THE DOG HOUSE

WHAT’S IN YOUR DOG FOOD?

A Natural Diet is Easy!

“And what do you feed, Kiwi?” the vet asked as she made notes into her computer.

“We feed naturally.”

The look of disdain and horror that crossed the vet’s face was priceless. And I’d seen it before. Not just on her face, but on friends and family when I told them we feed our dog a natural diet.

Why did I get so much pleasure out of that look? Because I knew what they didn’t.

Recalls

According to dogfoodadvisor.com, between January 2017 and the time of this article, there have been 59 dog food and dog food related (treats, etc.) recalls. (Dogfoodadvisor.com 1).

That averages about two every week. Although they usually come in spates. For example, 7 recalls in February 2017, another 8 in February 2018 and a final 10 in November 2018.

And it’s not just off-brands, either. Blue Buffalo had three in two months in 2017 and Wellness one during the same period, both higher end brand names in the dog food industry.

While human foods have far more recalls - 1,520 in the two years 2017 & 2018, according to Jamie Ducharme’s January 2019 Time article, You’re Not Imagining It: Food Recalls Are Getting More Common. Here’s Why - the regulations are much stricter for you than for your pooch, even if they are getting laxer. (Ducharme 1). Most of those are preventative – before someone is sick or injured. That’s often not the case with dog food.

What’s in my dog’s food?

Many dog foods start with a meat ingredient (Chicken, Beef, Fish, etc.). And that’s a good thing.

It’s what comes after that is what should scare you.

Here are the next 6 ingredients from three major brands of dog food:

Purina (ONE SMARTBLEND Large Breed Adult Formula)

• Brewer’s Rice

•  Poultry By-Product Meal

• Corn Gluten Meal

• Whole Grain Wheat

• Whole Grain Corn

•  Soy Flakes

Iams (ProActive Health MiniChunks Adult Dry Dog Food)

• Corn Meal

• Ground Whole Grain Sorghum

• Chicken By-Product Meal

• Dried Beet Pulp

• Chicken Flavor

•  Chicken Fat

Pedigree (Dry Dog Food Adult Grilled Steak & Vegetable Flavor)

• Ground Whole Grain Corn

• Meat and Bone Meal

• Corn Gluten Meal

• Animal Fat

• Soybean Meal

•  Natural Flavor

Are you asking yourself why there’s so much corn and grain? And why they’re using “flavor”?

Good. Now we’re getting somewhere.

And remember, the higher up on the list, the more of that ingredient.

If you’re asking yourself about corn, you’re probably wondering what Meat and Bone Meal and Chicken By-Product are. You can learn more about both topics at Dogfoodadvisor.com here and here, respectively. But I warn you, it’s not for the faint of heart. They spin that they’re healthier, but would you eat that?

Let’s face it, dogs are omnivores, and like their canine cousins, the wolf, their natural diets will include grasses and grains. But in the wild, wolves are eating whole foods (rabbits, birds, and deer), not soy and flavoring. So why should your domesticated wolf?

The Benefits of Feeding Natural

Now you may be asking yourself why would I bother?

Here are a few things I’ve found when I changed my dogs’ diet:

• Soft, shiny coat

• Clear, bright eyes

• Elimination of filmy residue on their fur

• Less itching

• Reduced bad breath

• Banishment of stinky farts

• You can let them pre-wash almost every dish

How Do I Do It?

So, you’ve decided this sounds like a good idea.

But now you’re asking yourself what do I do?

Here’s a sample of what I feed my dogs in the evening:

Depending on the size of the dog will determine how much you feed. I have a 60+ pound Rotti-Lab and an 87-pound German Shepherd, so these are my ranges.

Gauge based on size and, of course, don’t over-feed.

• ½ - 1 cup of oatmeal

• ~ 2.5 – 3 cups of frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, string beans, and yes, corn). I also include a cup or so of frozen spinach, but you can use any vegetables. Just make sure there’s no sauce or spices.

• If you have the freezer space, buy large bags of vegetables at BJs or Costco. Otherwise, buy the family package!

• ½ – 1 can of canned mackerel, chicken, salmon, tuna – with liquid.

• Water

How I assemble*:

In a large microwave-safe bowl put your vegetables and a cup or so of water.

Microwave for 3-5 minutes.

Pour vegetables and water over oatmeal.

Add protein and canning liquid.

Stir (optional).

That’s it.

*I also include a vitamin and, for my older dog, a glucosamine supplement.

For a completely balanced meal and to ensure your pet gets all the required nutrients, check out www.balanceit.com. BalanceIT is a commercial website which offers semi-customized balanced home-cooked diet recipes for pet owners with healthy pets. Veterinarians can customize pre-formulated recipes for animals with medical conditions. (wsava.org 1).

