from, so take the time to consider the pros and cons of the different brands and formulas before feeding one to your dog.

• Determine proper dog food and ideal daily intake with our helpful calorie calculator here.

Conclusion

Overall, kibble is a type of dry dog food that can be found online and in many different stores. There is kibble specially made for most dog breeds, this high-calorie dog food is affordable, and there are many different brands and formulas to choose from, depending on your dogs needs. We hope that this article has helped clear up what kibble is and the pros and cons of feeding your dog this type of food.

Featured Image Credit: cottonbro, Unsplash