Like most Australian dog owners, you probably consider your fluffy and adorable companion to be your animal best friend. Sure, he might not say much and sometimes you might second-guess his ability to follow commands or simply exist without causing havoc, but your fluffball will always be there for you, in good or bad, and will offer you moments of precious companionship in times when you truly need it. Dogs have a special bond with us, Aussies, and for this reason, the market for high-quality kibble available in local pet stores is healthier than ever.
Do you want to enjoy the company of your pup for many years to come? To avoid expensive, down-the-road vet bills that might significantly alter the finances of your family? In such a case, you will need to take your dog’s nutritional requirements seriously and invest in products of brands like Taste of the Wild or Purina, which benefit from the research and development budget to invest in their formulas and develop kibble suitable for the special requirements of food-sensitive dog breeds.
Premium kibble is not an extravagance. It’s a requirement as long as you are interested in giving your pup only dog food made of high-quality ingredients that can have a scientifically proven effect on their physical and behavioural development. For us humans, food is only a way to receive the necessary energy influx for our daily activities. However, for our pets, their dietary needs and the right ratio of carbs, proteins, vitamins and minerals can represent the difference between a long and healthy life and one spent in the practice of the local veterinarian, waiting for treatment for skin conditions or a weak immune system.
A Lot of Options for a Lot of Pets
We Australians simply love our fluffy friends. Currently, in 2025, it’s estimated that no less than 6.5 million dogs are living in our country, and around 49% of all Aussie households have a dog. 86% of pet owners said that their animal companion had a positive impact on their well-being, while 12% of them declared that they needed financial assistance for their pet’s vet bills. The last point is a slightly growing problem, as the Aussie pet market is currently inundated with food products and accessories that, yes, pass the minimum quality criteria laid out by the PFIAA, but are not necessarily of high quality.
Sure, food is an expensive commodity when we look at the total yearly cost incurred by the median dog ownership process in our country. On average, Australians spend around $1,850 per year on their dog on kibble or wet dog food, which is almost double the sum required by cats. Owning a dog is not always cheap, which is why the mirage of cheap, pet store available kibble is sometimes hard to resist. Yet, going for cheaper, and lower-quality products will be a big mistake, as the nutritional intake of your pup will represent the number one indicator of his long-term physical development.
Why Should You Choose Taste of the Wild?
A couple of easily definable reasons. For starters, Taste of the Wild is a US-based company that’s known for its high-quality kibble that makes use of protein of animal origin, from novel sources. Yes, TOTW also uses regular proteins in their manufactured kibble, but at the same time, they also commercialise products made with proteins sourced from “novel” animals, like bison or venison. In turn, these “novel” proteins are beneficial for animals predisposed to skin conditions or that face significant allergies to proteins sourced from animals like chicken, lamb or beef.
On top of that, since it’s an international brand that’s occupying a premium market segment, the products commercialized by Taste of the Wild are pretty much grain-free, they include probiotic strains in the kibble’s formula, they avoid artificial additives, flavouring agents or controversial dyes, and are available in a wide range of formulas suitable both for adults dogs or puppies just starting to get adjusted to their environment.
Yes, TOTW products can sometimes be a bit more expensive than your run-of-the-mill dog food brand available in your local pet store. However, since they invest heavily in their kibble’s R&D, are transparent with the ingredients used in the products, and target pets that have an enhanced sensitivity to proteins from traditional sources, the premium price is matched by the quality offered to consumers.
What Does the Ideal Kibble Look Like?
That’s a tough one to answer, as realistically, there is no such thing as the ideal kibble. Dog breeds come in all sizes, temperaments and colours, and the nutritional needs of a Chihuahua, for example, will be slightly different from those of a Newfoundlander. However, for the most part, high-quality kibble should utilise proteins of named sources in their manufactured kibble and also provide a healthy percentage of healthy fats, like those extracted from fish oil.
Technically, dogs are omnivores, so they don’t require the same percentage of protein in their kibble as cats do. That said, ideally, the kibble you purchase should have at least 25-30% protein as an active ingredient in the composition, and also make use of proteins from multiple sources. Your local pet store only has kibble that names one protein source? That’s fine. However, you should avoid products that make use of terms such as “animal meal.” Likewise, you should avoid brands that make use of proteins extracted from animal by-products and also skip the products of manufacturers that overdo it with grains like corn and soy.
Complex carbs like brown rice or lentils should not be missing from the composition of the kibble and the same is true for fibres like peas. Your dog will need fibres, carbs and vitamins from natural sources like spinach and carrots in order to develop in a predictable and favourable manner. That said, filler is well, filler, and one of the last things you should do, as a pet owner, is to go for products that overdo it. Choosing your local pet store’s Taste of the Wild product collection will mean playing it safe. However, other brands to consider are Meals for Mutts, Ziwi Peak, or Royal Canin.
