Dog Food Secrets / Dog Food Myths and Facts

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The Aftermath of the Dog Food Recall

In 2021 healthy dogs and cats started dying. No one really knows how many pet needlessly died, but finally, there was a dog food recall. The killer was an non-food ingredient called melamine, that was used to cheaply boost protein in the dog food. This was definitely the largest recall affecting a large number of dog food labels, but there have been other dog food recalls before this one (possible problems caused from BHA preservative in 2003 and aflatoxin contamination in 2005). And there have been other dog food recalls since (salmonella from contaminated peanut butter in 2009).

What has this done to the dog food industry? Well, luckily for our pets, many more pet owners now really look at what kinds of foods they are feeding. And many companies have responded to our concern, providing us with more organic, natural, and holistic dog foods to choose from.

As we ourselves are now getting used to looking at our own food ingredients label to see what is healthy for our own consumption, we must also start to scrutinize our dog food ingredients. Yes, the organic, natural, holistic dog foods are a little more expensive, but in the long run they are worth it! These are companies that trying to provide healthy foods for your dog, rather than conglomerates that are only interested in their bottom line and their profits.

Don’t get me wrong, these super-premium dog food companies (ones that provide organic, natural, or holistic foods) are also in it to make a profit, it’s a business, not charity. It’s just that they don’t want to make a profit at the expense of your dog’s health. The conglomerates are using the almighty dollar for slick advertising, constantly telling us that THEY know what is best for your dog and cat.

But the reality is that the pet food industry is actually the primary outlet for human by-products they manufacture food for humans and what is left over goes into dog food. I wouldn’t feed that kind of crap to my kids and I sure won’t feed it to my dogs either!

These dog food recalls are our wake-up call. No longer can we just trust a company to provide safe and healthy food for our pets. It is up to us to check our dog food ingredients and demand the best for our dogs.

Understanding Hypoallergenic Dog Food

What exactly is a hypoallergenic dog food? Will it automatically cure all your dog’s food allergies? Although a good, quality food will not cure anything, it will help boost the immune system and keep your dog healthier.

Dog food allergies are definitely on the rise. And the most common culprits, in no particular order, are:

corn
wheat
soy
dairy
beef
chicken

Some people think it is because in some dog food these are very low quality ingredients and by-products. Another common assumption is that these foods are overfed to our dogs. Whatever the reason, your dog is miserable from it. Common dog food allergy symptoms include a host of skin issues (severe itching, hot spots, constant licking) as well as intestinal problems (constipation and diarrhea).

So what do hypoallergenic dog foods do to help your dog? Firstly, you will not find any of the above listed ingredients in it. Many hypoallergenic dog foods use protein sources that are not common, such as duck, venison, elk, bison, rabbit, and salmon. They also do not use corn, wheat, or soy, but instead you will find ingredients like potatoes, sweet potatoes, barley, oatmeal, brown rice, and millet. A good hypoallergenic food will be at least all-natural, which means they do not use any artificial coloring, flavoring, and preservatives. The best hypoallergenic dog foods will also be organic, using free-range animal meats and pesticide-free grains, fruits, and vegetables.

If your dog has food allergies, you might want to switch to a hypoallergenic dog food that has completely new protein and carbohydrate sources. Not only will this more than likely not include the offending ingredients, but the quality of the food is much higher, giving your dog a much more nutrient-dense dinner. Giving your dog better quality ingredients will help strengthen his immune system, which will help him battle his allergies and food intolerance easier.

What Makes For A Premium Dog Food?

There are so many ‘categories’ of dog food out there. Premium dog food, super-premium, organic, holistic, all natural, …. So what should you feed your dog? Is a premium dog food good enough?

If money was of no issue, I myself would go for a holistic and organic dog food that is freeze-dried. I think that as far as food quality, this is the next best thing to a healthy, homemade dog food. But money is an issue for me. And with one 50lb dog and another 110lb dog (not to mention 2 cats and a bearded dragon) the amount of pet food that we go through is quite a lot.

That is why I had to learn about reading the dog food ingredients label. Some food that you pay a high price for is not worth it at all! Others, you are getting exactly what you paid for.

