Is My Dog Getting the Right Nutrition?

It's one of those questions that sits quietly in the back of your mind.

You choose your dog's food carefully. You read the labels. You notice how they look and feel. And yet, how do you actually know they're getting everything they need?

It's a fair question. And one that more dog owners are asking as they become more informed about what really goes into pet food, and what a genuinely balanced diet looks like.

This blog won't tell you there's one perfect food for every dog. But it will give you a clearer picture of what nutritional completeness actually means — and what to look for when choosing a food you can trust.

Why the question matters more than you think

Most commercial dog foods carry the label "complete and balanced." It's a reassuring phrase. But what does it actually mean?

In most cases, it means the food meets a minimum nutritional standard set by a regulatory body. In South Africa, this is confirmed by a V-number on the packaging, a sign that the formulation has met the required baseline. It does not mean the ingredients are high quality, that the nutrients are in their most bioavailable form, or that the food has been designed with long-term health in mind.

Minimum standards are a floor, not a ceiling.

For dogs with sensitive digestion, skin issues, low energy, or specific health conditions, meeting the minimum often isn't enough. And even for healthy dogs, there's a meaningful difference between a diet that technically ticks the boxes and one that has been genuinely thought through.

What nutritional completeness actually means

Think of it like this: a diet of ultra-processed and a daily vitamin tablet could technically be called "complete and balanced" for a human. It meets the numbers. But nobody would call it optimal.

The same logic applies to dog food.

Meeting the standard is the starting point. What happens beyond that — the quality of the protein, the digestibility of the ingredients, the way nutrients interact with each other — is what actually determines how well a dog thrives over time.

A truly nourishing diet for a dog needs to deliver — in the right ratios, and in forms the body can actually use:

• Protein — for muscle maintenance, immune function, and cellular repair. Source and digestibility matter enormously.
• Fats — for energy, brain health, coat condition, and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
• Carbohydrates — for sustained energy and digestive health, when sourced well.
• Vitamins and minerals — in the right balance. Too little causes deficiency. Too much can cause toxicity over time.
• Moisture — often overlooked, but critical for kidney function and overall hydration, particularly in dogs fed dry food.

The challenge is that getting this right — across different protein sources, life stages, and health needs — requires genuine expertise. It doesn't happen by accident.

Going beyond the formula: the Happy Hounds approach

At Happy Hounds, we work closely with Andreas Durand, our in-house Pet Nutritionist — but not in the way most brands use a nutritionist.

Andreas is a registered Professional Scientist (SACNASP) with a BSc Agric Honours in Animal Science from the University of Pretoria, specialising in animal nutrition. He has spent years applying his scientific curiosity to the real-world challenge of feeding dogs well.

But his role at Happy Hounds isn't to sign off on a formula that meets regulatory requirements. That's the floor, not the brief.

His work is about going deeper:

• Which protein sources are most bioavailable — not just available?
• How do ingredient combinations affect absorption? Do they work together, or compete?
• What does this recipe actually do for a dog with sensitive digestion, or one moving into their senior years?
• As new research emerges, how do our formulas need to evolve?

"The combined focus of care and science at Happy Hounds means that all formulated dog food recipes only work if a dog can digest it, enjoy it, and thrive on it over time. — Andreas Durand"

This is the difference between food formulated to meet legal requirements and food designed to genuinely support the health and wellbeing of your dog.

Love and care aren't soft concepts at Happy Hounds. They show up in the sourcing decisions, the formulation choices, and the questions we keep asking — because we believe your dog deserves more than the minimum.

What this means for your dog

If your dog is on Happy Hounds, the short answer to the question at the top of this page is: yes, they're getting what they need — and then some.

But beyond our food, the broader principle applies wherever you're buying from. Ask whether genuine nutritional expertise sits behind the recipes. Ask what brief the nutritionist was given. And when you check the label, look for the V-number — and then look beyond it.

Your dog can't read the label. You're doing that for them.

Explore further

• Meet Andreas Durand — Our Pet Nutritionist 
  
• Why Ingredient Quality Matters in Dog Food
• Shop Our Fresh Food Range 
  

FAQ 

How do I know if my dog's food is nutritionally complete?
In South Africa, look for a V-number on the packaging (if it is an imported product look for the AAFCO certification), this confirms the food meets the minimum regulatory standard for nutritional adequacy. But go further: check whether you recognise the ingredients listed, whether they are whole and minimally processed. The V-number is a floor, not a guarantee of quality.

Is fresh dog food nutritionally complete?
A well-formulated fresh dog food can be fully complete and balanced — and will carry a V-number to confirm this. The key word is "formulated." Recipes need to be developed with real nutritional expertise, not just assembled from whole ingredients. At Happy Hounds, every recipe is developed by Andreas Durand (BSc Agric Honours, Animal Science; registered Professional Scientist, SACNASP), with a focus on optimal health outcomes rather than just regulatory compliance.

What does a pet nutritionist do?
Most commercial pet food brands use a nutritionist to formulate recipes that meet the minimum legal standard for "complete and balanced" nutrition. At Happy Hounds, Andreas Durand works to a different brief — focusing on ingredient quality, bioavailability, and how recipes support long-term health and wellbeing over months and years, not just on paper.

Can fresh dog food be better than kibble nutritionally?
Fresh food that has been properly formulated can offer higher ingredient quality, better digestibility, and greater moisture content than most dry foods. The nutritional value depends heavily on how the food is made, who designed it, and — crucially — what they were trying to achieve beyond the minimum standard.