By M. Bruno
The recent dog food and pet food recall that has claimed the lives of dogs across the United States as a result of eating contaminated commercial dog food tainted with aminopterin, a rat poison, and melamine, a chemical used in making plastics and fertilizer. As a result many dog owners considering homemade dog food as a safe and nutritious alternative for their dog.
In a recent news article, a law professor states that little change is anticipated ( in the dog food industry) after the current onslaught of dog food recall news and attention subsides.
The probable reason for this conclusion is that there are insufficient financial resources and manpower to effectively monitor and regulate the dog food industry. You can't trust the dog food industry to watch out for your dog and the government is not your answer either.
This is unfortunate. The dog food industry was born in postwar America to meet a need....the need of business interests to recycle slaughterhouse and industrial waste. This refuse had potential uses as fertilizer, landfill and such, but a more profitable horizon existed in the packaging and selling this "junk" as food to unsuspecting dog owners. It is now a common misconception that your dog can not maintain a healthy life unless he is fed commercial dog food. Nothing could be further from the truth.
To save your dog's life, you may want to consider making your own homemade dog food. This is one of the best ways to guarantee your dog a healthy and safe diet.
Just glance at some of the regular ingredients delivered by rendering plants to commercial dog food manufacturers in the Unites States, Europe and worldwide.
o Euthanized dogs -Toxic chemicals such as Sodium Phenobarbital, the euthanizing agent injected to kill dogs daily at dog shelters. (This comes with the euthanized dog who is ground up at a rendering plant to be added to dog food. The dog may still be wearing a flea collar and be in a plastic bag when rendered )
o Blood
o Feathers
o Undeveloped eggs
o Downed, dying, diseased and dead animals (Known as the 4Ds)
o Hooves, beaks, feet and hide
And a host of other unsavory, unhealthy and toxic products that will slowly kill or euthanize your dog with every feeding.
So what's the alternative? Well, if you are willing to spend a little time, and maybe even some money, there is a better way to feed your dog. You can halt the daily toxification, provide needed nutrition and increase your dog's lifespan
What You Should Feed Your Dog
A variety of homemade dog food options are available for you to make your own dog food at home.
Some of these include completely natural dog food diets that are currently the rage with certain dog nutrition experts such as The Bones and Raw Food,( BARF) diet also known as the Biologically Appropriate Raw Food diet.
BARF Diets typically include a variety of uncooked foods such as :
o Bones with meat flesh attached
o Organs
o Muscle
o Eggs
o Fruit
o Yogurt
o Enzymes
o Herbs
o Vegetables
o Supplements and herbs
o Cereals
As to the preferred meat, there is none. BARF proponents use beef, chicken, goat, buffalo, whatever is fresh and available.
The same philosophy seems to exist for vegetables. Again the emphasis is on freshness, availability and variety.
While anecdotal tales of remarkable results are reported daily by BARFers, some veterinarians have found that BARF diets can be deficient in certain required nutrients. The inability to qualitatively analyze each prepared meal may account for these research results.
Vegetarian Homemade Dog Food Diets
Dogs, while primarily carnivores are also actually omnivores. In the wild, 10,000 years ago, dogs would take down their prey, and eat not just the meat of the carcass but the contents of the stomach which included undigested grains, berries and grass.
This natural desire for a balanced diet suggests to many dog nutritionists that a vegetarian diet containing sufficient protein sources is desirable. The advantage of a vegetarian diet is that disease and other health related issues can be avoided as well. Additionally, the philosophical objection of vegans to killing any animal as a food source is accomplished.
Homemade Dog Food Vegetarian Diets include
o Bread
o Brown rice
o Sprouting grains
o Carrots
o Apples
o Dog biscuits
o Cottage cheese
o Eggs
o Lentils
o Baked beans
Make a Combo Homemade Dog Food Diet
o A Combo diet is in essence a blend of all philosophies and might include
o Meat
o Vegetables
o Eggs
o Brown Pasta
o Brown Rice
No matter which approach you choose for a homemade dog food diet there are a few pitfalls. One is the difficulty of preparing a properly balanced dog food diet with each batch.
The Whole Dog Journal states that a properly balanced dog food diet should include whole meat, vegetables, fruit, grain and high quality dietary fats.
Others suggest that the best alternative is to use a very high quality dog food that is natural, without preservatives, additives and the toxins that are found in many of the private and major kibble brands sold in retail outlets. These dog foods will typically cost quite a bit more than dog foods of lower quality, but guarantee a balanced diet for your dog .
If you do choose to prepare homemade dog food for your dog be certain to avoid certain foods which can be toxic and potentially fatal to your dog. These include but are not limited to avocado, raisins, grapes, and chocolate.
If the pros and cons, yin and yang, of the various approaches to making homemade dog food for your dog has your head spinning, don't despair. I have been researching this field for years and learn something new daily that confuses me even more.
There is a good way to get some perspective on this.
If you decide on making your own homemade dog food you can do so here!
Don't be afraid to get started making homemade dog food if you don't have access to every recommended ingredient. The improvement in your dog's health by simply removing the toxins of his current commercial dog food and his new and improved healthy, nutritious homemade dog food will be worth getting started today!
