Food
for Thought
CHOOSING
A QUALITY DOG FOOD
By:
Stacey Amirov, Nutritionist
Prepared for Goldiva Goldens @ www.K9GOLDENS.com
Our puppies are now raised on Canidae as
a base food for life. They have 4 Protein Sources: USDA Choice Grade Chicken, Turkey,
Lamb & Fish, Whole Grain Brown & White Rice listed in the first 6
ingredients. We also alternate with Chicken Soup or use it when we are training
for “treats” which has 7 protein sources. Our Top 4 Choices would include: Canidae;
Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul, Timberwolf Organics, or Nature’s Variety.
There are so many brands and price
ranges to choose from when choosing a dog food that it can be overwhelming to
the average consumer. Some will choose
a food recommended by their vet or breeder; some will go with the most
advertised product; and some, the cheapest.
None of the above reasons are sufficient to determine what your dog will
be eating everyday! Many dogs are allergic
to wheat, corn and soy beans. The wrong
diet can lead to flaky, dry skin and coat, allergies, ear infections, “hot
spots”, digestive problems, and more.
It is worth the cost to choose a high quality dog food- you will save
money in veterinary bills in the long run! It is a big mistake, however, to
simply go with the recommendation of someone without doing your own research. A
prime example of this is the fact that most vets sell and recommend Science Diet (which contains wheat,
corn, soybeans) more on this to
follow.
READ
THE LABEL
The number one rule to follow is to READ
THE LABEL, and to know what those ingredients actually are. Also, be aware that ingredients are listed
in order of highest content to least.
So, if a food lists corn as the first ingredient, this means you are
buying a product that contains more corn than anything else. If a product lists lamb, ground rice, rice
gluten, rice bran, - you are STILL getting a bag of food that contains more
grain than anything else, because when you add up all of that rice, it amounts
to more than the amount of lamb. This
is a deceitful way some companies label their food to make you believe you are
getting more meat- don’t be fooled. An
honest way of labeling this food would be: rice, lamb, etc.
NO BY-PRODUCTS – NO MEAT AND
BONE MEAL
With that said, the first thing you
should look for on the label is a high quality protein source listed first (and
not followed by grain listed three or four times in fragments!) By high
quality, this means NO by-products and NO meat and bone meal! By-products
contain parts of an animal unfit for human consumption and may include heads,
feet, feathers, intestines, etc. Meat
and bone meal may be ANY meat, including meat from dying and diseased animals,
or animals that arrived at the processing plant dead. This meat may even include euthanized cats and dogs from a local
animal shelter- this is not a myth meant to scare you, this is the cold, hard
truth. See the Animal Protection Institute’s website for more information on
this topic at www.api4animals.org, or
read the book:
http://www.homevet.com/petcare/foodbook.html
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Food
Pets Die for: Shocking Facts About Pet Food |
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HIGH
QUALITY PROTEIN SOURCES
High quality protein sources include: Chicken,
Turkey, Lamb, Fish, Venison, Bison, Duck, Beef, etc. You should know exactly
what animal the meat is coming from.
Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, etc. are also great sources of protein. “Meal” is simply meat with the water
removed. Since the ingredients on a bag
of dog food are listed by weight, a food that lists “Chicken Meal” first will
have more actual chicken in it than a bag that lists “Chicken” because the
weight of fresh chicken is much higher due to water content. Also, keep in mind
that the chicken will end up dried either way, since the moisture has to be
removed to manufacture a dry kibble. A
dog food with both Chicken and Chicken Meal is ideal, since the Chicken Meal
ensures that you are getting a higher quantity of meat, and the fresh chicken
only has to be processed once, and therefore, may retain more of its nutrients.
