How to store Dog Food CORRECTLY ?.

You have spent a long time researching on what should enter your pet’s tummy for nutritional benefits but How you store your pet’s food is the most crucial step to allow the dog to accrue health benefits from whatever it eats. Like a thumb rule, Never keep dry dog food with home and garden cleaning products and always store it in a sealed container made with food grade materials in a cool and dry spot.

1. Do not transfer Kibbles into a Container: You want to retain the food’s freshness and are considering a storage tool? Get hold of a plastic or metal storage bin equipped with a tight lid and place the food bag in it. Do not transfer the kibbles directly as its bag is specially designed to maintain the food’s freshness and flavors over a long period.
   

   Keep the packaging till the food is consumed , as it comes printed with important information like the expiration date, bar code, manufacturing details that come in handy in case of a food recall. image –
   pets.stackexchange.com

2. Make sure to seal the dog food bag: Every time you take out some food, seal the container’s lid tightly lest air and humidity will contaminate the pet food. Apart from harmful bacteria like salmonella there are chances of contamination by mold (causes gastrointestinal issues, neurological disorders and liver damage) and storage mites (cause skin allergies).
3. Choose the right spot for storing the food: Dry food and unopened canned food must be stored in a cool and dry place. Sunlight and humidity are dog food’s nemeses. Direct sunlight/ high temperatures can spoil the food and also lead to contamination by bacteria.
   

   The food is bound to get spoilt if you store it in an open container. Image -patch.com

4. How to store canned pet food? Once a can is opened you have to refrigerate it within 2 hours of unfastening it. An opened tin should not be stored for more than 5 days in the fridge, even if some food is left its best to discard it within a week’s time. If your dog doesn’t finish the food within 30 minutes, throw away the remainder.

Regarding dry food ask your pet shop about the period beyond which an opened bag mustn’t be consumed.

5. Food that is expired must never be used: Don’t risk your pet’s health by feeding it expired food as it can lead to severe dehydration/vomiting. Make it a habit to check the ‘use by’ dates on dog food bags and cans before purchase.
6. Never mix new dry food with the remaining old one: The old food may just contaminate the new one you just bought.
7. Don’t allow kids to touch pet food: Small children are often notorious for dirty hands. They usually avoid frequent hand washing. In such a scenario they can end up contaminating the dog food while offering it to your furry-child.
   

   It’s best to take this task in your clean hands! Image – in.pinterest.com

8. Wash the dog’s water and food bowls: The United States Food and Drug Administration recommends washing the pet’s utensils properly using dish soap and hot water between mealtimes. This will prohibit bacteria from building up. We ourselves never eat any meal in used dishes and must follow the same ritual for our four-legged babies.
   

   Use feeding bowls that are made using food grade materials. Image – www.wikihow.com

Proper food storage is as important as choosing quality pet food. Choosing the right spot and sealing it properly will prevent disease-carrying mice and insects from accessing dog food. Also your pooch mustn’t be able to reach the bag or knock the storage bin over. As most canines fail to fix the right portion size suitable for them and end up over-eating causing their stomachs to bloat and during a food bloat optimal blood supply fails to reach the stomach and intestines.

Article resource: https://iheartdogs.com/7-mistakes-dog-owners-make-when-storing-their-pet-food