My small 8 year old dog suddenly became ill and no vet could determine the cause. She died after enduring 2 weeks of pain and misery on Mother’s Day morning. Her life expectancy was 25 years. Don’t let anything happen to your best friend. Find out what is in the dog food you use at http://www.dogs-4life.com/dog-food-that-kills.html then learn how you can keep your dog healthy, extend her life and save on veterinary bills at http://www.dogs-4life.com/veterinary-secrets.html
This article may be reproduced unedited with the author's link displayed.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Showing posts with label dog food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog food. Show all posts
Monday, October 25, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
The Truth Behind Commercial Dog Food
Dogs don't get to choose their own diet we do that for them. Our choice of food for our dog depends on our own education of what is best for our dogs, with our information predominantly gathered from TV commercials by pet food companies and vets who recommend certain products because of product alliance. These TV commercials on dog food fill your screen with plump chickens; fresh vegetables and a selection of grains and all show a happy, healthy dog on the advertisements. They are generally beautiful ads, emotional marketed to YOU.
Dog food commercials are not for your dog, they are produced and marketed for you. Dogs are colour blind, so pet food manufacturers only change the colour and texture of dog food to make it look better to YOU, not your dog. I hope that in this article you discover some interesting pieces of information that you can put into play in the way you select the food for your dog and enlighten you as to how the pet food companies cater to you, alone, and not your dog.
Dog food labels are intentionally made confusing so that pet owners don't realise that they're feeding their dog some awful, terrible, disgusting ingredients. Dog food companies heartlessly exploit loopholes which allows them to add a very cheap form of protein that has almost zero nutritional value to a dog instead of essential animal protein your dog needs to survive. Did you know that dog foods that claim to be come from bone, blood and animal fat are often derived from animals suffering from various ailments, and probably not the best choice for your dog. These multi-billion dollar companies are actually allowed to mix in euthanized bodies of various animals into the food you might be buying for your dog. Would you eat meat that came from a euthanized animal? Didn't think so! So why should your dog be subjected to this? Dogs can have food allergies from commercial dog food which long term for your dog can make them very uncomfortable, sick and weak. These euthanized various animals found in dog food and the animal by-products commonly found can include feathers, hair, leather, gristle and fecal waste. Pretty disgusting isn't it?
Dogs, being scavengers, also thrive on eggs, berries, fruit and the food that they might find in the preys stomach, such as grains and vegetable matter. But, in saying this, dog's bodies are unable to process whole vegetables. So with pet food companies ads showing plump chickens and whole vegetables it makes you wonder if they really know that much about a dogs nutritional needs and digestive system. Manufacturers are masters at getting a dog to eat something it would normally turn up its nose too. Do you know how they do this? Fat is sprayed directly on the morsels of food, and that is what you and your dog smell and think would taste wonderful - It's just an illusion. And those wonderfully shaped and coloured treats and morsels are not for your dogs benefit, they are for yours. Don't be fooled by pretty shapes and rainbow colours and smiling dogs on the packets - Its emotional marketing at its best. All your dog cares about is the way the food smells, tastes and all you should care about is that it is getting its nutritional needs.
Dogs, just like everyone else, have specific nutritional needs and they need proper vitamins and minerals every day. Low quality ingredients, excessive chemical additives, and poor labelling standards all result in problems for your companion pet, from skin allergies to cancer. Commercial pet foods and some pet food ingredients have been implicated in a number of diseases in companion animals. One potential problem with commercial pet food is pesticide residues, antibiotics, and mould contained in pet food ingredients and manufacturers will not disclose very much information about the sources of ingredients, how they are processed, their quality control standards, or, in some cases, even where the food is made. Doesn't that make you have some doubt as to how trustworthy a company is if it cannot even tell you those things? It makes me very doubtful!
Quality dog food is crucial for your dogs well being as it is their one source of nutrition. Nutrition is defined as the organic process of nourishing or being nourished, the processes by which an organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and nutriment: a source of materials to nourish the body. The food your animal eats should provide all of the nutritional components that are necessary for all organs and systems of a healthy body to perform in harmonious unison. So, please when your searching through all the dog food at the supermarket, forget the ads and ignore the glossy pictures and fancy titles on the cans and packages and always look for natural organic dog food with" natural" preservatives. Given the high possibility that your favourite pet foods may be slowly poisoning your dog, it's crucial that you find brands you can trust to be animal friendly and have natural ingredients and low additives and colouring. Many listed ingredients don't provide a significant health benefit and are really a marketing gimmick. Remember you are looking for ingredients that you recognize and you would eat. In fact, just as is true for humans, fresh foods can provide much better nutrition for pets than highly processed "fast foods. "
The reality is that there are only two nutritional standards against which all pet foods are measured (adult and growth/gestation/lactation)-everything else is marketing. Don't fall into the marketing trap and a side note, generally, the purchase price of pet food does not always determine whether a pet food is good or bad, the price is often a good indicator of quality. Dogs may not need the most expensive foods out there to survive... but they do need the correct nutritional value in their diet everyday.
By Wilhelmina Ford
Want to know more about Commercial Dog Food, Check it Out here.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
7 Dog Food Ingredients that could be Hurting Your Dog!
By Justin Bryce
What ingredients make for good and bad dog food?
With so many dog foods available on today's market that are commercially prepared, it is often quite difficult as only a dog owner to tell which ones are better than others and why.
