(Pet) Food for Thought

[ConcinusMan]

If it's good enough for me, it's good enough for my dog.

Well, much of what we eat isn't "good enough" at all.

[MCwyo]

From what I could find out it is sprayed on as a flavoring. True enough that we eat plenty of fried food, but we eat other things too. Dogs only get the same kibble day in and day out. Wasn't trying to stir things up, it just grossed me out thinking about my dog eating that gunk every day. While I was trying to find out more info, I came across this site- Dog Food Analysis - Reviews of kibble They look at each thing that goes into the food and explain it. I feed my dog Purina Dog Chow, it got a horrible rating. I may try a healthier food for her as soon as I can afford it. I try to give my snakies a diet that will be healthy for them, I'd like to do the same for my pup.

[ConcinusMan]

As a general rule, any grain ingredient should NOT be the first or even the second ingredient. That's your first clue as to the quality of dog food. The good ones will list some sort of meat first, meat by-products second. Wheat and/or any kind of "gluten meal" should be avoided altogether.

Purina Dog Chow:

[ProXimuS]

Wheat(gluten), and corn are not a great grain to have in the food in general...I feed a raw, grain free diet.

[kimbosaur]

Do you follow the Prey Model? Do you find it messy? I was just about to ask if anybody feeds raw!

[ConcinusMan]

Oh, I've seen "real" raw food for dogs & cats that you can buy rather than prepare yourself so there's no mess there, but it's refrigerated and the prices... ouch.

There's just some dogs that can't tolerate a diet like that either (my pomeranians included) and with 3 of them, plus another dog, it's just not economically practical.

Even though I did just lose one not long ago, after a short illness, to an unknown cause, the remaining 3 poms are 11 and 12 years old but very healthy and active for their ages. They just can't eat "real" food though. It will upset their digestive systems something terrible. There's very few commercial dog foods they can eat as well.

[ProXimuS]

Yea some dogs do have very sensitive stomachs and can't handle those things. My pom had a very sensitive stomach as well, and we fed her Hill's Science Diet until I found out it was bad... Then I got her on Wellness(before it went commercial) and she did very well with it. She live to be 14

Kim, I'm not sure what you mean, but I'm interested! Can you explain(prey model)?

[kimbosaur]

I think there are basically two ways of feeding raw. One is called the BARF diet, and that's where you suppliment with veggies and things like that. The other one is Prey Model, and that's the one where you basically mimic their wild diet as close as possible with 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, 5% liver, and 5% other organs.

I was interested but I don't think I have the balls to try and balance everything. Home cooking sounds more appealing for the human, but the same balancing issue for me so my puppy is currently on dry food.

[ProXimuS]

I think there are basically two ways of feeding raw. One is called the BARF diet, and that's where you suppliment with veggies and things like that. The other one is Prey Model, and that's the one where you basically mimic their wild diet as close as possible with 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, 5% liver, and 5% other organs.

I was interested but I don't think I have the balls to try and balance everything. Home cooking sounds more appealing for the human, but the same balancing issue for me so my puppy is currently on dry food.

I think I see what you mean. What she eats is more towards the prey model I guess. It's Nature's Variety Instinct. It's 95% protein(meat, livers, etc...) 5% fruits/vegetables. I'm thinking about looking into making it myself though...The only issue is that the raw food made for the dogs is treated at very high pressure to kill bacteria and what not. The stufff at the grocery store isn't, because it was intended to be cooked.

[ConcinusMan]

the raw food made for the dogs is treated at very high pressure to kill bacteria and what not. The stufff at the grocery store isn't, because it was intended to be cooked.

It's treated because many of the ingredients weren't or couldn't be kept clean/unspoiled in the first place. And it's not treated to protect the animals, as they don't need such protection. It's treated to keep it from spoiling on the shelf. If you're referring to the raw refrigerated dog food, I don't think the stuff at the grocery store was treated because it doesn't have the same problem as the stuff that was treated. The raw stuff at the grocery store was not intended to be cooked. Dogs don't need the bacteria killed. They could eat food spoiled with salmonella and it wouldn't matter. It wouldn't make them sick like it would do to us. Dogs can eat rotten road kill happily and like it.