Which Dog Food?

[TotemSpirit]

Ok, since I didnt get any response I thought maybe I would do some research for myself & for others & gather some info on commercial dog foods.

What to look out for in commercial dog foods & avoid.

If anyone has any good sites they know of or more info it is welcome.

Maybe Troy could pinn it??

Edited September 18, 2008 by TotemSpirit

[TotemSpirit]

Here's a list of what to avoid in commercial dog foods

Ingredients to avoid

Ingredients are listed by category, to search within this page please press control-F to perform a search for a specific ingredient if you don't know the category.

This is not a comprehensive list of dangerous and/or poor quality ingredients, but it names most of the ones that are used especially in lower-end foods and should be avoided. The list will change and possibly grow as my research progresses.

Additives

Glyceryl Monostearate

A lipophilic non-ionic surfactant with HLB of 3.6 - 4.2. It has effects of emulsification, dispersion, foaming, defoaming, starch anti-aging and fat agglomeration control, and is widely used in foodstuffs, cosmetic, medicine and plastic processing industries. It is an emulsifier used the most widely and in the largest quantities in the foodstuff industry.

A thickening, emulsifying, antisticking and antistalant agent. Can contain up to 200 ppm butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) as a preservative (see also BHT). Depending on method of manufacture, it can also contain glyceryl distearate (42-44%), glyceryl tristearate (20-23%), free glycerol (3-5%). Other impurities include mono-, di-, and triesters of related fatty acids as well as unreacted fatty acids. Due to the uncertainty of chemical additives, this ingredient should be avoided.

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Phosphoric Acid

A clear colorless liquid, H3PO4, used in fertilizers, detergents, food flavoring, and pharmaceuticals.

A harmless but unnecessary ingredient, used in inexpensive, poor quality dog food as flavoring, emulsifier and discoloration inhibitor. Used for example as a flavoring for Coca Cola.

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Propylene Glycol

A colorless viscous hygroscopic liquid, CH3CHOHCH2OH, used in antifreeze solutions, in hydraulic fluids, and as a solvent.

Used as humectant in semi-moist kibble to keep it from drying out. May be toxic if consumed in large amounts, and should definitely not be an ingredient in a food an animal will eat daily for weeks, months or even years of its life. In countries of the European Union, propylene glycol is not cleared as a general-purpose food grade product or direct food additive.

Binders

Corn Gluten

I have not been able to locate an official definition of this product, but since it is contained in only one formulation of one manufacturer (Excel Chunks/Mini Chunks), I assume it is the same as "Corn Gluten Meal".

An inexpensive by-product of human food processing which offers very little nutritional value and serves mainly to bind food together. It is not a harmful ingredient but should be avoided simply for its poor nutritional value and quality.

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Wheat Gluten

AAFCO: The tough, viscid nitrogenous substance remaining when wheat is washed to remove the starch.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing with almost no nutritional value left, serves mostly as a binder.

Carbohydrate Sources

Brewers Rice

Also appears in ingredient lists as ground Brewers Rice.

AAFCO: The small milled fragments of rice kernels that have been separated from the larger kernels of milled rice.

A processed rice product that is missing many of the nutrients contained in whole ground rice and brown rice. Contrary to what many pet food companies want to make you believe, this is not a high quality ingredient, just much cheaper than whole grain rice.

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Cereal Food Fines

AAFCO: Particles of breakfast cereals obtained as a byproduct of their processing.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing of unknown source, quality, possible chemical residue, sweeteners or other additives.

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Feeding Oat Meal

AAFCO: Feeding oat meal is obtained in the manufacture of rolled oat groats or rolled oats and consists of broken oat groats, oat groat chips, and floury portions of the oat groats, with only such quantity of finely ground oat hulls as is unavoidable in the usual process of commericial milling.

A food-grade fractionated grain, byproduct from human food processing, that is not as nutritionally valuable as the product obtained from whole oats.

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Grain Fermentation Solubles

AAFCO: The dried material resulting from drying the water soluble materials after separation of suspended solids from grain fermentation.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food and beverage production which adds little or no nutritional value to pet foods.

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Maltodextrins & Fermentation Solubles

I have not been able to locate an official definition for this product so far.

A brewery byproduct much like "grain fermentation solubles", with some maltodextrin from malted barley. Better suited for use in short term feeding like e.g. livestock than as an ingredient in pet food.

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Potato Product

AAFCO: Potato pieces, peeling, culls, etc., obtained from the manufacture of processed potato products for human consumption.

A cheap byproduct of human food processing that has been stripped of much of the nutritional benefits that whole, fresh potatos offer.

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Soy Flour

AAFCO: The finely powdered material resulting from the screened and graded product after removal of most of the oil from selected, sound, cleaned and dehulled soybeans by a mechanical or solvent extraction process.

Much of the nutritional value is lost already during processing of the grain to flour. May contain particles of hull, germ, and the offal from the tail of the mill.

