Just like people, different ages in our dogs will involve different nutritional requirements. Also, a dog that is couch surfing all day won't need a high energy food like a dog that works on the farm all day. Some dogs may also have a medical condition that will require them to be on a special diet. Essentially, all dogs need water, protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals in their diet to maintain their best health.

It has become fashionable lately for people to feed their dogs "grain free" or "raw food diets". Grain is a great source of carbohydrates and going "grain free" is really only necessary for your dog if an allergy to a specific grain has been detected. Feeding your dog a raw food diet doesn't entail just giving them pet mince from the butcher; you need to be adding in vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates to make it a balanced diet. The argument for these diets is that it is closer to their "natural diet in the wild". Centuries of domestication have had our pets adapt to the diets that we feed our pets in the modern age.

Essentially, all commercial pet foods are nutritionally balanced and can be considered safe for your dog. The differences between a premium food and a budget food though, can be found in the quality and source of the ingredients, not on the nutrition label. You may look at two different brands of food, both may say they have 30 per cent protein but it is the quality and the digestibility of that protein that may differ.

The simplest advice we can give you is this: feed your pet the best quality food that you can afford and if you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask your veterinary health care team.