A recent column on a Eukanuba/Iams product recall, that took a look at dog food in general, generated a whirlwind of wonderful comments from readers.
Rachel wrote “You know the easiest way to avoid feeding a bad kibble? STOP FEEDING KIBBLE! Would you give your kids cereal for every meal, every day? Why give your dog (an opportunistic carnivore that is nearly genetically identical to a grey wolf) an over-processed, over-cooked, omnivorous diet? By feeding a biologically and anatomically appropriate whole prey model raw diet (of whole unprocessed foods), you can have a healthier and happier pet. And you don't have to worry about recalls.”
Christina wrote “With all due respect, I feel you may need to read up on what’s considered quality pet food. I consider the foods you've listed to be less than quality, not to mention by saying FDA/AAFCO approved, means very little when the 4d's are an acceptable ingredient (just for starters). And almost all of the mentioned foods have a by-product, corn, or ‘animal’ meat in the ingredients list. Mmm…road kill? Or maybe fluffy?”
One of the most helpful comments came from Sabine Contreras, a “Canine Care & Nutrition Consultant.” Sabine suggested that readers might want to look at her web site, www.dogfoodproject.com for information on how the pet food industry is regulated, and to learn to understand and evaluate commercial dog food products.
A native of Germany, now living in Los Angeles with her husband, her Terrier Quigley and five cats, Sabine studied biology and chemistry, and completed a 2.5 year professional apprenticeship on nutrition and dietetics. After completing coursework in Animal Nutrition, Care, Physiology, Diseases and Parasitology, she was certified in Animal Care at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
As one of her larger dog-related projects, Sabine has researched the pet industry in general and commercial dog food specifically since 2000 and is the author of the successful website The Dog Food Project, which is frequently updated with new information
“My goal” she says, “is to provide unbiased information to people who are interested in learning about better alternatives in care and nutrition for their dogs, and to help them overcome the fear of doing wrong when going against conventional recommendations.”
The site delivers – it’s provides a wealth of information in very well-organized, easy-to-read and understandable language.For example, Sabine advises
- “Generically named sources of protein or fat (animal ___, meat ___, poultry ___, etc.) are never present in truly high quality products because they are derived from highly questionable sources. If a manufacturer uses quality ingredients and has nothing to hide, there is no need for generic names.”
- “Fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables add vitamins, minerals and various phytonutrients. They are nice ingredients but by no means necessary and mostly only included in insignificant amounts. If a brand of food contains high quality protein, carbohydrate and fat sources but no fruits or vegetables, it's still a better choice than one with less ideal main ingredients that does have a few pieces of blueberries, peas or carrots added to make the ingredient list look more impressive. Sharing some of the fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables you eat yourself will add much more nutritional value to your dog's diet - just please do not give onions, grapes or raisins.”
- “Sweeteners have no place in food products that are consumed daily, period. They are generally only added to poor quality foods to make them more attractive, since otherwise dogs would simply refuse to eat them. Many dogs get addicted to sweeteners, which can cause or aggravate health problems, including ear infections and diabetes. This addiction frequently poses a problem when owners are trying to convince their pets to eat a better quality food that does not contain any sweeteners, so frustrated owners continue feeding unhealthy brands.
Another reader, SK, provided a link to another outstanding website -- www.dog food analysis.com that provides an exhaustive list of commercial dog food with links to the nutritional analysis of each!
So much to learn about food – human and canine! Share your insight by taking our quick survey:
What do you feed your dog?
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Comments
Elissa, thank you for the feature of the Dog Food Project. I'm most in favor of feeding a (properly balanced) homemade diet, but with people owning as many dogs as they do, commercial pet food is a reality that will not go away. People need to be aware of the huge differences in quality, and that a high price doesn't necessarily guarantee a good food.
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