Coloring Agents

Blue 2 (artificial color)

The color additive FD&C Blue No. 2 is principally the disodium salt of 2-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-5-sulfo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)- 2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-indole-5-sulfonic acid with smaller amounts of the disodium salt of 2-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-7-sulfo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-indole-5-sulfonic acid and the sodium salt of 2-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-indole-5-sulfonic acid. Additionally, FD&C Blue No. 2 is obtained by heating indigo (or indigo paste) in the presence of sulfuric acid. The color additive is isolated and subjected to purification procedures. The indigo (or indigo paste) used above is manufactured by the fusion of N-phenylglycine (prepared from aniline and formaldehyde) in a molten mixture of sodamide and sodium and potassium hydroxides under ammonia pressure. The indigo is isolated and subjected to purification procedures prior to sulfonation.

The largest study suggested, but did not prove, that this dye caused brain tumors in male mice. The FDA concluded that there is "reasonable certainty of no harm", but personally I'd rather avoid this ingredient and err on the side of caution.

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Red 40 (artificial color)

The color additive FD&C Red No. 40 is principally the disodium salt of 6-hydroxy-5-[(2-methoxy-5-methyl-4-sulfophenyl)azo]-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid.

The most widely used food dye. While this is one of the most-tested food dyes, the key mouse tests were flawed and inconclusive. An FDA review committee acknowledged problems, but said evidence of harm was not "consistent" or "substantial." Like other dyes, Red 40 is used mainly in junk foods. Personally I'd rather avoid this ingredient and err on the side of caution.

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Titanium Dioxide

A white powder, TiO2, used as an exceptionally opaque white pigment and dough conditioner.

Non toxic but an unnecessary ingredient that could just as well be left out.

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Yellow 5 (artificial color)

The color additive FD&C Yellow No. 5 is principally the trisodium salt of 4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1-(4-sulfophenyl)-4- [4-sulfophenyl-azo]-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid (CAS Reg. No. 1934-21- 0). To manufacture the additive, 4-amino-benzenesulfonic acid is diazotized using hydrochloric acid and sodium nitrite. The diazo compound is coupled with 4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1-(4-sulfophenyl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid or with the methyl ester, the ethyl ester, or a salt of this carboxylic acid. The resulting dye is purified and isolated as the sodium salt.

The second most widely used coloring can cause mild allergic reactions, primarily in aspirin-sensitive persons.

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Yellow 6 (artificial color)

The color additive FD&C Yellow No. 6 is principally the disodium salt of 6-hydroxy-5-[(4-sulfophenyl)azo]-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid (CAS Reg. No. 2783-94-0). The trisodium salt of 3-hydroxy-4-[(4- sulfophenyl)azo]-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid may be added in small amounts. The color additive is manufactured by diazotizing 4-aminobenzenesulfonic acid using hydrochloric acid and sodium nitrite or sulfuric acid and sodium nitrite. The diazo compound is coupled with 6-hydroxy-2-naphthalene-sulfonic acid. The dye is isolated as the sodium salt and dried. The trisodium salt of 3-hydroxy-4-[(4-sulfophenyl)azo]-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid which may be blended with the principal color is prepared in the same manner except the diazo benzenesulfonic acid is coupled with 3-hydroxy-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid.

Industry-sponsored animal tests indicated that this dye, the third most widely used, causes tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney. In addition, small amounts of several carcinogens contaminate Yellow 6. However, the FDA reviewed those data and found reasons to conclude that Yellow 6 does not pose a significant cancer risk to humans. Yellow 6 may also cause occasional allergic reactions. Another ingredient I would rather avoid and err on the side of caution rather than risking my pet's health.

Fat Sources

Animal Fat

AAFCO: Obtained from the tissues of mammals and/or poultry in the commercial processes of rendering or extracting. It consists predominantly of glyceride esters of fatty acids and contains no additions of free fatty acids. If an antioxidant is used, the common name or names must be indicated, followed by the words "used as a preservative".

Note that the animal source is not specified and is not required to originate from "slaughtered" animals. The rendered animals can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), goats, pigs, horses, rats, misc. roadkill, animals euthanized at shelters, restaurant and supermarket refuse and so on.

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Beef Tallow

AAFCO: Fat with titer above 40 degrees Celsius, obtained from the tissue of cattle in the commercial process of rendering. Also called Beef Fat.

Dogs and cats like the taste of this fat, so it is often used to make low-quality food more palatable. Beef tallow is very low in linoleic acid and much cheaper for the pet food industry to use than a good quality vegetable oil or nutritionally rich chicken fat.

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Lard

AAFCO: The rendered fat of swine.

Very low in linoleic acid but very attractive to pets, used to make poor quality food more appealing. Few nutritional benefits.

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Poultry Fat

AAFCO: Obtained from the tissue of poultry in the commercial process of rendering or extracting. It shall contain only the fatty matter natural to the product produced under good manufacturing practices and shall contain no added free fatty acids or other materials obtained from fat. It must contain not less than 90 percent total fatty acids and not more than 3 percent of unsaponifiables and impurities. It shall have a minimum titer of 33 degrees Celsius. If an antioxidant is used, the common name or names must be indicated, followed by the word "preservative(s)".