First of all, many of the big companies are paying really slick marketers and advertisers millions of dollars per year to advertise their dog food. The amount of money they are spending on marketing has no relationship to the quality of the dog food. This is unfortunate for you as some of the best advertised dog food is inferior.
There is one way for you to guess the quality of dog food however it is not fool proof. You can normally use the price of the food as an indicator as to the quality. Low priced foods are not always, but most often, the lowest quality foods on the market and likewise the more expensive are normally better quality.
When feeding your dog you want to make sure that the adult dog food you are feeding is 22-25% protein and 15-19% fat. The protein should come from a good quality source. Some dogs such as puppies, large breeds, and active breeds have different protein and fat requirements so make sure to discuss this with your vet to ensure proper feeding of your dog.
When making an informed decision, you must know which ingredients are better than others. When you look at the dog food label, the following are the kinds of ingredients that you are looking for:
- Human Grade Ingredients Chicken meal
- Turkey meal
- Fish meal
- Rice
- Potatoes
- Lamb meal
- Potatoes
- Rice
- Sunflower Oil
- Vegetables and others.
For a good dog food, the first four ingredients on the dog food label should not be grains. Instead they should consist of things like meat and proteins.
You also want to make sure it says chicken meal and not chicken as the primary ingredient. If it says chicken only, this means that the manufacturers are counting the entire chicken toward protein value. This includes all of the pieces they have probably scraped of the ground such as beaks, feathers, and feet. With chicken meal, they are only counting the cooked down version of the protein. This will ensure that your dog is getting the appropriate kind of protein and not by products.
Vitamins and fatty acids are also good ingredients in dog foods. Some examples include Vitamin E, Omega 3 and 6, etc. These are very important for a healthy looking skin and coat.
Make sure your dog food is not laden with preservatives. Some of the ingredients that you don't want to see on your dog food label are the inferior protein's which consists of but are not limited to variations of the following: Wheat, Corn, Chicken by-products, Soy, Gluten.
These ingredients are hard to digest and can cause health problems later on if used for a long period of time. Sugar is another ingredient that you want to stay away from.
You are always better off making your own dog food and dog treats from recipes such as those you can find at http://www.dogtreatrecipes.com.au, however if you are purchasing dog food you really should only purchase from a company that spends time and money field testing their products.
You can always be sure that companies such as Purina, the Iams Company (which also includes Eukanuba), Royal Canin, Nutro, Diamond, and Hill's Science Diet are constantly testing their foods to provide the optimum quality ingredients. These companies offer different grades of food, however, from lower quality to premium quality so make sure that you always read the labels.
These are not the only companies by any means who make good quality dog food. The important thing is to read the label, do your research, ask questions of your veterinarians and pet professionals and always be informed. People who work at feed stores are usually a good resource and can help you find good quality pet food. Breeders can also be a good source for finding a quality food for your dog. Dog trainers will also often have a good knowledge of proper nutrition.
You should always follow your veterinarian's recommendation on food as well. Many times dogs of certain ages or with certain health conditions need to be on a prescription diet. While these diets are often expensive, they do contain the proper nutrients that dogs in these categories need. Many times owners will switch to a commercial food because of cost or palatability concerns and the dog's health will go in to a decline. Your veterinary staff know what is best for your particular dog.
While it is often confusing, proper dog nutrition is vital to the health and longevity of your dog. By knowing what consists of good quality ingredients and which ingredients to avoid, you can be assured that you will choose the proper food for your dog. As always, if you have questions, ask your veterinary staff for more information.
If you are looking for quality dog food ingredients that will not hurt your dog you can get it here.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
What ingredients make for good and bad dog food?
With so many dog foods available on today's market that are commercially prepared, it is often quite difficult as only a dog owner to tell which ones are better than others and why.
First of all, many of the big companies are paying really slick marketers and advertisers millions of dollars per year to advertise their dog food. The amount of money they are spending on marketing has no relationship to the quality of the dog food. This is unfortunate for you as some of the best advertised dog food is inferior.
There is one way for you to guess the quality of dog food however it is not fool proof. You can normally use the price of the food as an indicator as to the quality. Low priced foods are not always, but most often, the lowest quality foods on the market and likewise the more expensive are normally better quality.
When feeding your dog you want to make sure that the adult dog food you are feeding is 22-25% protein and 15-19% fat. The protein should come from a good quality source. Some dogs such as puppies, large breeds, and active breeds have different protein and fat requirements so make sure to discuss this with your vet to ensure proper feeding of your dog.
When making an informed decision, you must know which ingredients are better than others. When you look at the dog food label, the following are the kinds of ingredients that you are looking for:
- Human Grade Ingredients Chicken meal
- Turkey meal
- Fish meal
- Rice
- Potatoes
- Lamb meal
- Potatoes
- Rice
- Sunflower Oil
- Vegetables and others.
For a good dog food, the first four ingredients on the dog food label should not be grains. Instead they should consist of things like meat and proteins.
You also want to make sure it says chicken meal and not chicken as the primary ingredient. If it says chicken only, this means that the manufacturers are counting the entire chicken toward protein value. This includes all of the pieces they have probably scraped of the ground such as beaks, feathers, and feet. With chicken meal, they are only counting the cooked down version of the protein. This will ensure that your dog is getting the appropriate kind of protein and not by products.