CARBOHYDRATES
& DOG ALLERGIES
Most
commercial dog foods will contain a significant amount of carbohydrates. Dogs are carnivores by nature, so it’s best
to pick a food with the majority of ingredients are coming from meat and which
uses only highly digestible grains. Grains listed on a label should be whole
grains- NOT fragments such as Corn “Gluten”, “Brewer’s” Rice (these are
leftover, broken fragments of white rice- a by-product of the milling process),
“Mill Run”, or “Middlings”. The only
exception to this rule is Bran. Rice Bran is a good source of vitamins and coat
conditioners- but if the food were to simply use whole grain brown rice, the
bran would be included without having to be listed separately. Because the bran has been removed from it,
white rice is not as nutritious as brown rice.
Many dogs are allergic to wheat
and corn. It is best to pick a food
that does not contain these grains. In addition to being hard to digest, they
are often the cause of itching, scratching, dry, flaky skin and other ailments.
Soybeans are also notoriously difficult for dogs to digest and are best
avoided. Acceptable carbohydrate sources include Whole Brown Rice, Oats, Barley,
Rye, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Millet, Amaranth, Quinoa and Sorghum (aka Milo).
There are also grain-free dog foods on the market which more closely emulate a
dog’s natural diet and are great for dogs with allergies and digestive troubles,
such as The Honest Kitchen’s Force and
Embark formulas (dehydrated human grade foods), Evanger’s canned “Dinner” formulas,
Nature’s Variety canned
formulas, and the many prepackaged raw diets.
GOOD
FATS – BAD FATS and PRESERVATIVES
Fats are a very important component of a
dog’s diet. They play an important role
in skin and coat health and even immunity. High quality fats include Chicken Fat,
Olive Oil, Canola Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Walnut Oil, etc. A great dog food should also include a
source of oOmega 3 Fatty Acids, such as: Flax Seed, Flax Seed Oil, Herring, Salmon,
Tuna or Fish Oil. One particular fat to stay away from is “Animal Fat” (again,
this may include ANY animal) and it is important to notice how the fat is
preserved. BHA and BHT are chemical preservatives
that are banned for human consumption in many countries. Propylene Glycol is another chemical
to steer clear of. Make sure that the food you buy is
naturally preserved. Some acceptable
natural preservatives are: Mixed Tocopherols (Vitamin E), Vitamin C or Citric
Acid, and Rosemary.
AVOID
ARTIFICIAL COLORS, FLAVORS & SWEETENERS
There is absolutely no reason to use
artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners in a pet food! Your dog doesn’t care
what color his food is, and artificial colors have been linked to cancer, allergies
and behavior disorders. Stay far away
from any product that lists “Red40”, “Yellow5”, “Yellow6”, “Caramel Color” etc.
Also, do not buy any food which contains Sugar or Corn Syrup. There is no room in a carnivore’s diet for these
unhealthy ingredients, and they lead to an increased risk of diabetes. Some natural products list “Natural Flavors”
and “Natural Caramel Color”. These are
far better alternatives. “Animal Digest” is used as a flavoring agent in low
quality pet foods. Just like “Animal Fat” and “Meat and Bone Meal”, you’ll
never know where the meat came from. A high quality dog food will be palatable
without having to add ingredients like this.
SCIENCE
DIET & CHEAP DOG FOODS
Now that you know what to look for on a
dog food label, let’s compare the popular, vet recommended Hill’s Science Diet to a healthy food. The following is a list of
ingredients in Hill’s Science Diet’s canine adult formula:
Chicken, Corn Meal, Ground Grain Sorghum, Ground
Wheat, Chicken By-Product Meal, Brewers Rice, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (Preserved
with mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Chicken Liver Flavor, Vegetable Oil, Dried
Egg Product, Flaxseed, “vitamins & minerals.”
Here we have a food manufactured for
carnivores, which consists primarily of grains. Yes, they list Chicken first,
but it only weighs more than the Corn Meal because of its water content, and
they list three different grains after it. As if that weren’t bad enough, the
grains include Corn and Wheat- two very common allergens which are also
difficult to digest. Next, we have Chicken By-Product Meal- basically all the
parts unfit for humans- heads, feet, beaks, intestines, etc. Then, more grain,
and this time, we have Brewer’s Rice which has been stripped of its most
nutritious component- the Bran, and Soybean Meal- very indigestible.
