This is a specific conversation about Dog food — finding the right one — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Choosing dog food is genuinely complicated — the right answer depends on your dog's age, size, breed, and health, and the most expensive or most heavily marketed options aren't always the best fit. Before I can point you anywhere useful, it helps to know a bit more: what breed and age is your dog, are there any health issues or sensitivities you're aware of, and what are you currently feeding them?
She's a seven-year-old mixed breed, medium-sized, around 18kg. No known health issues really, she seems fine. I'm buying the supermarket own-brand dry food at the moment because money's tight. Just wondering if I'm doing her any harm.
inparticular.ai
You're not necessarily doing her harm, but at seven she's moving into senior territory — most brands class medium dogs as senior from around seven — and that's where own-brand supermarket food tends to fall short. The protein content is often low, the fillers are high, and there's rarely any joint support built in. That matters more as dogs get older. What does she eat in a day — roughly how much dry food, and does she get anything else alongside it?
She gets about two cups of the dry food morning and evening. Sometimes a bit of whatever we're having if it's something plain, but mostly just the kibble. She's not a fussy eater.
inparticular.ai
Good — easy eaters make this simpler. The one I'd point you to is Wagg Complete Senior. It's a budget-friendly dry food specifically formulated for older dogs, so it has better protein levels than most supermarket own-brands, added glucosamine for joint health, and it's widely available — you can get a 12kg bag on Amazon UK for around £20, which works out cheaper per day than most mid-range foods. It won't win awards against premium brands, but for an 18kg mixed breed with no specific health issues, it's a solid, honest upgrade that won't stretch your budget.
That sounds reasonable. Is there anything I should watch for when I switch her over, or can I just swap straight away?
inparticular.ai
Don't swap straight away — even between similar dry foods, a sudden change can upset their stomach. Mix the new food in gradually over about seven to ten days: start with roughly 25% Wagg and 75% of what she currently eats, then shift the ratio every few days until you're fully on the new food. Watch for any loose stools or signs of digestive upset during that period. If she sails through — which she likely will given she's not sensitive — you're done. Once she's settled, keep an eye on her weight; senior formulas are often slightly lower in calories, so if she starts looking lean, you can nudge the portion up a little.
Really helpful, thank you. I'll give it a try.