Vitamins and fatty acids are also good ingredients in dog foods. Some examples include Vitamin E, Omega 3 and 6, etc. These are very important for a healthy looking skin and coat.
Make sure your dog food is not laden with preservatives. Some of the ingredients that you don't want to see on your dog food label are the inferior protein's which consists of but are not limited to variations of the following: Wheat, Corn, Chicken by-products, Soy, Gluten.
These ingredients are hard to digest and can cause health problems later on if used for a long period of time. Sugar is another ingredient that you want to stay away from.
You are always better off making your own dog food and dog treats from recipes such as those you can find at http://www.dogtreatrecipes.com.au, however if you are purchasing dog food you really should only purchase from a company that spends time and money field testing their products.
You can always be sure that companies such as Purina, the Iams Company (which also includes Eukanuba), Royal Canin, Nutro, Diamond, and Hill's Science Diet are constantly testing their foods to provide the optimum quality ingredients. These companies offer different grades of food, however, from lower quality to premium quality so make sure that you always read the labels.
These are not the only companies by any means who make good quality dog food. The important thing is to read the label, do your research, ask questions of your veterinarians and pet professionals and always be informed. People who work at feed stores are usually a good resource and can help you find good quality pet food. Breeders can also be a good source for finding a quality food for your dog. Dog trainers will also often have a good knowledge of proper nutrition.
You should always follow your veterinarian's recommendation on food as well. Many times dogs of certain ages or with certain health conditions need to be on a prescription diet. While these diets are often expensive, they do contain the proper nutrients that dogs in these categories need. Many times owners will switch to a commercial food because of cost or palatability concerns and the dog's health will go in to a decline. Your veterinary staff know what is best for your particular dog.
While it is often confusing, proper dog nutrition is vital to the health and longevity of your dog. By knowing what consists of good quality ingredients and which ingredients to avoid, you can be assured that you will choose the proper food for your dog. As always, if you have questions, ask your veterinary staff for more information.
If you are looking for quality dog food ingredients that will not hurt your dog you can get it here.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
The Right Dog Food Will Keep Your Pet Happy
By Rolf Joho
If you want your dogs to remain happy and content then you have to feed them with the best dog food. This in turn means that you will have to consider a few things that will help you pick the best foods for your pet, especially when you are planning on buying dry food. Though it is quite possible that your animal(s) might not have any preference between dry and wet foods it still pays to see which type your animal loves the most. In case of most dogs they do tend to be picky and so you have to use trial and error methods to establish which kind your pet loves the best.
Regulate His Diet
It is also a good idea to ensure feeding your dog with regulated diet so that you can choose certain foods that the pet will relish and eat happily. It also means avoiding feeding him with human food as this can give rise to numerous health concerns including stomach aches and obesity as too problems with behavior.
Another important consideration related to dog food is that you must ensure feeding him according to his body weight and for more information you must check the animal food label to see how much of a portion is safe for feeding your pet favorite. Even when starting your pet on a new dog food it pays to start off slowly to ensure that the food goes down well with your favorite animal and does not make him feel sick.
If you want your pet to feed on moist food you can add a little water to his dry food and get the desired results though be careful that by adding water to his food, it can spoil the smell of his food. And, after having fed your pet it is also necessary that you ensure that he gets his fair share of exercise so that he remains in shape.
It pays to also select dog food that has enough vitamin content as this will help to create a shinier coat and his nails too will grow stronger. When picking his food, you should check the major animal food brands which are well known for having a lot of nutritious content and which also come in many flavors that will appeal to your dog's senses. Some dog lamb accompanied by rice is OK for your favorite.
Choosing the right dog food can often be confusing because of the different ingredients used as too because of the terminology used. There are also foods that are suited for puppies and those that are suited for larger sized dog breeds and you will also come across foods that help control your pet's weight and there are also wellness foods that suit pets that have allergies or some other kind of health problems.
Times have indeed changed since the beginning of the nineteenth century before which dogs generally subsisted on wheat, bread and barley and rye. Only rarely did pet owners feed their animals with meat. During the nineteenth century feeding dogs with meat was something that signified the pet owner's status - that is until the first dog food was introduced in the year 1860 when in England an American called James Spratt founded his own dog food company.
Since then animal food has become big business and of course many changes have taken place in what we can and cannot feed our pets. The fifties saw the advent of dry food and today there is much variety in the type of commercially produced dog food that is available on the market.
The bottom line is that you should only feed your dog the correct type and amount of food.
For a ten pound dog it is necessary that he gets 850 calories on a daily basis; for a twenty pound the number of calories should not exceed 1400 per day while a thirty pound pet must not be fed more than 1800 calories on a daily basis and a fifty pound animal should get at most 2700 calories per day.The Right Dog Food Will Keep Your Pet Happy
Rolf Joho is owner of http://www.internetinfomedia.com and writes on a variety of subjects. For more dog food questions visit: http://agentmon.com/dogfood/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com
If you want your dogs to remain happy and content then you have to feed them with the best dog food. This in turn means that you will have to consider a few things that will help you pick the best foods for your pet, especially when you are planning on buying dry food. Though it is quite possible that your animal(s) might not have any preference between dry and wet foods it still pays to see which type your animal loves the most. In case of most dogs they do tend to be picky and so you have to use trial and error methods to establish which kind your pet loves the best.