For fat, they list “Animal Fat”-very low
quality and of unknown origin. The “Vegetable Oil” they list is the cheapest on
the market- it’s Soybean Oil-low in important fatty acids and unable to make up
for their poor quality animal fat. Way, way down on the list you’ll see Flax Seed-
a high quality source of important Omega 3 Fatty Acids- unfortunately, it is
listed so far down on the ingredient list, that there probably isn’t enough of
it in there to do your dog any good.
This is supposed to be premium pet food!
This is what vets are recommending! They make a huge profit from selling this
garbage, and also from the increased visits to them from all the ailments
feeding low quality food like this causes.
Some vets may not have devious intentions- in that case, they are just
sorely lacking in pet nutrition knowledge!
BOTTOM
OF THE BARREL:
This isn’t even the worst. Take a look at a bag of Kibbles and Bits, Ol’ Roy, Alpo, Cycle, Gravy Train, Blue Seal, etc, and you’ll be horrified at
their use of low quality ingredients, allergenic ingredients, chemical
preservatives, etc. All of the
household name brands like Purina,
Pedigree and Iams/Eukanuba
are just as bad. Another reason I don't like Iams/Eukanuba is all the rumors
that they do inhumane testing on animals.
Look at what a simple Google.com search on "Iams" brings up! http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Iams&btnG=Google+Search
The company was bought by Proctor and Gamble a few years
ago. They changed the quality of
ingredients and many dogs started to have problems with it- those big
corporations are always looking to save a buck! I won't ever recommend Iams/Eukanuba products- even if they claim to make a
dog have 25 puppies per litter.
Here are the first
ten ingredients in Pedigree’s Complete
Nutrition Large Crunchy Bites formula:
Ground Yellow Corn, Meat and Bone Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken
By-Product Meal, Animal Fat (Preserved with BHA/BHT), Wheat Mill Run, Natural Poultry
Flavor, Rice, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Caramel Color, Wheat Flour, Wheat Gluten,
Vegetable Oil, “Vitamins andTrace Minierals.”
No comment necessary!
HIGH QUALITY
DOG FOODS:
CANIDAE
Now that you know better, do better! There are high quality dry dog foods out there that won’t cost you a small fortune, like $30 for a 40 lbs bag (37% actual meat in each bag or 50% protein combined from grains). Yes, they will cost a little more, but you will have a healthier dog, lower veterinary expenses, and a clearer conscience. These are the ingredients in Canidae’s maintenance formula for all life stages:
Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, White Rice, Lamb Meal,
Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract), Herring Meal,
Flax Seed, Sun Cured Alfalfa Meal, Sunflower Oil, Chicken, Rosemary Extract,
Sage Extract, Yeast Culture, Folic Acid, Dried Papaya, Natural Probiotics,
Chelated Vitamins and Minerals.
The first two ingredients are high quality sources of
protein, 4 sources of proteins in all.
They use meal which is highly concentrated, as well as fresh chicken and
Lamb meal. They use whole grain rice with more brown rice than white rice – and
no brewer’s rice or rice particles. The other grains they list are not
allergenic and they are whole grains. They use chicken fat and preserve it
naturally. Canidae includes two sources of Omega 6 & 3 fatty acids- herring
meal and flax. With a food like this, you know exactly what kind of meat your
dog is eating. You know which parts you are getting- no heads and feet! There are no chemical preservatives,
artificial flavors or artificial colors in this. You won’t find “animal
digest”, grain fragments, or allergenic grains. There is no corn syrup or sugar in this food. The things that you will NOT find in a good
food are just as important as the things you should look for. They even add
Glucosamine and Chondroitin- excellent for cartilage and bone health! Of course, you won’t find any By-Products, Animal
Fat or Digest, Wheat, Corn, Soy, BHA, BHT, “Brewers” Rice or Artificial Colors
in this food. For more information: www.canidae.com. Canidae does have a frequent
buyer program for puppy owners (buy 12 get 1 free) and breeders (buy 5 get 1
free) with saved UPC labels/receipts.