Note how in this product the source is not defined as "slaughtered poultry". The rendered fowl can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), turkey, chicken, geese, buzzard, seagulls, misc. roadkill, birds euthanized at shelters and so on.

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Vegetable Oil

AAFCO: The product of vegetable origin obtained by extracting the oil from seeds or fruits which are processed for edible purposes.

The source vegetables for this oil (and therefore the nutrient properties or lack thereof) are unknown. Wouldn't you like to know just what exactly you are feeding your pet?

Fiber Sources

Cellulose

AAFCO: Purified, mechanically disintegrated cellulose prepared by processing alpha cellulose obtained as a pulp from fibrous plant materials.

Dried wood is the most common source for cellulose (I'm not kidding.). It is cleaned, processed into a fine powder and used to add bulk and consistency to cheap pet foods. I would consider this ingredient appropriate for termites, but certainly not for dogs or cats.

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Corn Bran

AAFCO: The outer coating of the corn kernel.

An inexpensive source of fiber that serves as a filler ingredient to add bulk to poor quality pet food.

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Corn Cellulose

AAFCO: A product obtained from the cell walls of corn.

Obtained by use of a chemical process, it is used to add bulk and consistency to cheap pet foods and has no nutritional value.

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Oat Hulls

I have not been able to locate an official definition for this product so far.

Most likely what is left over from dehulling the whole oat kernels after harvesting, comparable to peanut hulls. It is not the same as oat bran (the hull that protects the grain itself), which is a quality source of dietary fiber and removed prior to rolling and/or flaking. Thumbs down for this filler ingredient.

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Peanut Hulls

AAFCO: The outer hull of the peanut shell.

No nutritional value whatsoever, and are used exclusively as a cheap filler ingredient. Possibility of pesticide residues being present.

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Rice Hulls

AAFCO: The outer covering of rice.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing, serving as a source of fiber that is considered a filler ingredient.

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Soybean Mill Run

AAFCO: Composed of soybean hulls and such bean meats that adhere to the hulls which results from normal milling operations in the production of dehulled soybean meal.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing, commonly referred to as 'floor sweepings'. An inexpensive filler with no real nutritional value.

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Wheat Mill Run

May also appear as "Wheat Middlings".

AAFCO: Coarse and fine particles of wheat bran and fine particles of wheat shorts, wheat germ, wheat flour and offal from the "tail of the mill".

An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing, commonly referred to as 'floor sweepings'. An inexpensive filler with no real nutritional value.

Flavoring Agents

Animal Digest

AAFCO: A material which results from chemical and/or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean and undecomposed animal tissue. The animal tissues used shall be exclusive of hair, horns, teeth, hooves and feathers, except in such trace amounts as might occur unavoidably in good factory practice and shall be suitable for animal feed. If it bears a name descriptive of its kind or flavor(s), it must correspond thereto.

A cooked-down broth made from unspecified parts of unspecified animals. The animals used can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), goats, pigs, horses, rats, misc. roadkill, animals euthanized at shelters, restaurant and supermarket refuse and so on.

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Digest

May also appear as dried, or spray dried. Sometimes the type and part of animals used is specified, such as in "Chicken Digest", "Lamb Digest" or "Poultry Liver Digest"

AAFCO: Material which results from chemical and/or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean and undecomposed animal tissue. The animal tissues used shall be exclusive of hair, horns, teeth, hooves and feathers, except in such trace amounts as might occur unavoidably in good factory practice and shall be suitable for animal feed. .

A cooked-down broth made from specified, or worse, unspecified parts of specified or unspecified animals (depending on the type of digest used). If the source is unspecified (e.g. "Animal" or "Poultry", the animals used can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), goats, pigs, horses, rats, misc. roadkill, animals euthanized at shelters, restaurant and supermarket refuse and so on.

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Flavor

A substance, such as an extract or spice, that add flavor to a product.

The manufacturer may or may not give more detailed information about what is used for flavoring and whether it is made from a natural or chemical substance.

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Glandular Meal

I have not been able to locate an official definition for this product so far.

Since it is used as a "source of liver flavor" in poor quality foods, it is safe to assume that it is a meal obtained from the livers and other glands of various, unspecified animals. As with all generic, unspecified ingredients, it is wise to avoid.

Fruits & Vegetables

Apple Pomace

AAFCO: The mixture of apple skins, pulp, and crushed seeds.

An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing. Does not contain the whole complement of nutrients as whole fresh or dried apples.

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Citrus Pulp

Citrus Pulp is the dried residue of peel, pulp and seeds of oranges, grapefruit and other citrus fruit.

This inexpensive byproduct is mainly used as a bulk carbohydrate concentrate in cattle feed but also added as a source of fiber in dog food. Since the peel and some twigs and leaves are also included, there is a possibility of residues from pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

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Grape Pomace

AAFCO: The mixture of grape skins, pulp, and crushed seeds.

An inexpensive byproduct left over from pressing grapes for juice or wine. The product contributes some fiber but otherwise has little to no nutritinal value. Grapes have also shown to contain a substance that is toxic to dogs, so they should not be fed at all.

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Preservatives

BHA

Butylated Hydroxysanisole - a white, waxy phenolic antioxidant, C11H16O2, used to preserve fats and oils, especially in foods.

