We talk to a lot of dog owners in Pakistan. And we keep hearing the same questions, the same worries, the same "oh I didn't know that" moments over and over again.
So we decided to put it all in one place. Not as a lecture. Just as the things we genuinely wish more people knew earlier, and that we think every dog parent here should know.
1. The First Ingredient on the Label Is Everything
Walk into any pet store and you'll see dozens of options. Bags with pictures of happy dogs, words like "premium," "natural," "balanced." But most of it is marketing.
The one thing that actually tells you what's in the bag is the ingredient list, specifically the first ingredient. By law, ingredients are listed in order of weight, so whatever's first makes up the largest portion of the food.
If the first ingredient is chicken or beef or fish, good. If it's corn, wheat, rice, or chicken by-product meal, you're mostly paying for filler.
A quick rule: if you can't picture the ingredient as something you'd eat yourself, it probably shouldn't be the foundation of your dog's diet.
We've got a full guide on reading dog food labels on the blog if you want to go deeper on this.
2. You're Probably Overfeeding
This one is hard to hear, because overfeeding usually comes from love.
Most feeding guidelines on dog food bags are actually higher than necessary, partly because more food means you buy more food. And in Pakistani households, where hospitality is in our DNA, it's very natural to give your dog a little extra. Just a bit more. Because they looked at you.
But an overweight dog is at higher risk for joint problems, diabetes, and a shorter life. And a lot of dogs look "normal" to their owners when they're actually carrying too much weight.
The test: run your hand along your dog's ribcage. You should be able to feel the ribs without pressing hard. If you can't feel them at all, your dog is overweight. If they're sticking out visibly, underweight.
If you want specific numbers, breed, age, and activity level all affect portions. Our feeding cost breakdown covers how to calculate this properly.
3. Treats Are Calories Too
This one trips up almost everyone.
Treats are supposed to be a small part of the diet, ideally no more than 10% of total daily calories. But it's very easy to give 10 treats throughout the day and not think of it as "feeding."
The issue is compounded by how we use treats here. Training, rewarding good behaviour, bribing them to stop barking, snacking because they're cute. It adds up fast.
If your dog gets a lot of treats, reduce their main meal slightly to compensate. And choose treats with real ingredients. A dried liver strip is a treat. A "flavoured chew" made of corn starch and artificial colouring is not.
4. Most Pakistani Table Scraps Are Actually Dangerous for Dogs
We say this carefully because we know how common this is. Giving dogs leftover roti, daal, or rice feels natural. It's what people have done for generations with street dogs and house dogs alike.
Some of it is harmless. Plain cooked rice? Fine. Plain boiled chicken? Great, actually.
But standard Pakistani cooking almost always includes ingredients that are toxic to dogs.
Onion and garlic are the big ones. Even in small amounts, both are toxic to dogs and damage red blood cells, which can cause anaemia. The problem is they're in almost everything we cook: qorma, karahi, daal, sabzi. If it was cooked in a Pakistani kitchen, assume it has onion and garlic in it.
Excessive salt and spices are another issue. Dogs have much lower sodium tolerance than humans. Food that tastes mild to us can be very high in salt for them.
Grapes and raisins are common in desserts and sometimes given as snacks, but even small amounts can cause kidney failure in dogs.
If you want to share food with your dog, keep a separate plain portion aside before the spices go in. Or just stick to dog-appropriate snacks.
5. Switching Foods Cold Turkey Will Wreck Their Stomach
Dogs need a gradual transition when you change their food, usually 7 to 10 days. You start with mostly the old food and slowly increase the proportion of the new food each day.
Switching suddenly, even to a better and healthier food, almost always causes loose stools, vomiting, or a dog that refuses to eat. Then the owner assumes the new food doesn't suit their dog and goes back to the old one.
It's not the new food. It's the speed of the switch. Their gut bacteria need time to adjust.
If your dog has a sensitive stomach, slow down even more. Some dogs need two full weeks. The signs of a good transition are firm stools, normal energy, and eating enthusiastically.
6. Dry Food Goes Rancid Fast in Pakistan's Heat
This is one nobody talks about enough.
Dry kibble contains fats that oxidise when exposed to heat and air. In a country where summers regularly hit 40°C+, an open bag of kibble left in a kitchen or storeroom degrades much faster than the best before date suggests.
Rancid fat doesn't always smell obviously bad to us, but it does to your dog. This is why some dogs stop eating a food they previously liked. It's also why prolonged consumption of oxidised fats is linked to vitamin deficiencies and digestive issues.
The fix is simple. Once you open a bag of food, store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Even better, transfer it to an airtight container as this slows down oxidation significantly and keeps the food fresher for longer. If the food smells off or your dog suddenly loses interest in something they used to eat happily, trust their nose. They're almost always right.
7. Fresh Water Matters More Than You Think, Especially in Pakistan
Dogs on dry food need significantly more water than dogs on fresh or wet food. Kibble has almost no moisture content, around 8 to 10%, whereas raw or fresh food is closer to 70 to 80% water.
In Pakistani summers, dogs can dehydrate shockingly fast. Dehydration affects digestion, kidney function, energy levels, and coat health, and a lot of owners don't make the connection to food.
Some simple things that help: keep multiple water bowls around the house rather than just one. Change the water at least twice a day since dogs often refuse stagnant water. In extreme heat, add ice cubes to their bowl. And if your dog eats dry food and seems lethargic in summer, try adding a splash of water or plain broth to their meal. Many dogs become much more enthusiastic about eating too.
The Common Thread
Reading back through this list, there's a pattern. Most of these problems come from treating dogs like small, fur-covered humans and feeding them our food, our habits, our portion logic.
Dogs share a lot with us. But their bodies work differently. Once you understand a few of those differences, feeding them well actually becomes simpler, not harder.
If you have questions about any of this or about your specific dog's diet, reach out on Instagram or WhatsApp. We're always happy to help figure it out.
LICIOUS makes air-dried and fresh food for dogs in Pakistan. Everything we make uses real, single-ingredient proteins with no fillers, no preservatives, and nothing you can't pronounce.