CHICKEN
SOUP FOR THE PET LOVER’S SOUL (adult dog formula)
Use for training treats – too rich for everyday diet.
Chicken Soup has 7 high quality sources of protein (40% actual
meat in formula). They use Fresh, never
frozen meats, four of them: Turkey, Chicken, Duck, Salmon, Eggs as well as high
grade-low ashTurkey Meal and Chicken Meal.
They use Whole Grain Rice, with more Brown Rice than White Rice – and no
Brewer’s Rice or Rice particles. The other grains Chicken Soup lists are not
allergenic and they are whole grains. They use Chicken Fat and preserve it
naturally. They also include two sources of Omega 3 Fatty Acids- Salmon and Flax.
Chicken, Turkey, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Whole Grain
Brown Rice, Whole Grain White Rice, Oatmeal, Potatoes, Cracked Pearled Barley, Millet,
Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Duck, Salmon, Egg Product, Flaxseed,
Natural Chicken Flavor, Kelp, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Chicory
Root Extract, Carrots, Peas, Apples, Dried Skim Milk, Cranberry Powder, Rosemary
Extract, Parsley Flakes, Vitamins and minerals.
Fresh Meat means your pet
receives the true, purest form of meats to provide a highly digestible, highly
palatable protein source. Dietary protein consists of two
types of amino acids:
1. Essential—Which the body cannot produce enough of to satisfy its needs, and
2. Non-Essential—Which the body can produce quickly to sustain itself.
Dietary protein supplies
essential amino acids which results in a balance of essential and non-essential
amino acids. These amino acids are critical to the body's ability to maintain
and repair tissue, keep the immune system in peak performance, and ensure
proper central nervous system function.
Antioxidants Vitamin E, Selenium, and Beta-Carotene. One of the most versatile
antioxidants, Vitamin E is vital to your pet's continued long-term health.
Vitamin E supports healing, helps fight off neurological and heart diseases,
strengthens the immune system response, and reduces the effects of aging.
Selenium is a trace mineral and works with Vitamin E to protect cells from
damage. Left uncontrolled, high levels of Selenium are toxic to dogs and cats.
Beta-Carotene strengthens the immune system and fights diseases such as
cancer. For more information: www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com.
Frequent Buyer program???????
TIMBERWOLF ORGANICS
This is top-of-the-line dog food. You won’t find better in a
kibble form. Timberwolf Organics uses organic meats which are certified
hormone-free. The kibble is composed of
47% meat or fish- the highest on the market. They have many formulas for dogs
with different dietary needs. This food
is a little harder to find and a little more expensive than Canidae, but it
well worth the effort and definitely worth its price, $46-$49 for 33 lbs bag
plus shipping. It can be ordered from
their website, or from a list of retailers provided on their site (Sorry, but
no distributors for Maine). And no, I don’t work for them! I have nothing to gain from recommending
this food, other than feeling good about giving dogs better nutrition. The
following are the ingredients in their Ocean Blue Canid Formula:
Low Ash White Fish Meal, Salmon, Potatoes, Sardine/Mackerel/ Anchovy/Tuna
Oils, Kelp, Alfalfa Leaf, Potassium Chloride, Amaranth, Carrot, Watercress,
Spinach, Celery, Parsley, Fennel Seed, Blueberries, Cranberries, Pears, Figs,
Thyme, Anise Seed, Ground Cinnamon Bark, Fenugreek, Garlic Pieces, Sunflower
Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Apples, Natural Probiotics, Chelated Vitamins and
Minerals.