Banned from human use in many countries but still permitted in the US. Possible human carcinogen, apparently carcinogenic in animal experiments. The oxidative characteristics and/or metabolites of BHA and BHT may contribute to carcinogenicity or tumorigenicity.

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BHT

Butylated Hydroxytoluene - a crystalline phenolic antioxidant, C15H24O, used to preserve fats and oils, especially in foods.

Banned from human use in many countries but still permitted in the US. Possible human carcinogen, apparently carcinogenic in animal experiments. The oxidative characteristics and/or metabolites of BHA and BHT may contribute to carcinogenicity or tumorigenicity.

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Ethoxyquin

6-ethoxy-1,2-dihydro-2,2,4-trimethylquinoline. Antioxidant; also a post-harvest dip to prevent scald on apples and pears.

Originally developed by Monsanto as a stabilizer for rubber, Ethoxyquin has also been used as a pesticide for fruit and a color preservative for spices, and later for animal feed. The original FDA permit for use as stabilizer in animal feed limited use to two years and did not include pet food, but it falls under the same legal category. It has never been proven to be safe for the lifespan of a companion animal.It has been linked to thyroid, kidney, reproductive and immune related illnesses as well as cancer, but so far no conclusive, reliable research results either for the safety of this product or against it have not been obtained. Monsanto conducted research years ago, but results were so inconclusive due to unprofessional conduct and documentation that the FDA demanded another study. There are currently several studies underway to determine whether Ethoxyquin is safe or not, and until those studies are completed, pet food suppliers may continue to use Ethoxyquin. This is how things stand after about 6 years, and no new details have emerged so far.

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Propyl Gallate

Also known as Gallic Acid or Propyl Ester. It is made from natural Gallic Acid, which is obtained by the hydrolysis of tannins from Tara Pods.

Used as an antioxidant to stabilize cosmetics, food packaging materials, and foods containing fats. I have not found conclusive evidence either for or against the safety of this product, but it is suspected of causing liver diseases and cancer, so once again personally I prefer to err on the side of caution. Mixed tocopherols, citric acid and rosemary extract are effective, all-natural alternatives - just more expensive.

Protein Sources

Beef & Bone Meal

AAFCO: The rendered product from beef tissues, including bone, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents, except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

A byproduct made from beef parts which are not suitable for human consumption. It can incorporate the entire cow, including the bones, but the quality cuts of meat are always removed. This is an inexpensive, low quality ingredient used to boost the protein percentage.

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Blood Meal

AAFCO: Blood Meal is produced from clean, fresh animal blood, exclusive of all extraneous material such as hair, stomach belchings and urine except as might occur unavoidably in good manufacturing process. A large portion of the moisture is usually removed by a mechanical dewatering process or by condensing by cooking to a semi-solid state. The semi-solid blood mass is then transferred to a rapid drying facility where the more tightly bound water is rapidly removed. The minimum biological activity of lysine shall be 80%.

An inexpensive protein booster. You have no way of knowing what type of animal the blood came from or what residues of hormones, medications or other substances are in this product. It has a better use as fertilizer than as a dog food ingredient.

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Chicken Byproduct Meal

AAFCO: Consists of the dry, ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines -- exclusive of feathers except in such amounts as might occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

Chicken byproducts are much less expensive and less digestible than the chicken muscle meat.The ingredients of each batch can vary drastically in ingredients (heads, feet, bones etc.) as well as quality, thus the nutritional value is also not consistent. Don't forget that byproducts consist of any parts of the animal OTHER than meat. If there is any use for any part of the animal that brings more profit than selling it as "byproduct", rest assured it will appear in such a product rather than in the "byproduct" dumpster.

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Corn Distillers Dried Grains With Solubles

Distillers Dried Grains with solubles (DDGS) is the product obtained by condensing and drying the stillage that remains after fermenting the starch in corn or milo in the production of ethyl alcohol.

An inexpensive byproduct used as protein filler in cheap dog foods. Its amino acids are poorly balanced, not very digestible, have a high fiber content and nutritional value can vary greatly from batch to batch. Better suited as cattle feed.

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Corn Germ Meal

AAFCO: Ground corn germ which consists of corn germ with other parts of the corn kernel from which part of the oil has been removed and is obtained from either a wet or dry milling manufacturing process of corn meal, corn grits, hominy feed, or other corn products.

An inexpensive by-product of human food processing, rich in protein but sadly often used as a booster in poor quality foods. It is not a harmful ingredient but should not rank high in the ingredient list of a quality product.

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Corn Gluten Meal

AAFCO: The dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup, or by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm.

An inexpensive by-product of human food processing which contains some protein but serves mainly to bind food together. It is not a harmful ingredient but should not rank high in the ingredient list of a quality product.

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Fish Meal

AAFCO: The clean, rendered, dried ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish or fish cuttings, either or both, with or without the extraction of part of the oil.

Like with all other animal sources, if a type isn't specified, you never know what type or quality of fish is used.

