This is information I have put together to help me make a decision on food to feed our dog. Maybe it will help some others out as well. I will attempt to attach my file, not a computer whizz so hope I do it right.

This is strictly information I have come across in magazines, television or on line. I am not advocating one thing or the other or for that matter any particular brand or type of dog food. I found it very confusing, after 13 years of not having a puppy around, as to what type of food to feed our puppy. So being a list person I started a list. Here it is, this is simply what I will be looking for. Warning it is long but maybe it will help you out as well. There are 3 types of food—Canned, Dry or Homemade Diets.

1. Ingredients are listed in descending order on packages, predominance by weight.
2. Meat first—versus meat meals or by-products. Meats can be beef, chicken, lamb or fish.
3. Should state complete and balanced
4. Grains—avoid low-end carbs such as wheat middling’s, gluten and rice mill by-products
5. Rice and potato may be easier to digest—but properly processed and cooked corn or wheat is well tolerated by most dogs.
6. Carbs should follow meat on the list of ingredients
Canned: Usually contains minimal or no grain, can be expensive and the primary ingredient is water.
Dry Food (Kibble): Offers easy-to-measure and stores nicely. By design, dry food must contain high levels of grains or starches in order to bake into a hardened, kibbled form. Has the added benefit of helping to scrape plaque from a dogs teeth, but does not eliminate the need for proper dental hygiene.
When choosing between kibble and canned food, it is important to understand that as long as the label has a statement of nutritional adequacy, (either by comparison to nutrient profiles or by feeding trials); the diet will provide appropriate nutrition for your dog.
Fixed-formula—unless guaranteeing a fixed (non-changing) formula some pet food manufacturers can and do alter the ingredients without warning. Depending on the capricious nature of ingredient availability and pricing. These changes in ingredient(s) could be causing intermittent, mild vomiting, diarrhea, itchy skin or terrible intestinal gas in your dog.
Supplements—need to be careful with these. There are danger in over nutrition—some vets have seen cases of corneal dystrophy (a degenerative eye condition) caused by supplements.
Avoiding over nutrition in puppies is especially important. “A Corgi is a big dog in a small body” there may be some truth in that saying. Seems Corgis have the bone structure of a bigger dog. Being an active working breed they are more susceptible to abnormal bone growth, so say some vets. Large breed formula designed to prevent rapid bone growth is one I will be checking in to.
Dyes—will be avoiding foods with dyes in them. This is immaterial to the dog and is put in to make the food more attractive to humans so unless you are sneaking your dogs kibble, why the dye? Also no knows the negative things colored dyes may be doing to your pet or you if you can’t stay out of the kibble.
Homemade diets—this can be time consuming so for convenience kibble or canned usually win hands down. Veterinarians raise a valid concern about the loss of nutrients during the intense heat required to process kibble and canned diets. As well as with long storage periods nutrients in prepackaged foods can degrade or become rancid, including vitamins and oils. Diets made in small batches with fresh, whole ingredients offer unparalleled level of nutrient availability. You can choose organically produced meats, vegetables and grains. While avoiding agricultural chemical, antibiotics and hormones via food sources. Those who choose this route have a lot of quality control. With that said most homemade diets are not being tested for nutritional completeness. It is difficult to cook homemade diets and ensure meeting all the nutritional needs. Published recipes appear everywhere; don’t assume that just because it is in print it is formulated properly. Have the recipe evaluated by a nutritionist or only use those recipes verified to be complete and balanced by comparison to American Association of Feed Control Officials nutrient profiles.
Buying from a company that conducts or sponsors “published” research in canine nutrition. This is not testimonials—you want scientific facts.
Body conditioning—this has replaced “weight” in veterinary medical record keeping to clarify whether any given weight is healthy for an individual dog. Your vet can provide an illustrative chart and instructions on how to body condition score your own dog.
Obesity—estimated ideal weights for Pembroke’s are: males, 26 to 30 pounds with 27 pounds being ideal, females, 22 to 28 pounds ideal being 25, Cardigans males, 30 to 38 pounds and females 25 to 34 pounds. Obesity is defined as dogs weighing 15% or more than its ideal.
Puppies—need to be fed 3 times a day they have smaller stomachs and burn more calories than adults, so they thrive on smaller more frequent meals. Adult dogs fed 2 times a day. Blood sugar levels can drop too low on a once daily feeding regimens, even in adults.
Examining the effects of the food you choose:
1. Look at body condition
2. Your dog’s skin and coat condition. Skin should not be flaky or itchy and coats should be plush and shiny, not dry or brittle.
3. Check stool consistency good digestion produces a small, firm stool.
4. Does your dog have a sufficient energy level for exercise and play?
5. Immune system does your dog enjoy overall good health, or suffer digestive, skin, respiratory or urinary tract problems?
Switching foods—this should be done gradually, mixing the new in with the old if at all possible. This goes for adult dogs as well as puppies. Especially when you first bring home the new addition, there are enough changes going on for the little guy or gal. So at first try to keep them on what they have been fed at the breeders etc.

So as for our decision we are going with kibble. Canned are too expensive, mostly water and the dental thing. Homemade is too time consuming, I would rather spend time with the dog, plus I was thinking if I were to get ill still have to cook the dogs food, go on vacation or boarding could create problems. Plus with processed food they have already done the nutritional testing for complete and balanced.
Now my choice is not for everyone but then I am not making your decision for you. This is just information I have come across that has helped me make my decision. Nothing replaces doing your own investigation for facts that are important to you. Having made our choice this is what I will be looking for in a kibble:
1. Puppy formula(probably what the breeder is using) for first 12 to 14 months—will start the switch to adult food slowly introducing into diet on veterinarians recommendations.
2. Meat first ingredient followed by carbs.
3. If at all possible a fixed formula by a company that conducts or sponsors “published” research.
4. No colored dyes, mainly red or green.
5. Have decided that, again if possible, will avoid any food that has the word” by-product” listed in the ingredients. Figure this should stand for bye-bye dog food. Most everything I have read on “by-products” has not been good.
Have I figured out which brand yet? No, but I will and soon because in less than 3 weeks we will have our little Samantha here with us. I do hope this helps.