The first two ingredients are low ash (very important) fish
meal, and fresh salmon. Potatoes are a grain-free source of carbohydrate. They
have added an excellent blend of fish oils for omega 3 fatty acids, as well as
herbs, probiotics and enzymes. Also,
notice what you don’t see: grains, by-products, fillers, salt, sugar,
artificial colors and flavors, animal fat, etc. This formula will do wonders
for a dog’s skin and coat, immunity and general health. They also recommend
their food for large breed dogs and have a very informative FAQS page on their
website: www.timberwolforganics.com
NATURE’S VARIETY
Nature's
Variety puts raw food benefits into a kibble. They have an assortment of
products: 1) Raw Frozen and Freeze Dried Diets (95% meat). 2) Raw Frozen Bones
include meaty ham bones, lamb femur bones, bison bones, split beef knuckles,
turkey necks, and meaty beef femur bones; 3) Variety Dry Kibble; Canned Diets
(95% quality meat & organs); Dry Roasted Treats and, 4) Supplements.
Pricing is around $35-$40 for 30 lb a bag of dry kibble.
All Nature’s Variety Prairie Brand Kibble Diets are now
coated with freeze dried USDA raw chicken, beef or lamb along with liver and
freeze dried Norwegian Salmon Oil (95% meat). This coating greatly increases
enzymes, unaltered bio-available amino acids, essential fatty acids, vitamins
and minerals that may otherwise be degraded during the processing necessary to
produce kibble diets. This cold processed, living food is made available in its
natural, nutritious state – ready to release its health enhancing benefits when
consumed by your pet.
Often known as one of the best complete foods, eggs provide
a complete amino acid profile including other essential nutrients necessary to
ensure optimal health. Nature’s Variety has chosen a wide variety of
eggs, including the shells for additional natural calcium and to ensure a
better and more complete nutrient profile.
Quality
ingredients include: Chicken, Beef, Lamb, Whole Eggs (Chicken, Duck, Quail
& Pheasant), Menhadden Fish, Venison. Bones, Ground Bone (A significant source of Glucosamine and
Chondroitin, naturally occurring compounds associated with joint health.)
Alfalfa Sprouts, Apple Cider Vinegar, Apples, Barley Sprouts, Blueberries,
Broccoli, Lettuce, Spinach, Brown Rice, Carrots, Flaxseed, Garlic, Grapefruit
Seed Extract, Honey, Inulin, Kelp, Norwegian Virgin Salmon Oil and Virgin Olive
Oil, Millet Sprouts, Montmorillonite (combination of 50 organic trace
minerals), Persimmons, Parsley, Quinoa Sprouts, Rosemary, Sage, and Clove,
Sweet Potatoes, Wheat Sprouts.
Be sure to pull up www.naturesvariety.com
for an explanation of all these
ingredients and their health benefits under “Natural Ingredients.”
WELLNESS DOG FOOD is well marketed
but makes for fat dogs. Not recommended for daily use. We’d rather feed a dog
more and feel full, than feed less to equal the calories.
Different dogs have different needs. For example, if you have a large breed
puppy, or an inactive or overweight dog, you may want a food with less protein
and fat but watch the calories per cup which is higher. Here’s their Adult Super 5 Mix Lamb formula:
This food has
22% protein (actual meat % in formula is unknown, protein can be derived from
grains too) and 12% fat.
Lamb, Lamb meal, White fish, Ground Brown Rice, Ground
Barley, Oatmeal, Rye Flour, Ground Millet, Amaranth, Flax Seed, Canola Oil
(Preserved with Rosemary, Vitamin C & E), Dried Peas, Dried carrots, Whole
Sweet Potatoes, Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate, Beta-Carotene, chelated
Vitamins and Minerals, Folic Acid.