According to US Coast Guard regulations, all fish meal not destined for human consumption must be conserved with Ethoxyquin (unless the manufacturer has a special permit). This preservative is banned from use in foods for human consumption except for the use of very small quantities as a color preservative for spices. So unless the manufacturer either presents a permit or states "human grade" fish or fish meal is used, you can be pretty sure Ethoxyquin is present in the food even if it is not listed.

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Liver Meal

AAFCO: The dried product of ground hepatic glands of mammals.

Whenever the word 'meat' or the name of an organ appear by themselves (without a species) on a pet food label, there is no way to know which kind of animal it came from. It could be horse liver, goat, duck, pig, or even skunk or other animals of questionable origin.

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Meat & Bone Meal

AAFCO: The rendered product from mammal tissues, with or without bone, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

The animal parts used can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), goats, pigs, horses, rats, misc. roadkill, animals euthanized at shelters and so on. It can also include pus, cancerous tissue, and decomposed (spoiled) tissue.

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Meat Meal

AAFCO: The rendered product from mammal tissues, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

The animal parts used can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), goats, pigs, horses, rats, misc. roadkill, animals euthanized at shelters and so on. It can also include pus, cancerous tissue, and decomposed (spoiled) tissue.

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Pork & Bone Meal

AAFCO: The rendered product from pork tissues, including bone, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, skin, manure, stomach and rumen contents, except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

A byproduct made from pork parts which are not suitable for human consumption. It can incorporate the entire pig, including the bones, but the quality cuts of meat are always removed. This is an inexpensive, low quality ingredient used to boost the protein percentage.

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Poultry Byproduct Meal

AAFCO: Consists of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcasses of slaughtered poultry, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines, exclusive of feathers except in such amounts as might occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

The parts used can be obtained from any slaughtered fowl, so there is no control over the quality and consistency of individual batches. Poultry byproducts are much less expensive and less digestible than chicken meat.The ingredients of each batch can vary drastically in ingredients (heads, feet, bones, organs etc.) as well as quality, thus the nutritional value is also not consistent. Don't forget that byproducts consist of any parts of the animal OTHER than meat. If there is any use for any part of the animal that brings more profit than selling it as "byproduct", rest assured it will appear in such a product rather than in the "byproduct" dumpster.

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Poultry Meal

AAFCO: The clean combination of poultry flesh and skin with or without bone. Does not contain feathers, heads, feet or entrails. If from a particular source it may state so (i.e. chicken, turkey etc).

Note how in this product the source is not defined as "slaughtered poultry".The manufacturer does not disclose the species (or the mix of species) of the poultry used. The fowl can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), turkey, chicken, geese, buzzard, seagulls, misc. roadkill, birds euthanized at shelters and so on.

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Soybean Meal

AAFCO: The product obtained by grinding the flakes which remain after removal of most of the oil from soybeans by a solvent or mechanical extraction process.

A poor quality protein filler used to boost the protein content of low quality pet foods. Has a biologic value lof ess than 50% of chicken meal.

Supplements

Bone Phosphate

Bone Phosphate is the residue of bones that have been treated first in a caustic solution then in a hydrochloric acid solution, and thereafter precipitated with lime and dried.

A highly processed feed-grade supplement to balance the calcium and phosphorus content of a product.

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Salt

Also listed as Sodium Chloride. A colorless or white crystalline solid, chiefly sodium chloride, used extensively in ground or granulated form as a food seasoning and preservative. May also appear in ingredient list as "Iodized Salt" (iodine supplement added), "Sea Salt" (as opposed to salt mined from underground deposits) or "Sodium Chloride" (chemical expression).

While salt is a necessary mineral, it is also generally present in sufficient quantities in the ingredients pet foods include. Just like for humans, too much sodium intake is unhealthy for animals. In poor quality foods it is often used in large amounts to add flavor and make the food more interesting.

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Mineral Oil

Any of various light hydrocarbon oils, especially a distillate of petroleum.

Mineral oil functions as a laxative and stool softener. I have not found any evidence of any other health benefits. Tells a lot about the product it is used in, doesn't it?

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Yeast Culture

AAFCO: The dried product composed of yeast and the media on which it is grown, dried in such a manner as to preserve the fermenting activity of the yeast.

An unnecessary, feed-grade ingredient in pet foods, added mainly as a flavoring to make inexpensive food more attractive. Lacks the nutritional value of higher quality yeast supplements. The media on which the yeast was grown is not identified. Also a potential allergen for some dogs.

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Yeast Fermentation Solubles

AAFCO: The soluble portion of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and the media in which is produced.

A feed-grade ingredient in pet foods, added as a vitamin B supplement. It is harmless, but lacks the nutrients of higher quality yeast supplements. The media on which the yeast was grown is not identified. Also a potential allergen for some dogs.

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Sweeteners

Cane Molasses

AAFCO: A by-product of the manufacture of sucrose from sugar cane. It must contain not less than 43% total sugars expressed as invert.

Sugar or sweetener is an absolutely unnecessary ingredient in pet foods, added to make the product more attractive. Continuous intake can promote hypoglycemia, obesity, nervousness, cataracts, tooth decay, arthritis and allergies. Pets also get addicted to foods that contain sugars, so it can be a tough piece of work to make them eat something healthier.

