Choosing the Right Dog Food in Kenya

What you put in your dog’s bowl affects its energy, coat, weight, behaviour and how long it lives. In Kenya, owners usually choose between commercial dog food (kibble or wet food), home-cooked meals, or a mix of both. Each can work. What matters is that the diet is complete and balanced for your dog’s age, size and activity level.

This guide gives general advice. Your vet knows your dog’s health and is the best person to tailor a diet, especially for puppies, older dogs and dogs with medical conditions.

Option 1: Commercial dog food

Good-quality commercial food is formulated to contain the protein, fat, vitamins and minerals a dog needs. It is convenient, consistent and easy to measure.

What to look for on the bag:

• A life stage that matches your dog. Puppy food for puppies (and large-breed puppy food for big breeds), adult food for adults, senior formulas for older dogs.
• A named animal protein near the top of the ingredient list, for example chicken, beef, lamb or fish.
• A statement that the food is “complete” or “complete and balanced”. “Complementary” foods and treats are not meant to be fed alone.
• Feeding guidelines by weight. Use them as a starting point, then adjust for your dog’s body condition.
• Freshness. Check the expiry date, buy from shops that store bags off the floor and out of the sun, and keep the bag sealed at home.

Price is not always a perfect guide to quality, but very cheap foods often rely heavily on fillers. Buy the best food you can afford consistently. Switching back and forth upsets many dogs’ stomachs.

Option 2: Home-cooked food

Many Kenyan dogs eat home-cooked meals such as ugali, rice or githeri with meat, offal, fish or eggs, and vegetables. This can be a good diet, but it is easy to get wrong.

Common mistakes:

• Too much starch, too little protein. A plate that is mostly ugali or rice is filling but not nutritious enough, especially for growing puppies and working dogs.
• Missing calcium. Meat alone is low in calcium. Growing puppies fed meat and starch without a calcium source can develop bone problems. Ask your vet about the right supplement or balance.
• Seasoning. Do not add onions, garlic, stock cubes, lots of salt or spicy sauces. Cook your dog’s portion separately, before seasoning.
• Cooked bones. Cooked bones (especially chicken bones) can splinter and cause choking or internal injuries.

If you cook for your dog, ask your vet to help you build a balanced recipe, or combine home food with a good commercial food.

Foods that are dangerous for dogs

Keep these away from your dog:

• Chocolate and cocoa
• Grapes, raisins and sultanas
• Onions, garlic, leeks and chives (raw, cooked or powdered)
• Xylitol, a sweetener in some sugar-free gum, sweets and peanut butter
• Macadamia nuts
• Alcohol and caffeine
• Cooked bones
• Very fatty leftovers, which can trigger pancreatitis

If your dog eats something toxic, call a vet immediately. Do not wait for symptoms.

How much should you feed?

Start with the feeding guide on the bag, or your vet’s advice for home-cooked food, and then watch your dog’s body:

• You should be able to feel the ribs easily under a thin layer of fat, without seeing them clearly.
• From above, your dog should have a visible waist behind the ribs.
• From the side, the belly should tuck up behind the ribs.

Overweight dogs are more prone to joint problems, heat stress and shorter lives. Working and protection dogs need enough fuel, but they also need to stay lean.

How often?

• Puppies: three to four small meals a day, reducing to two by around six months.
• Adults: usually two meals a day.
• Large, deep-chested breeds (German Shepherds, Dobermans, Great Danes and similar): feed two or more smaller meals rather than one big one, and avoid hard exercise straight after eating. This helps reduce the risk of bloat, a life-threatening emergency.

Changing food

Switch gradually over about a week: mix a little of the new food into the old, then increase the proportion each day. Sudden changes often cause diarrhoea.

Water

Always provide clean, fresh water in a shaded spot. Wash the bowl daily. In hot weather, and after training, dogs drink much more.

Food and training

Food is also a training tool. We often use part of a dog’s daily ration as rewards during puppy training and obedience training, which keeps the dog motivated without overfeeding.

Have a question about feeding a working breed, a fussy eater or a puppy? Send us a WhatsApp message.

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This guide is general information from G.A.P on Everything Dogs, not veterinary advice. If your dog is unwell, injured or has eaten something toxic, contact a vet straight away.