Regulate His Diet
It is also a good idea to ensure feeding your dog with regulated diet so that you can choose certain foods that the pet will relish and eat happily. It also means avoiding feeding him with human food as this can give rise to numerous health concerns including stomach aches and obesity as too problems with behavior.
Another important consideration related to dog food is that you must ensure feeding him according to his body weight and for more information you must check the animal food label to see how much of a portion is safe for feeding your pet favorite. Even when starting your pet on a new dog food it pays to start off slowly to ensure that the food goes down well with your favorite animal and does not make him feel sick.
If you want your pet to feed on moist food you can add a little water to his dry food and get the desired results though be careful that by adding water to his food, it can spoil the smell of his food. And, after having fed your pet it is also necessary that you ensure that he gets his fair share of exercise so that he remains in shape.
It pays to also select dog food that has enough vitamin content as this will help to create a shinier coat and his nails too will grow stronger. When picking his food, you should check the major animal food brands which are well known for having a lot of nutritious content and which also come in many flavors that will appeal to your dog's senses. Some dog lamb accompanied by rice is OK for your favorite.
Choosing the right dog food can often be confusing because of the different ingredients used as too because of the terminology used. There are also foods that are suited for puppies and those that are suited for larger sized dog breeds and you will also come across foods that help control your pet's weight and there are also wellness foods that suit pets that have allergies or some other kind of health problems.
Times have indeed changed since the beginning of the nineteenth century before which dogs generally subsisted on wheat, bread and barley and rye. Only rarely did pet owners feed their animals with meat. During the nineteenth century feeding dogs with meat was something that signified the pet owner's status - that is until the first dog food was introduced in the year 1860 when in England an American called James Spratt founded his own dog food company.
Since then animal food has become big business and of course many changes have taken place in what we can and cannot feed our pets. The fifties saw the advent of dry food and today there is much variety in the type of commercially produced dog food that is available on the market.
The bottom line is that you should only feed your dog the correct type and amount of food.
For a ten pound dog it is necessary that he gets 850 calories on a daily basis; for a twenty pound the number of calories should not exceed 1400 per day while a thirty pound pet must not be fed more than 1800 calories on a daily basis and a fifty pound animal should get at most 2700 calories per day.The Right Dog Food Will Keep Your Pet Happy
Rolf Joho is owner of http://www.internetinfomedia.com and writes on a variety of subjects. For more dog food questions visit: http://agentmon.com/dogfood/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
The Truth Behind Commercial Dog Food
By Wilhelmina Ford
Dogs don't get to choose their own diet we do that for them. Our choice of food for our dog depends on our own education of what is best for our dogs, with our information predominantly gathered from TV commercials by pet food companies and vets who recommend certain products because of product alliance. These TV commercials on dog food fill your screen with plump chickens; fresh vegetables and a selection of grains and all show a happy, healthy dog on the advertisements. They are generally beautiful ads, emotional marketed to YOU. Dog food commercials are not for your dog, they are produced and marketed for you. Dogs are colour blind, so pet food manufacturers only change the colour and texture of dog food to make it look better to YOU, not your dog. I hope that in this article you discover some interesting pieces of information that you can put into play in the way you select the food for your dog and enlighten you as to how the pet food companies cater to you, alone, and not your dog.
Dog food labels are intentionally made confusing so that pet owners don't realise that they're feeding their dog some awful, terrible, disgusting ingredients. Dog food companies heartlessly exploit loopholes which allows them to add a very cheap form of protein that has almost zero nutritional value to a dog instead of essential animal protein your dog needs to survive. Did you know that dog foods that claim to be come from bone, blood and animal fat are often derived from animals suffering from various ailments, and probably not the best choice for your dog. These multi-billion dollar companies are actually allowed to mix in euthanized bodies of various animals into the food you might be buying for your dog. Would you eat meat that came from a euthanized animal? Didn't think so! So why should your dog be subjected to this? Dogs can have food allergies from commercial dog food which long term for your dog can make them very uncomfortable, sick and weak. These euthanized various animals found in dog food and the animal by-products commonly found can include feathers, hair, leather, gristle and fecal waste. Pretty disgusting isn't it?
Dogs, being scavengers, also thrive on eggs, berries, fruit and the food that they might find in the preys stomach, such as grains and vegetable matter. But, in saying this, dog's bodies are unable to process whole vegetables. So with pet food companies ads showing plump chickens and whole vegetables it makes you wonder if they really know that much about a dogs nutritional needs and digestive system. Manufacturers are masters at getting a dog to eat something it would normally turn up its nose too. Do you know how they do this? Fat is sprayed directly on the morsels of food, and that is what you and your dog smell and think would taste wonderful - It's just an illusion. And those wonderfully shaped and coloured treats and morsels are not for your dogs benefit, they are for yours. Don't be fooled by pretty shapes and rainbow colours and smiling dogs on the packets - Its emotional marketing at its best. All your dog cares about is the way the food smells, tastes and all you should care about is that it is getting its nutritional needs.