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Corn Syrup

A syrup prepared from cornstarch, used in industry and in numerous food products as a sweetener.

Sugar or sweetener is an absolutely unnecessary ingredient in pet foods, added to make the product more attractive. Continuous intake can promote hypoglycemia, obesity, nervousness, cataracts, tooth decay, arthritis and allergies. Pets also get addicted to foods that contain sugars, so it can be a tough piece of work to make them eat something healthier.

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Fructose

A very sweet sugar, C6H12O6, occurring in many fruits and honey and used as a preservative for food and as an intravenous nutrient.

A monosaccharide found naturally in fresh fruit and honey. It is obtained by the inversion of sucrose by means of the enzyme invertase. Used in small quantities it serves as a nutrient for probiotics, specifically bifidobacteria, which ferment it and produce beneficial enzymes.

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Sorbitol

A white, sweetish, crystalline alcohol, C6H8(OH)6, found in various berries and fruits or prepared synthetically and used as a flavoring agent, a sugar substitute for people with diabetes, and a moisturizer in cosmetics and other products.

Sugar or sweetener is an absolutely unnecessary ingredient in pet foods, added to make the product more attractive. Continuous intake can promote hypoglycemia, obesity, nervousness, cataracts, tooth decay, arthritis and allergies. Pets also get addicted to foods that contain sugars, so it can be a tough piece of work to make them eat something healthier.

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Sugar

Can include sucrose, cane sugar, caramel, corn syrup and others.

Sugar or sweetener is an absolutely unnecessary ingredient in pet foods, added to make the product more attractive. Continuous intake can promote hypoglycemia, obesity, nervousness, cataracts, tooth decay, arthritis and allergies. Pets also get addicted to foods that contain sugars, so it can be a tough piece of work to make them eat something healthier.

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Dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate

Synthetic vitamin E, also listed as Dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate

Only about half as effective as natural vitamin E and not as readily available to the body.

Vitamins

Menadione Sodium Bisulfate

Vitamin K3, synthetic vitamin K.

Feed grade. Also listed as Menadione Dimethyl-Pyrimidinol Bisulfate, Menadione Dimethyl-Pyrimidinol Bisulfite, Menadione Sodium Bisulfate Complex, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite and Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex.

Unnecessary ingredient in dog food. This synthetic version of vitamin K has not been specifically approved for long term use, such as in pet food. It has been linked to many serious health issues.

Sourced here: http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients

Edited September 18, 2008 by TotemSpirit

[Crisovar]

Meat & Bone Meal

AAFCO: The rendered product from mammal tissues, with or without bone, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

The animal parts used can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), goats, pigs, horses, rats, misc. roadkill, animals euthanized at shelters and so on. It can also include pus, cancerous tissue, and decomposed (spoiled) tissue.

Australian manufactured dog foods do not contain euthanased animals.

The yanks can claim that all to themselves.

[ZEPING]

WOW watta list i think im guna start feeding RAW

[Cavandra]

Well I was going to answer the first post & say that raw diets arent time consuming at all, but it depends on what your priorities are I guess..........

I avoid all commercial dog foods, I consider them "junk foods", and my own priority is to feed my dogs a natural raw diet free of rubbish, so as to reap the rewards of long term excellent health & Vet bills for extraordinary events only.

There are issues that can affect dogs from commercial diets other than yeast infections, skin & ear probs, bad breath, dog odour, awful poo's, & so on, they can also suffer aggression/fear from abnormally high amounts of protein found in some commercial diets, they can get crook from being fed raw & dry together as dry takes abnormally long time to process so keeps the raw meats in their system abnormally long times with it, and can cause all sorts of sickness......bla bla bla....

I find raw is economical for the diet itself, and also minimal /if any, Vet bills......

[TotemSpirit]

Well I was going to answer the first post & say that raw diets arent time consuming at all, but it depends on what your priorities are I guess..........

I avoid all commercial dog foods, I consider them "junk foods", and my own priority is to feed my dogs a natural raw diet free of rubbish, so as to reap the rewards of long term excellent health & Vet bills for extraordinary events only.

There are issues that can affect dogs from commercial diets other than yeast infections, skin & ear probs, bad breath, dog odour, awful poo's, & so on, they can also suffer aggression/fear from abnormally high amounts of protein found in some commercial diets, they can get crook from being fed raw & dry together as dry takes abnormally long time to process so keeps the raw meats in their system abnormally long times with it, and can cause all sorts of sickness......bla bla bla....

I find raw is economical for the diet itself, and also minimal /if any, Vet bills......

Having 6 dogs & 6 children, I think making up a raw meal for dogs would definitely be time consuming.''

Also with the amount of dogs, Im pretty sure, but not positive it would cost more to feed them all raw, it is quite exspensive just for the chicken frames, & bones with butchers charging crazy amounts for bones esp!!

