Dog Food: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Dog Food: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Good (On Dog Food):

Yes you have had a dog for years and think you know it all!  And you may know a lot about dog food, but even if you do (and of course for those that don’t), it’s always a good refresher.

(1) Stick to protein rich dog food, which result in more energy for your dog, less health problems.

(2) Also give your dog only human grade dog food.  Most dog foods are classified as “feed” which means its made up of meat from dead, dying, and diseased animals.  Yuck!

(3) The least processed the better.  Canned and kibble go through such extreme processing to make them shelf stable.  It’s much easier to absorb nutrients, and there are more nutrients in foods that are less processed.

The Bad (On Dog Food):

(1) Stay away from wheat & processed grains.

(2) Be weary of dog food that is made up of “meal.”  If the word “meal” comes after a mean on the ingredients list of your dog food then its not real meat, its a by product which can also contain feathers, grease and whatever else is lying around.

(3) Stay clear of preservatives, which most commercial brands use to extend the shelf life of their dog food.  Some preservatives used double as pesticides- they are not even permitted in the UK, but the good old US of A allows them of course!

(4) Don’t feed table scraps!  No need, and nothing good will come from it (unless you like a fat begging dog at your tableside, j/k, well not really!).  Also remember never ever feed your dog: chocolate, onions, grapes, raisins, bones and macadamia nuts.

The Ugly (On Dog Food):

The FDA doesn’t control what manufacturers are putting in our pet’s food!  So we must ourselves be very diligent, because as you know the saying ‘what we eat is what we are’ goes for dogs too!  And you don’t want your dog to be a sick animal.

Side Notes:

(1) Wash your dog food bowl regularly, whether you give him dry, wet or raw, and water bowl for that matter.  If you wouldn’t eat off of the same plate every meal why should he? (Hopefully I’m not assuming too much! LOL)

(2) Feed your dog the correct portions of food, read labels, talk to your vet.  You are not helping your dog by over feeding him!

(3) Keep your dog hydrated- they need a lot of water!  To help your dog drink more, wash his water bowl daily, and give fresh water at least with every meal!

Final Thoughts:

I think my dog eats better than me (actually I know he eats better than me) but that makes me happy knowing that he will live his longest healthiest life that I can give him.   Yes it’s hard to resist that cute face begging you for some food off your plate, but just remind yourself you would rather have your dog live a long healthy life (than a fat beggar), if so then just give him a hug and a pat instead, or better yet, play a game of fetch with him after you eat!

Here’s a great source to check out.  You can look up the brand of dog food you are feeding your pup, and see if its worthy enough!   Dog Food Advisor

Are You Feeding Your Dog Something Potentially Deadly?

Watching Dr. Oz recently, reminded me of this additive/chemical in our pet’s food (and in our food!) that has been linked to certain types of tumors in laboratory animals, according to the National Institute of Health.

The evil culprit is BHA (and also BTA).  

Despite findings that this chemical may be linked to cancer, the FDA still permits its use as a fat preserver in food, and generally recognizes it as safe in low doses; however, who knows what “low doses” means and why even take the chance???  Moreover, we tend to feed our dogs the same food (and treats) day after day (unlike our own diets), so the accumulative exposure is worrisome.

There are a ton of other dog food and treats (and cat food/treats) that don’t use these additives in their products.  Natural preservatives are considered safer, so most dog food companies avoid the use of these chemicals.

So 2 lessons learned here!

(1) READ your pet food labels, and ingredients list!

(2) When you read on a pet food label a particular fat ingredient has been “preserved with BHA” you know to stay away!

SAME GOES FOR CATS!!

What to Feed Your Dog???

That old saying YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT, applies to your pets too!

Do NOT feed your dog chocolate cake please! 🙂

Maybe you are getting a new dog and are wondering what to feed him or her, maybe your dog has been on the same food for years, or maybe you are thinking of switching your dog’s food.

If any of these sound like you, then read on!

Many people do not know that pet food packaging contains ingredients just like human food does.  What you see on that label is the key to knowing whether that food is appropriate for your pet.  Make note, that the higher the ingredient is on the list, the more it makes up that food.  Most of your pet’s food will be composed of the first few ingreidents, which is important to know in case you see any undesireable ingredients.

Here are some ingredients to avoid:

(1) By-products & by-product meals:  These are unfit for human consumption so don’t feed them to your dog. They are created from waste parts in the butchering process.  Instead look for dog food that lists actual meat as an ingredient.  And note that “chicken meal” is not the same terrible ingredient as “chicken by-product meal.”

(2) Anything artificial (like colors and flavors, such as FD&C Red #40): Many pet foods use artificial colors and flavors.  These synthetic additives are unnecessary, especially since color has little importance for your dog.

(3) Fillers (such as soybean meal and flour, wheat middlings, wheat gluten and corn meal gluten): Fillers have little to no nutritional value and are only added to pet food to increase volume or weight.  Almost all dog food is sold by weight, so bulking up food with inexpensive ingredients can save companies a lot of money.  The issue is that your pet gets absolutely nothing from these ingredients, and in most cases their body can’t even break them down.

(4) Sugar or sweeteners (such as cane sugar, or HFCS):  Just because your dog LOVES the food, doesn’t mean it’s healthy!  We all know that what tastes good isn’t always what is good for us.

Here’s a great website to check out the food you are feeding your dog:  http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/

What to feed your cat is next week!