It is important to feed your dog the right food. The right food helps in supplying the fur baby with the right nutrition, helps you to maintain the right weight of your pet, and it also helps dogs to stay healthy with a good and active digestive system.
Dog food is available in dry and wet versions and you can buy it from online stores too but before you purchase dog food in bulk, you need to check how long the dog food lasts. This is good for your money and it is safe for your beloved pet as well. Contaminated food may cause serious digestive disorders so good food preservation is very important for your pet’s well-being.
How to check dog foods before you buy
In fact, all dog foods are sold in the market with an ‘best-before’ date printed on the pack. The duration may vary, though. In some cases, it may give you six months’ time or sometimes you may get one year to use the dog food you have purchased. It may depend on the brand you have bought and it also depends on the batch of the food you are purchasing from the pet shop.
The older the packet, the shorter the shelf life of the food. However, there is a fix. Dog food cannot get rotten immediately after its best-before date and at the same time, dog food can go bad even before the ‘best-before’ date if it is not preserved properly.
So, there are a few points you need to check while buying the dog’s food. These are:
- Check the manufacturing date and the best buy instruction
- Check if the packet is properly sealed
- Check if there is any problem with the dog food inside and if will there be a money-back guarantee
- Check if there is any special instruction on the food about its storage.
How to store dry dog food
Dog foods are predominantly of two types. One of them is dry dog food. It looks mostly like granules and is usually of a brownish color. Different varieties are available in the dry food category such as egg chicken, chicken liver, etc. Furthermore, there are different foods for puppies, senior dogs, etc.
Once you have bought dry foods, you need to preserve them in an air-tight container and keep them away from direct sunlight or extremely humid conditions. It is always better to preserve dry dog foods in their original packaging but if you have purchased them in bulk quantity, an airtight container is the best option for you.
Some dog food packets come with a zip pouch option which is really convenient for preserving the food. Â If you need to transfer the food packet into an air-tight container, you can choose virgin plastic, metal, or glass containers.
Always store the container off the floor so that dampness, humidity, or heat cannot have an impact on the container. Never store dog food in the basement, garage, or under shades because these areas get extra hot or humid.
Generally, a packet of dry dog food should be consumed in the next 6 months after the purchase. However, it largely depends on the ‘best-before’ option and manufacturing date.
You can allow your dog to have the dry food for the next 24 hours once it is served in the feeding bowl. You need to wash the bowl at least once a day so that the chances of fungus contamination can be lowered and this way, you can ensure better safety for your pet.
How to store canned dog food
Canned foods always come with best-before dates. Unless the can is open, you can store the food in a dark and cool location. Generally, unopened canned foods offer long shelf life but when they are opened, the rest of the food should be kept in the refrigerator under a closed lid condition and you should use the food within the next seven days at the most.
If by chance, you have served the food at room temperature and your dog has not consumed it, you must discard the leftover after four hours. Wash the feeding bowl thoroughly before you serve food in it again.
- Unopened food cans can be preserved in a cupboard or closed shelf.
- Opened cans should be kept in the fridge and you need to write the opening date on the can.
- Do not use a moist spoon to take out the food.
- Once served, do not forget to place the can with leftovers again in the fridge with the lid tightly closed.
- In the case of wet food, always follow the expiry date which is generally 1 year after it is manufactured. Once the 1 year time is over, even an unopened wet food can should be discarded.
How to preserve raw dog food ingredients
Apart from readymade dry or canned foods, owners often prefer to feed their pets homemade foods and you need to know how long the raw dog food lasts as well. In many cases, commercially-packaged food packets can be found with detailed age instructions. Accordingly, you need to arrange the storage of these raw foods for dogs. However, there are some general instructions:
- Raw ground meat, poultry, and fish should be refrigerated for maximum 2 days
- Larger cuts of meat like steaks, roast, chops, etc. can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days
- You can keep frozen meats for 4-6 months provided it is purchased from a reputed departmental food store
These are some of the most important tips for preserving dog foods. Â Unless they know the ways to preserve the dog food, it becomes difficult for kennel owners to store their expensive dog food. Potential owners may also face problems in terms of bringing a pet dog home unless they arrange to keep their dog food in a cool and dry place.
Dogs usually enjoy sound health. If you can give them fresh food and enough nutrients, it will keep your pets lively and active. Buying dog food in bulk can save money for sure but unless you have learned how long the dog food lasts, you cannot buy it in bulk quantity. So, it is important to learn dog food management.