Category: Blog

As a certified dog trainer in Munich, one of the most common questions I hear from dog owners across Bavaria is: “What should I feed my dog?” The answer matters more than you might think — nutrition shapes behaviour, energy levels, coat health, and long-term wellbeing. Here’s the science-based guide I share with my clients in Munich and online.

Start With Your Dog’s Nature

Before choosing any specific diet, we have to understand what dogs actually are biologically. Are they carnivores, omnivores, or herbivores? The answer determines everything about how we should feed them.

Dogs are carnivores with a small omnivorous tendency. They are designed primarily to eat meat — and the evidence is right there in their anatomy.

Teeth Tell the Truth

• Carnivore teeth (dogs & cats): sharp, designed for catching and tearing meat
• Herbivore teeth (sheep, cows): flat, designed for grinding plants

Open your dog’s mouth — those pointed canines and sharp molars are not built for grinding grain.

Gut Length Matters

The ratio of body length to gut length gives another clue:

• Cats — 1:3
• Dogs — 1:5
• Sheep — 1:24

A short gut is designed for meat. Long fermentation guts are for processing plant material. Dogs sit firmly on the carnivore end of the spectrum.

What Wild Dogs Eat

Wild dogs and dingoes hunt rabbits, birds, lizards, and insects — and occasionally eat fruits and plants. Their diet is mostly meat, with a small natural variety of plant matter.

The Prey Principle: How I Feed My Own Dog

The best diet replicates what dogs would eat naturally: muscle meat, organs, bones, and a small amount of fruit and vegetables. This is called feeding on the prey principle.

You don’t have to be perfect — even improving the quality of one or two meals a week makes a difference.

Food Options for Munich Dog Owners

Living in Munich, you have excellent access to high-quality meat, organic vegetables, and specialised pet shops in neighbourhoods like Schwabing, Glockenbachviertel, and Bogenhausen. Here are your four main options:

1. Dry Food (Kibble)

• ✅ Easy to store, convenient, long shelf life
• ❌ Low moisture, high processing, possible kidney strain
• ⚠️ Dogs on dry food must drink 3–5× more water

2. Cooked Food

• ✅ Fresh, nutritious, tasty
• ❌ Time-consuming, more expensive
• 🎯 You control every ingredient

3. Raw Food (BARF)

• ✅ Natural, vitamins preserved, closest to wild diet
• ❌ Bacteria risk, meat quality concerns
• 👩‍🍳 You choose the meat — work with trusted Munich butchers or BARF suppliers

4. Wet Food

• ✅ Balanced, moist, easy to digest
• ❌ Some nutrients lost during processing
• 🎯 Always check labels and choose quality brands

Need Personal Advice in Munich?

Every dog is different. Age, breed, activity level, health conditions, and individual sensitivities all play a role. As a PDTE-certified dog trainer based in Munich, I help families across the city build feeding plans that fit their dog’s real needs — and their own daily life.

I work with clients throughout Munich including Schwabing, Bogenhausen, Maxvorstadt, Sendling, Pasing, and surrounding areas, as well as online consultations in English, German, Russian, Ukrainian, and Spanish.

👉 Book a personal consultation or send me a message — I’d love to help you and your dog thrive.