Dogs, just like everyone else, have specific nutritional needs and they need proper vitamins and minerals every day. Low quality ingredients, excessive chemical additives, and poor labelling standards all result in problems for your companion pet, from skin allergies to cancer. Commercial pet foods and some pet food ingredients have been implicated in a number of diseases in companion animals. One potential problem with commercial pet food is pesticide residues, antibiotics, and mould contained in pet food ingredients and manufacturers will not disclose very much information about the sources of ingredients, how they are processed, their quality control standards, or, in some cases, even where the food is made. Doesn't that make you have some doubt as to how trustworthy a company is if it cannot even tell you those things? It makes me very doubtful!
Think about this... have you ever seen your dog enjoy commercial dog food the way he/she enjoys a good meaty bone? I never have and I have had a lot of dogs in my lifetime and through my business care for all different breeds of dogs, sizes and ages. Do you know why? It is because bones are fresh meat, exactly as you purchase them is exactly what you give your dog. However, with commercial dog food some companies may list real meat as their number one ingredient, but they may actually have more fillers, which reduces the ratio of quality ingredients to useless ones. Ingredients, such as peanut hulls, are used for filler or fiber, and have no significant nutritional value. Because the ingredients they are using are not wholesome, their quality may be extremely variable, and the harsh manufacturing practices destroy many of the nutrients the food had to begin with. Cereal grains are the primary ingredients in most commercial pet foods. These are often the result of an allergy or intolerance to pet food ingredients. And to top that off, sometimes a manufacturer may not have added any preservatives, but the meat or other ingredients may have had preservatives added to them by suppliers. So, by the time the food gets to your dogs plate the good quality that may have been slightly present in the beginning has disappeared. And not every batch of dog food is the same because meat by-products and meat and bone meals vary from batch to batch creating an unstable source of nutrition for pets.
The multinational pet food companies have increased bulk-purchasing power; those that make human food products have a captive market in which to capitalize on their waste products, and pet food divisions have a more reliable capital base and, in many cases, a convenient source of ingredients. The ingredients listed on the label are very much less as to what is actually present in the food - they are tiny; and the items themselves are usually scraps and rejects from processors of human foods-certainly not the whole, fresh ingredients they want you to picture. The labeling of dog food is a confusing discussion to say the least and very much a tell half-truth scenario. Many label rules exist such as; the "Flavour" Rule that states that a food may be labelled as "Beef Flavoured Dog Food" even if it does not contain any beef, as long as the flavour is "sufficiently detectable. When a label reads "With Real Turkey," a consumer may assume that he is purchasing quality turkey dog food for his pet. If the label reads "Beef and Liver for Dogs," the food must contain a combined amount of beef and liver to total 95%, and again there must be more beef since it is listed first. However, as I outlined above the amounts in there are based on tiny morsels and weight - weight is inclusive of water content too.
Now, of course, not all pet food companies operate this way. Today there are a few all natural companies and dog diets on the market which pride themselves on human grade ingredients in their dog food, but remember the definition of "natural" is very broad, and allows for artificially processed ingredients that most of us would consider very unnatural indeed. You have to be very careful in your selection and educate yourself on the harmful ingredients and preservatives on the labels of these dog-canned foods. I always go by the rule that if there are no nutrients in the soil = no nutrients in the plants = no nutrients in the dog food and I cant imagine they would be getting their plant sources from the same crops as humans do.
Quality dog food is crucial for your dogs well being as it is their one source of nutrition. Nutrition is defined as the organic process of nourishing or being nourished, the processes by which an organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and nutriment: a source of materials to nourish the body. The food your animal eats should provide all of the nutritional components that are necessary for all organs and systems of a healthy body to perform in harmonious unison. So, please when your searching through all the dog food at the supermarket, forget the ads and ignore the glossy pictures and fancy titles on the cans and packages and always look for natural organic dog food with" natural" preservatives. Given the high possibility that your favourite pet foods may be slowly poisoning your dog, it's crucial that you find brands you can trust to be animal friendly and have natural ingredients and low additives and colouring. Many listed ingredients don't provide a significant health benefit and are really a marketing gimmick. Remember you are looking for ingredients that you recognize and you would eat. In fact, just as is true for humans, fresh foods can provide much better nutrition for pets than highly processed "fast foods. "
The reality is that there are only two nutritional standards against which all pet foods are measured (adult and growth/gestation/lactation)-everything else is marketing. Don't fall into the marketing trap and a side note, generally, the purchase price of pet food does not always determine whether a pet food is good or bad, the price is often a good indicator of quality.
Dogs may not need the most expensive foods out there to survive... but they do need the
correct nutritional value in their diet everyday. Your dog food should provide all of the nutritional components that are necessary for all organs and systems of a healthy body to perform in harmonious unison get it here now.
By Wilhelmina Ford
Want to know more about Commercial Dog Food, Check Out: [http://www.doggyebooks.com/Dogfoodbook.html]
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Dogs don't get to choose their own diet we do that for them. Our choice of food for our dog depends on our own education of what is best for our dogs, with our information predominantly gathered from TV commercials by pet food companies and vets who recommend certain products because of product alliance. These TV commercials on dog food fill your screen with plump chickens; fresh vegetables and a selection of grains and all show a happy, healthy dog on the advertisements. They are generally beautiful ads, emotional marketed to YOU. Dog food commercials are not for your dog, they are produced and marketed for you. Dogs are colour blind, so pet food manufacturers only change the colour and texture of dog food to make it look better to YOU, not your dog. I hope that in this article you discover some interesting pieces of information that you can put into play in the way you select the food for your dog and enlighten you as to how the pet food companies cater to you, alone, and not your dog.