Edited September 18, 2008 by TotemSpirit

[TotemSpirit]

Meat & Bone Meal

AAFCO: The rendered product from mammal tissues, with or without bone, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

The animal parts used can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), goats, pigs, horses, rats, misc. roadkill, animals euthanized at shelters and so on. It can also include pus, cancerous tissue, and decomposed (spoiled) tissue.

Australian manufactured dog foods do not contain euthanased animals.

The yanks can claim that all to themselves.

Thank god, that is fully so gross!!!!

[TotemSpirit]

Common Fallacies of Dog Food Reviews

In the articles on Ingredients to avoid and Identifying better products, I have already explained what characteristics to look for. In this article I'd like to expand a little bit on actually analyzing dog foods for comparison.

I often see people arguing on various online forums when comparing foods, and of course great points are made, such as type of ingredients used, the extent of variety included, protein and fat percentages and so on.

What saddens me is when dog foods are reviewed and assigned some sort of rating based on a purely arbitrary and often not well researched system. It doesn’t help with making decisions based on truly important factors and often causes people to pick one food over another (which may be more suitable for their individual dog) just because it gets a "better" rating.

Reviews generally appear on three different types of websites:

ones that sell food products and have a vested interest in steering people towards purchasing certain brands over others,

so called "independent" review sites, often plastered full of ads, drawing in as much traffic as possible from often repeated, popular search keywords, which makes me question their true purpose - giving unbiased information, or just maximizing revenue from advertisements?

marketing-driven sites that want to sell you print or e-books (at ridiculous prices) that promise to unveil dog food industry "secrets" .

On all of them I've seen some reviews that would actually be funny if it weren’t so sad how misguided they actually are and how they can steer dog owners completely wrong:

A food of truly high quality, with over 95% organic ingredients (manufactured at an APHIS registered plant with organic certification) lumped into the same category as a mediocre mass-market product, based solely on its meat content and the presence of certain grains, taking no other characteristics into consideration. That just doesn’t make any sense whatsoever, since ingredient quality can’t be changed, but meat content can be tweaked easily by simply enhancing the overall diet by adding fresh or canned meat.

A food with 70% organic ingredients and not containing any organic meat receives a better rating than a product with 95% organic ingredients (including organic meat), even though it also includes a much lower-quality complement of secondary ingredients and poorer quality supplements, including menadione.

Foods with certified non-GMO corn were listed in the same category as those with regular or poor quality corn.

Certified organic foods in the same category as grocery store level/private label brands, despite clear differences in quality.

Food formulations that were developed in feeding trials under close cooperation with breeders (NOT AAFCO-style feeding trials with laboratory populations) were ranked lower than so-called "five star" foods that never underwent any feeding trials at all and are purely based on what looks good "on paper".

Products marketed by companies who don't disclose important information about their ingredients and manufacturing processes and products manufactured by co-packers instead of a company-owned facility were ranked higher than dog foods made by manufacturers at their own facilities, with decades of experience, a stellar record of ingredient quality and product trustworthiness.

On the flip side, only products with a wide variety of ingredients and fairly high in fat tend to get good ratings, despite not necessarily being suitable for the needs of every dog out there, as discussed in Grading Kibble - easily?.

Analyzing dog food means to me "focusing on analysis", while comparing products

in groups with similar characteristics and purposes, addressing specific nutritional needs (instead of comparing apples and oranges so to speak),

based on factual numbers, not just guesswork (even though it's time consuming and may *gasp* involve talking to the manufacturer),

critically evaluating possibly incorrect and/or outdated research,

with a solid understanding of nutritional principles, ingredient definitions and purposes, instead of following hearsay and hype,

based on a consistent unit for daily intake, such as for example per 1,000 kcal,

and of course it helps if the person reviewing a food actually bases their opinion on the correct official AAFCO definitions of ingredients instead of on incorrect assumptions about what a food ingredient may be (e.g. "brewers rice" is not a "waste product of the alcohol industry" but simply broken grains of rice).

In addition to that, we must also take special consideration when comparing foods manufactured in different countries, under differing legislation. The information here on the Dog Food Project is based on AAFCO legislation and ingredient definitions, and it would for example be inappropriate to apply them to foods manufactured elsewhere in the world and not sold on the U.S. market, with ingredient lists following completely different legislation – for example what AAFCO describes as "poultry meal" or "cereal grains" can be a product of entirely different quality and composition in another country.

Just to address some of the common, tired, old misconceptions once again:

"Corn and wheat are bad ingredients, they are hard to digest and common causes for allergies."

Unless an individual dog is sensitive or allergic to corn or wheat, they are no better and no worse than other cereal grains, as long as they are used as a source of carbohydrates and not as a main source of protein, especially in combination with excessive use of gluten as another main ingredient. Depending on an individual dog’s needs, some may be more suitable than others, for example in cases where a dog is gluten intolerant, barley is especially unsuitable, despite generally getting "better ratings" from uninformed sources. If you'd like to see a comparison of nutrients, please click here.

"Brown rice is better than white rice."

While it is true that brown rice is less processed than white rice, which type is "better" depends once again on the dog eating the food. Brown rice is much higher in fiber and ash than white rice, which has had its bran layer removed, making it easier to digest and less irritating for the sensitive stomach.