Here is another
example of a good dog food, $33-42 for 30 lbs bag. It includes Fresh Lamb, Lamb Meal and fish as the first three
ingredients, which are all excellent quality proteins, and since they include
both Meal and Fresh Lamb. Wellness uses only hormone-free and
antibiotic-free New Zealand lamb meat in their foods. The next six ingredients
are easily digestible, non allergenic whole grains. This food does have a higher
grain content than the Chicken Soup brand, but in the case of a large breed or
overweight dog, this is necessary to bring down the protein and fat levels. The
food is also oven-baked at a low temperature to make those grains easier to
digest. This food contains a decent amount of Flax Seed for Omega 3 Fatty Acids,
and Naturally Preserved Canola Oil. There is an impressive amount of healthy
vegetables and fruits listed, and the minerals are chelated, which makes them
easier for the body to absorb and use.
DON’T BE FOOLED BY ALL “NATURAL”
PRODUCTS
Don’t be fooled
by some companies who call their foods natural but use a lot of cheap fillers and/or
low quality ingredients! Nature’s Recipe,
for example, uses “Animal Fat” in their chicken formula, and Wheat in their
“lamb and rice” formula. This would be a terrible food to feed to a dog with
allergies! Nutro is a tremendously popular food and they are guilty of deceitful
ingredient listing. In their Natural
Choice lamb and rice formula,
they list Rice in four different parts! You will find Rice Flour, Ground Rice, Rice
Bran, and Rice Gluten on the label. If you were to put all those parts
together, you would end up with whole grain brown rice, but because of the way
they list it, they are able to list Lamb Meal as the first ingredient by
weight. Science Diet’s all natural
“Nature’s Best” adult dog food
contains Brewer’s Rice as the first ingredient, not to mention Wheat, Corn, Soy,
Animal Fat, etc.
CANNED DOG FOOD
Some owners
prefer to give their dogs canned food.
A pregnant or nursing dog or a puppy requires extra nutrients, and some
older dogs may have to be tempted into eating enough. If you have a small dog,
you might not mind the extra expense of canned food, and you might enjoy giving
your dog food that smells and looks so palatable. Canned food also tends to be
higher in meat and lower in grains. A
high quality canned food can be just as good or better for your dog than a dry
food, but it doesn’t have the benefits for his teeth- crunching kibble helps
scrape tartar off of a dog’s gums. You
could, of course, feed both canned and dry or feed canned alone and brush your
dog’s teeth as well as provide crunchy biscuits and raw vegetables to munch on.
Just be aware that once you start feeding canned food, you may create a finicky
eater! Also, note that a canned food’s
protein and fat content is much lower than on a bag of dry food. This is not because the food is lower in
these nutrients- it is because there is so much water in the food. If a canned food lists 9% protein and 6%
fat, it is the equivalent of a dry food with 28% protein and 18.5% fat. If the canned food lists 8% protein and 5%
fat, it is the equivalent of a dry food containing 25% protein and 15.5% fat.
BARF DIET (Bones And Raw
Food)
A growing trend in pet nutrition is the feeding of all raw
meat, raw vegetables and raw bones.
There are some who sing the praises of this diet, and will tell you how
much healthier and vibrant their dogs are on the raw diet. They are positive that this is the diet that
dogs naturally evolved to eat, that a dog’s intestinal tract can handle any
amount of bacteria, that it is impossible for a dog to have internal problems
from eating raw bones, and that it is the best thing in the world that you can
do for your dog. This theory is
becoming more and more popular among breeders and pet owners. There is also a group of people who warn
about the dangers of a raw diet. Vets
will tell you that they are seeing an increased rate in pancreatitis and kidney
failure, that they are operating on more dogs with bones lodged in their
intestines, and that many dogs on the BARF diet have nutritional deficiencies
and imbalances, especially with calcium and phosphorus ratios.
It’s very difficult
to decide who to believe, because there is probably truth to both sides of the
story. It does take a lot of research
and dedication to feed your dog a properly balanced and safe raw diet.