Dog food labels are intentionally made confusing so that pet owners don't realise that they're feeding their dog some awful, terrible, disgusting ingredients. Dog food companies heartlessly exploit loopholes which allows them to add a very cheap form of protein that has almost zero nutritional value to a dog instead of essential animal protein your dog needs to survive. Did you know that dog foods that claim to be come from bone, blood and animal fat are often derived from animals suffering from various ailments, and probably not the best choice for your dog. These multi-billion dollar companies are actually allowed to mix in euthanized bodies of various animals into the food you might be buying for your dog. Would you eat meat that came from a euthanized animal? Didn't think so! So why should your dog be subjected to this? Dogs can have food allergies from commercial dog food which long term for your dog can make them very uncomfortable, sick and weak. These euthanized various animals found in dog food and the animal by-products commonly found can include feathers, hair, leather, gristle and fecal waste. Pretty disgusting isn't it?
Dogs, being scavengers, also thrive on eggs, berries, fruit and the food that they might find in the preys stomach, such as grains and vegetable matter. But, in saying this, dog's bodies are unable to process whole vegetables. So with pet food companies ads showing plump chickens and whole vegetables it makes you wonder if they really know that much about a dogs nutritional needs and digestive system. Manufacturers are masters at getting a dog to eat something it would normally turn up its nose too. Do you know how they do this? Fat is sprayed directly on the morsels of food, and that is what you and your dog smell and think would taste wonderful - It's just an illusion. And those wonderfully shaped and coloured treats and morsels are not for your dogs benefit, they are for yours. Don't be fooled by pretty shapes and rainbow colours and smiling dogs on the packets - Its emotional marketing at its best. All your dog cares about is the way the food smells, tastes and all you should care about is that it is getting its nutritional needs.
Dogs, just like everyone else, have specific nutritional needs and they need proper vitamins and minerals every day. Low quality ingredients, excessive chemical additives, and poor labelling standards all result in problems for your companion pet, from skin allergies to cancer. Commercial pet foods and some pet food ingredients have been implicated in a number of diseases in companion animals. One potential problem with commercial pet food is pesticide residues, antibiotics, and mould contained in pet food ingredients and manufacturers will not disclose very much information about the sources of ingredients, how they are processed, their quality control standards, or, in some cases, even where the food is made. Doesn't that make you have some doubt as to how trustworthy a company is if it cannot even tell you those things? It makes me very doubtful!
Think about this... have you ever seen your dog enjoy commercial dog food the way he/she enjoys a good meaty bone? I never have and I have had a lot of dogs in my lifetime and through my business care for all different breeds of dogs, sizes and ages. Do you know why? It is because bones are fresh meat, exactly as you purchase them is exactly what you give your dog. However, with commercial dog food some companies may list real meat as their number one ingredient, but they may actually have more fillers, which reduces the ratio of quality ingredients to useless ones. Ingredients, such as peanut hulls, are used for filler or fiber, and have no significant nutritional value. Because the ingredients they are using are not wholesome, their quality may be extremely variable, and the harsh manufacturing practices destroy many of the nutrients the food had to begin with. Cereal grains are the primary ingredients in most commercial pet foods. These are often the result of an allergy or intolerance to pet food ingredients. And to top that off, sometimes a manufacturer may not have added any preservatives, but the meat or other ingredients may have had preservatives added to them by suppliers. So, by the time the food gets to your dogs plate the good quality that may have been slightly present in the beginning has disappeared. And not every batch of dog food is the same because meat by-products and meat and bone meals vary from batch to batch creating an unstable source of nutrition for pets.
The multinational pet food companies have increased bulk-purchasing power; those that make human food products have a captive market in which to capitalize on their waste products, and pet food divisions have a more reliable capital base and, in many cases, a convenient source of ingredients. The ingredients listed on the label are very much less as to what is actually present in the food - they are tiny; and the items themselves are usually scraps and rejects from processors of human foods-certainly not the whole, fresh ingredients they want you to picture. The labeling of dog food is a confusing discussion to say the least and very much a tell half-truth scenario. Many label rules exist such as; the "Flavour" Rule that states that a food may be labelled as "Beef Flavoured Dog Food" even if it does not contain any beef, as long as the flavour is "sufficiently detectable. When a label reads "With Real Turkey," a consumer may assume that he is purchasing quality turkey dog food for his pet. If the label reads "Beef and Liver for Dogs," the food must contain a combined amount of beef and liver to total 95%, and again there must be more beef since it is listed first. However, as I outlined above the amounts in there are based on tiny morsels and weight - weight is inclusive of water content too.
Now, of course, not all pet food companies operate this way. Today there are a few all natural companies and dog diets on the market which pride themselves on human grade ingredients in their dog food, but remember the definition of "natural" is very broad, and allows for artificially processed ingredients that most of us would consider very unnatural indeed. You have to be very careful in your selection and educate yourself on the harmful ingredients and preservatives on the labels of these dog-canned foods. I always go by the rule that if there are no nutrients in the soil = no nutrients in the plants = no nutrients in the dog food and I cant imagine they would be getting their plant sources from the same crops as humans do.