Can I swap ingredients?

Of Course!

They can eat (almost) anything you eat. (See below.)

Here are some ideas for changing what you feed:

Protein

Don’t want to give them canned protein?

• Fresh/frozen chicken breasts or thighs can be boiled and de-boned. (Buy store brand)

• Frozen cooked burger patties can be pan cooked or baked.

• Ground meat (chicken, beef or turkey) can be boiled.

• Eggs can be scrambled or fried.

TIP: Baking chicken, fish or beef for yourself?

Throw an extra one in, with no seasoning, for Fido.

We’ve even been known to chuck a raw egg or two into their bowl, when we didn’t have the time to cook, along with the vegs and the oatmeal.

NOTE: Generally, mixing a raw diet with a cooked diet is a bad idea, but a couple of eggs, occasionally, is not the same as a raw chicken breast with a cooked product.

Feeding raw is an entirely different set of rules. Refer to wsava.org, specifically, here, for more information about feeding raw.

Grains

Rover not feeling well or have a sensitive tummy?

Swap out rice for the oatmeal. 

You can really use whatever grain you have or can find:

• Quinoa

• Barley

• Brown rice

Heck, even pasta can serve as a grain if that’s what you have on hand. Just, maybe, not every day.

Vegetables

Cooked potatoes?

No problem!

Sweet potatoes?

Fido loves them!

Brussel Sprouts, green beans, peas, broccoli, peppers, and cauliflower?

Nom, Nom, Nom!

Kale, Lettuce, Cucumber, Tomatoes (yes, it’s technically a fruit).

Rex loves a salad!

Don’t be afraid to switch up the veggies! You’ll quickly discover if your dog doesn’t like mushrooms, beets or some other vegetable. Simply eliminate that from their menu.

TIP: Chop some parsley to help neutralize bad breath!

Fruits

Don’t forget the fruits:

• Apples*

  • Even in sauce form - Just be careful of giving them too much fiber!

• Berries (Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries)

• Bananas

• Peaches*

• Oranges

All good!

(*See the links below for what parts of these delicious fruits you should NOT share with your pup.)

Other Foods

Everyday:

• Yogurt

• Beef bones

  • Don’t give your dog cooked poultry or pork bones. They become brittle when cooked and can shatter.

• Cheese (Sliced, shredded, cottage, ricotta)

• Crackers

In limited quantities:

• Peanut or other nut butter

  • This won’t hurt them, but too much can act as a laxative.

• Pork

  • Richer & fattier foods can cause pancreatitis

• Sugary treats (candy, etc.)

• Potato & Corn Chips and other processed snack foods

• Bread

See what your best friend likes and feel free to mix it up.

What Should You NEVER Give Your Dog?

• Grapes/raisins

• Chocolate

• Alcohol

• Foods in the Onion/Lily family, to include:

  • Garlic

  • Onions

  • Leeks

  • Chives, and

  • Scallions

• Anything with Xylitol (gum, etc.)

  • See here for more information about the dangers of Xylitol and your dog.

• Sage

 Remember, except for the standard No-No’s listed above, you can feed them what you’re eating.

Share your food adventures with them. They’ll love you all the more.

Here are some more links for foods you should NOT feed your best friend:

https://clark.com/family-lifestyle/children-pets/foods-never-feed-dog/

https://www.thisisinsider.com/things-dogs-shouldn’t-eat-2016-9

Final Thoughts

This kind of feeding is not for everyone. It requires planning and time. But I’ve found my dogs have benefitted from my efforts.

My Dalmatian was 14 when she died of bone cancer but was otherwise healthy.

The Rotti-lab is 10 and healthy as can be.

And the 3-year-old German Shepherd went from 59 pounds, when we got him, to a healthy and strong 87-pounds, in just a few months.

I can’t stress enough that you should do additional research. Don’t just take my word for all of this. I came to this knowledge over time.

Dogs can have allergies and medical conditions which make certain foods off limits. For example, my Dalmatian couldn’t have peas (among other foods) because they are high in purines which can cause bladder stones, a condition common in that breed.

There was also an ingredient in one of the Wellness products, that we could never identify, that used to make her vomit. That’s was about the time we started feeding her home cooked, anyway.

My two, now, can eat anything.

Your vet may push back on this idea.

If you have done the research to support your decision and are firm, I’ve never had one that didn’t meet me halfway.

If they do resist, you may want to ask yourself why.

Best of luck in natural feeding! You may ask yourself why you didn’t do this sooner!