The BARF diet is such a complex subject, this article won’t attempt to
cover it in depth. There are many
informative books on the subject and websites with information- just be sure to
do your own research and come to your own informed opinion on the pros and cons
of this method of feeding. There are
base mixes available to which you can add fresh meat and raw vegetables. There
are also companies which sell complete frozen or freeze-dried raw diets for
dogs. The benefits to feeding a
pre-made raw food are convenience, a balanced formula, and the fact that the
bones are ground, which prevents the danger of your dog choking on a bone or
having it lodged in his digestive system. The disadvantage, of course, is the
expense.
If you don’t mind spending the time and
energy required to learn about this diet and how to balance it correctly, or
the money to pay for these highest quality ingredients, then it may be the way
to go for you and your dog. If, on the other hand, you are the average pet
owner whose head is already spinning from reading all of these dog food labels,
you are on a budget, or you can’t even find time to cook for yourself, then
find a high quality dry or canned food using the above guidelines, and rest
assured that you are doing your best to fulfill your dog’s nutritional needs.
MAKING THE SWITCH IN DIET; A NOTE ON
TREATS
The best way to
switch your dog’s food is to start with 25% new food and 75% of his old
food. Feed that for a week, then feed
half new and half old food for a week, then a week of 75% new food and 25% old,
then all new food. This way, you won’t disturb his digestive system. Some dogs are more sensitive than
others. If you have a dog with a strong
digestive system, it may be possible to switch him over faster. Make sure that
after you put your dog on a healthy diet you’re not sabotaging it with junk
food treats. Please read the
ingredients on his biscuits and use the same guidelines as you would for his
food. (You will not find quality dog treats or dog food in your grocery store-
go to the pet store!) Freeze-dried raw diets, such as Nature’s Variety make excellent treats for dogs. Wellness,
Solid Gold & Old Mother Hubbard make excellent treats for dogs too.
Also, fresh vegetables are great for your dog- as long as you provide them in
moderation and your dog’s digestive system doesn’t suffer from them, except onions, mushrooms and grapes. Small bits of cooked chicken breast or other
real meats can also be used as treats or training aids.
HEALTHIER DOGS
This may all
seem overwhelming, but once you (gradually!) switch your dog over to a healthy,
quality food, you will see many physical benefits, and often an improvement in
behavior (allergies may contribute to hyperactivity and other behavior
disorders). Even if your dog is the
type who can eat and digest anything without suffering, you will appreciate the
decrease in shedding, shinier, healthier skin and coat, and easier to clean up
stools- and who knows how much you’ll save on veterinary visits for hot spots,
ear infections, etc, that you never had to go to? Whatever you do, don’t
blindly trust anybody’s nutrition information- including your veterinarian!
Read the labels, research, and in the end it will pay off for you and your dog.
RECOMMENDED FOODS
DRY FOODS:
*TIMBERWOLF ORGANICS www.timberwolforganics.com
*CANIDAE www.canidae.com
*THE HONEST KITCHEN’s Force; Embark formulas www.thehonestkitchen.com
*NATURE’S VARIETY www.naturesvariety.com
*CHICKEN SOUP for the Dog Lover’s Soul www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com
ARTEMIS Fresh Mix adult dog formula
www.artemiscompany.com
C&P’s Organix Canine Formulas
C&P's Ultramix Canine Formulas
www.castorpolluxpet.com
Dick Van Patten’s NATURAL BALANCE; Organic formulas www.naturalbalanceinc.com
EAGLE PACK Holistic Select www.eaglepack.com
FROMM Four Star Nutritionals
formulas www.frommfamily.com
HOLISTIC BLEND www.holisticblend.com
MERRICK (six flavor
varieties) www.merrickpetcare.com/store/dry_dog_food.php
NATURA Healthwise
NATURA Innova www.naturapet.com
PINNACLE Trout and Sweet Potato
formula (Breeder’s Choice)
PRECISE Plus www.precisepet.com
SOLID GOLD: Wolf King, Wolf Cub (large breed formulas) and
“Just a Wee Bit” small breed formula www.solidgoldhealth.com
WELLNESS super5mix Lamb and super5mix Puppy www.omhpet.com
WYSONG Synorgon www.wysong.net
*top picks
CANNED FOODS:
*NATURE’S VARIETY (95% meat) http://naturesvariety.com (no “www.”)