Quality dog food is crucial for your dogs well being as it is their one source of nutrition. Nutrition is defined as the organic process of nourishing or being nourished, the processes by which an organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and nutriment: a source of materials to nourish the body. The food your animal eats should provide all of the nutritional components that are necessary for all organs and systems of a healthy body to perform in harmonious unison. So, please when your searching through all the dog food at the supermarket, forget the ads and ignore the glossy pictures and fancy titles on the cans and packages and always look for natural organic dog food with" natural" preservatives. Given the high possibility that your favourite pet foods may be slowly poisoning your dog, it's crucial that you find brands you can trust to be animal friendly and have natural ingredients and low additives and colouring. Many listed ingredients don't provide a significant health benefit and are really a marketing gimmick. Remember you are looking for ingredients that you recognize and you would eat. In fact, just as is true for humans, fresh foods can provide much better nutrition for pets than highly processed "fast foods. "
The reality is that there are only two nutritional standards against which all pet foods are measured (adult and growth/gestation/lactation)-everything else is marketing. Don't fall into the marketing trap and a side note, generally, the purchase price of pet food does not always determine whether a pet food is good or bad, the price is often a good indicator of quality.
Dogs may not need the most expensive foods out there to survive... but they do need the
correct nutritional value in their diet everyday. Your dog food should provide all of the nutritional components that are necessary for all organs and systems of a healthy body to perform in harmonious unison get it here now.
By Wilhelmina Ford
Want to know more about Commercial Dog Food, Check Out: [http://www.doggyebooks.com/Dogfoodbook.html]
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Dog Food Labeling Better Than Human Food , Industry Claims
By M. Bruno
The dog food industry announced in a recent statement that labeling on pet and dog food is actually better than labeling requirements on food for human consumption.
This would be the best news that we have heard since the beginning of the dog food recall that has claimed the lives of thousands of dogs, while an ever growing number of dogs continue to suffer from kidney failure after eating contaminated dog food.
Let's take a look at how the pet dog food industry supports this claim.
The dog food industry has the option of including ingredients that they deem safe and nutritious in the dog food that they produce and sell.
Some of those ingredients are:
Dead, dying, diseased and downed animals. Well, this confuses me a bit. I don't know of any regulation permitting the inclusion of these unsuitable proteins on any human food label. The fact is that these 4Ds, can not be used in human food but are used by dog food manufacturers. Ever see those listed on a dog food label?
Rendered animal tissue, such as acquired from the remains of euthanized dogs and pets from animal shelters are used in some dog food products. Hmmm, I never saw any of that on an approved for human consumption food label.
Dog food labels often have statements that claim the dog food is complete, balanced and safe. This would be almost an impossible claim to have approved by the FDA for food destined for human consumption. But dog food manufacturers make this claim as almost as a matter of course. Just check their label.
The dog food industry is fond of pointing to the oversight of the industry by AAFCO the, Association Of American Feed Control Officials. AAFCO has no real regulatory authority and the testing of dog food is little more than a joke.
Here's a synopsis of AAFCO testing requirements
o Eight dogs more than a year old must participate
o The dogs must be of normal health and weight
o Blood tests are taken at the inception and conclusion of the test
o No dog (of the eight participants) die or are taken off the dog food because of nutritional problems.
Results of a Successful Dog Food Tests
o At least six of the original eight dogs that began the test must complete it.
o During the test, none of the dogs used are to die or be removed because of nutritional causes.
o Six of the eight dogs starting must finish the test.
AAFCO, with no real authority conducts a test on all of eight dogs. If none die or are excluded and a very basic blood test is passed, that dog food gets the green light.
Are you willing to risk your dog's life on the claims made by the dog food industry? Do you think that a test which will determine the safety and nutrient values of your dog food is adequate when the test involves only eight dogs? Get best dog food recipe here
Do you believe that the FDA should be more directly involved or is the oversight of a group such as AAFCO sufficient to assure the health and safety of your dog?
What is happening in the dog food recall is the product of the claims and performance of the dog food industry, AAFCO, and their marketing and business efforts.
Before chancing our dog's life to the claims of dog food manufacturers that their labeling requirements are safe, that their dog food is safe, and that their industry is regulated, become an informed consumer. Spend some time and learn what your dog food label really says at rel=nofollow http://www.fda.gov/cvm/petlabel.htm
Dog food companies claim that the products they manufacturer are safe.
Sadly, the recent dog food recall and recalls prior to this one suggest otherwise. The dog food industry has in many cases been untruthful in their sales pitch, unsavory in their ethics and have produced a product that in many instances belong in a landfill, not eaten by your dog. A few good apples exist in the commercial dog food world. Make absolutely sure that your dog food comes from one of the good guys or consider making your own dog food at home
By doing so you can make sure that the food you give your dog is truly healthy and not a potential death sentence.
Do you buy your dog food at a supermarket? Pet superstore? Online? Is it healthy and safe? Find out what’s the dog food you feed your pooch at http://www.dogs-4life.com/dog-food-that-kills.html
This article may be reproduced with the author's link
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com
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