So back to the original question what makes for a premium dog food? There is no official definition of premium or super-premium. Truth be told, there is also no legal definitions for holistic or all natural either. There are guidelines and such, but dog food is just not as regulated as well as human food.

Most people agree that a premium dog food has better quality ingredients than your run-of-the-mill brand. Things that a premium dog food does not usually have in the first 5 ingredients (which make up most of the dog food): animal by-products and cheap grains. They also usually do not contain artificial coloring, flavoring, or preservatives.

Super-premium dog foods are premium dog foods with different animal meats, and superior grains, fruits and vegetables. Many are also certified organic with free-range meat sources.

If your dog has dog food allergies, you may find a lot of relief for your pet just by switching to a premium or super-premium dog food and getting away from the common sources of allergies in dogs that are found in low-grade dog foods.

With better quality ingredients, premium dog food, will be more expensive than low-quality (store brands/conglomerate brands). But always beware — the companies know you think more expensive equals better food and some will try to jack up their price and label themselves as premium or super-premium. Always make sure you read the ingredients on the dog food label to verify what you are buying!

Is Raw Dog Food Dangerous?

With the massive pet food recalls in the past few years, pet owners have been taking a closer look at their dog food. And a lot of people have been turning to a healthy, homemade or raw dog food over commercial dog food. Why? Because then you know exactly what is in your dog’s food. It’s food you get from your grocery store or butcher. But is feeding raw dog food to your dog dangerous?

Most people are concerned as to whether the raw meat might give their dog salmonella poisoning. Same with raw eggs. And then there is the controversy over whether raw eggs deplete biotin. But very few dogs have ever got sick from eating a raw diet. Dogs stomach acid is much higher than humans and they are able kill more bacteria.

Their intestinal track is also much shorter, about 1/3, so food doesn’t stay in them for very long. Now, we are talking fresh meat, just like you and I would eat nothing spoiled or rotten. As for eggs, again fresh eggs only. If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t give it to your dog. The biotin controversy is really more if you are only feeding raw egg whites if you feed the whole egg, the yolk counteracts the effects of the egg whites.

Another reason people love raw dog food is that it is so much easier than having to cook the dog’s food first. Cooking is also known to kill off valuable enzymes and nutrients in foods, while fresh, raw foods are bursting with nutrients. Some people who want to feed raw but are still afraid of bacteria will sear the meat on both sides, which kills most of the bacteria, but keeps the meat raw on the inside.

But really the only reason raw dog food is dangerous is that very few raw diets are balanced and this can cause nutritional deficiencies. Most proponents of raw dog food will advise you to add a canine multi-vitamin to their meals to ensure they are getting all the vitamins and minerals they need.

The Truth Behind Human Grade Dog Food

In the store the other day I saw a bag of human grade dog food. Curious, and always on the lookout for good, nutritious food for my dogs, I went over and took a look. After researching dog foods for over a year now, I get very nervous and distrusting when I see something that is trying really hard to get my attention.

Human grade dog food. What does that really mean? Can I buy this and give it to my kids the human kind, that is? The truth is, that’s what the dog food companies are banking on you thinking not that you would actually do that, though. They know our relationship with our dogs are a very serious issue these days. By putting human grade on the bag, people automatically think, ‘I’m basically giving my dog human food. What could be better?’

So back to what does human grade dog food mean. Unfortunately, there is not a legal definition for human-grade, although there is an official definition. Human-grade means that the processing plant is certified for processing human food. It does not mean the food coming from the processing plant would necessarily be something that humans would eat, though. But rather, that the sanitary conditions in the plant are acceptable for human food processing.

For example, most people do not eat animal lungs (that I know at least), but if they are processed in a certified human food processing plant, then it is considered a human grade ingredient (lungs are an acceptable part of what is called animal byproduct in pet foods).

So is human grade dog food good, or is it just another marketing strategy? It depends on the food…..

For me, it always goes back to reading and examining each ingredient in the dog food. This is the tell-all of the food. Is it full of by-products, animal or grain? Does it have preservatives or artificial coloring? The smartest thing I ever did was learn how to read those labels. I did it for my children’s health years ago. Now I’m doing it for my dogs’ health as well.