*EVANGER’S: organic turkey and potato formula,
duck and sweet potato formula, and whole chicken dinner are best www.evangersdogfood.com
*MERRICK www.merrickpetcare.com venison,
trout, cowboy cookout, pot pie, and thanksgiving formulas are grain free.
*NEURA 95 chicken formula and lamb formula
are grain free
*CANIDAE www.canidae.com
*CHICKEN SOUP for the Dog lover’s Soul brand www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com
Dick Van Patten’s NATURAL BALANCE www.naturalbalanceinc.com
EAGLE PACK Holistics www.eaglepack.com
EVOLVE Duck, sweet potato and avocado formula www.petfooddirect.com
NATURA Innova www.naturapet.com
NATURAL LIFE Lamaderm www.nlpp.com
http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/dept.asp?dept_id=2&brand_id=13
NEWMAN’S OWN www.newmansownorganics.com
PETGUARD turkey and lamb formulas www.petguard.com
PINNACLE Chicken and Oat formula or Trout and Sweet Potato
are best (made by Breeder’s Choice) www.breeders-choice.com
SOLID GOLD www.solidgoldhealth.com
WELLNESS www.omhpet.com
COMPLETE FREEZE-DRIED DIETS AND MEAT ROLLS- PERFECT TREATS
and meal replacements
*NATURE’S VARIETY Freeze
dried raw diet www.naturesvariety.com
*STEVE’S REAL FOOD FOR DOGS freeze-dried raw diet http://www.stevesrealfood.com/products/fd.html
*NATURE’S MENU freeze-dried raw diet http://www.naturesmenu.com
*TIMBERWOLF ORGANICS fermented meat rolls www.timberwolforganics.com
BASE FOODS (to which fresh meats and raw vegetables are
added):
*AMIXX PETS http://www.amixxpets.com/
*URBAN WOLF www.urbanwolf.cc
*SOJOS EUROPA http://www.sojos.com/europa.cfm
(Wendy Volhard’s mixer
and others were purposely excluded from this list because of their grain
content).
·
top picks
COMPLETE RAW DIETS:
*NATURE’S VARIETY http://naturesvariety.com (no “www.”) 95% meat
*FARMORE Raw food diets www.farmoredogfood.com
*NATURE’S MENU www.naturesmenu.com
*HOMEMADE 4 LIFE frozen, raw, organic pet food www.auntjeni.com
NORTHWEST NATURALS www.nw-naturals.com
PEPPERDOGZ www.pepperdogz.com
(expensive to order online)
STEVE’S REAL FOOD for dogs http://www.stevesrealfood.com/canine.html
BRAVO (diets must be supplemented
and are not complete as-is.)
HEALTHY TREATS:
*CHARLEE BEAR Natural Nutrition Snacks- grain free! http://www.charleebear.com/
*HALO Liv-a-Littles freeze dried chicken, beef, cod or
salmon http://shop.halopets.com/
SOLID GOLD: *Dragonette biscuits, *Dragon’s Teeth biscuits, Cinnabone biscuits, Dyna Bone biscuits, *LA Treats (lamb appeal), Natur-Bone biscuits and *Petzyme treats (dehydrated green tripe).www.solidgoldhealth.com
*WILDERNESS real meat pet treats: lamb, venison, beef,
chicken & venison, fish & venison and lamb liver varieties. http://www.realmeattreats.com/products.htm
SIMON & HUEY’S: Many varieties, including Tantalizing Turkey
Bites, Savory Salmon Snackers, Teriyaki
Chicken Chicks, Venison bits, Lamb Flips, Luscious Liver Lips, low fat, and
special diet treats. http://www.simonandhuey.com/
CANIDAE Snap biscuits