Depending on the desired nutritional characteristics, a food product may contain both brown and white rice in certain proportions, and listing them both is not necessarily "splitting".

"Beet pulp is a poor quality filler and should be avoided because it commonly causes problems, including allergies and ear infections."

Beet pulp gets its bad reputation undeservedly, which is the reason it’s not listed under Ingredients to avoid on this site.

It is a gentle, beneficial source of fiber that is not only generally very well tolerated, but it also has specific properties that make it suitable as a source of nutrition for the beneficial bacteria that reside in the intestinal tract (in a supplement you would call this a "prebiotic"). The same people who malign beet pulp also often state rice bran is a better fiber supplement, but in truth it's a much harsher kind of fiber and may lead to vomiting and diarrhea in sensitive dogs or if it is used in too large amounts.

In all the time I have been consulting for dog owners on nutrition, I have actually not had a single case where I pinpointed beet pulp as the cause of problems, whereas the opposite is true for rice bran.

Almost all of the sugar is removed from the beet pulp, what’s left is only about 1/5 the amount of sugar that you would find in a serving of fresh carrots of equal size. It is also colorless and does not make a dog's coat turn red, like urban legends claim.

The manufacturers of quality pet food do not include more than about 5% of beet pulp in their foods, which is enough to get the benefits of this fiber without it becoming nothing but a filler.

The claim that beet pulp is an "unnatural" ingredient is often brought up, but those who argue this seem to forget that it is also not natural that dogs eat commercially produced dry food that contains rendered meat meals, a carbohydrate percentage of generally 40% and more, and has a moisture content of only around 10% as opposed to a more natural 60-70%. Added fiber is required to make such formulations work for the pets who eat a dry diet as well as for manufacturing.

"Avocado oil should never be a dog food ingredient, since avocados are toxic to dogs."

The only parts of an avocado that are toxic are the wood, bark, leaves, pit and skin - in other words, you should not give your dog unsupervised access to areas where avocado trees grow, or let him ingest any of their materials even when supervised, but the flesh of the avocado fruit, and its oil, are fine as long as an individual is not allergic or sensitive.

"Foods that include fat among the first four ingredients can cause bloat."

I’m aware of the Purdue Bloat Study, but the claim that foods with a fat or oil ingredient among the first 4 ingredients cause bloat in predisposed dogs makes absolutely no sense, and in my opinion it was unprofessional and illogical to include a statement to that extent with the findings of the study. Let me explain in more detail:

If the statement were true, it wouldn't matter if you fed a bloat-prone dog a dry food with 10, 20 or 30% fat, as long as the ingredient list were manipulated in a way that pushes the major fat ingredient past position number 4 in a given list.

Food ingredients are listed by weight before processing, so what the top 4 ingredients are depends on the formulation. An example:

Food A Food B

Protein % 25 25

Fat % 15 15

Fiber % 5 5

Moisture % 10 10

Ingredient #1 Meat (20%) Meat Type 1 (10%)

Ingredient #2 Grain Type 1 (30%) Meat Type 2 (10%)

Ingredient #3 Grain Type 2 (30%) Grain Type 1 (20%)

Ingredient #4 Fat Grain Type 2 (20%)

Ingredient #5 Grain Type 3 (20%)

Ingredient #6 Fat

You see these two foods have an identical content of protein and fat, per Guaranteed Analysis as well as actual ingredient inclusion. However, just because food B contains a higher number of ingredients, fat is pushed from ingredient number 4 to number 6.

Now if that study had said that problems occurred if a food had a particular fat percentage, it would be an entirely different story and actually make sense!

"Watch out for ingredient splitting."

To continue from the above paragraph on the number a particular item takes on the ingredient list – I can’t help but notice how many people are ready to point fingers and gripe about ingredient splitting when they see for example different components of the same type of grain in a food, but then point out how great it is that a product lists three or four meat types or more as the first few ingredients.

Do they really think that a food necessarily has a higher meat content just because a larger variety of meat types are listed? Why the double standard?

Fact is that unless a manufacturer actually discloses the meat content of a product, you have no reliable way of determining which of two products with the same guaranteed analysis has the higher meat inclusion - unless the presence of a plant based protein booster (e.g. corn gluten meal, potato protein, rice protein concentrate) as a main ingredient gives it away.

"It’s better if whole eggs are listed instead of egg product."

Yet another statement based on assumption rather than factual research.

The definition of "egg product" per AAFCO is "Product obtained from egg graders, egg breakers, and/or hatchery operations that is dehydrated, handled as liquid or frozen. These shall be labeled as per USDA regulations governing eggs and egg products (9CFR, Part 59). This product shall be free of shells or other non-egg materials except in such amounts which might occur unavoidably in good processing practices, and contain a maximum ash content of 6% on a dry matter basis."

There is no AAFCO definition for "eggs", and just like other items for which no specific definitions exist (e.g. various fruits and vegetables etc.), they may be added in dehydrated, dried and then re-hydrated, or fresh form even without any additional descriptive terms. So just because a food lists "eggs" instead of "egg product" in the ingredient list doesn’t mean they have to be fresh or whole, or if they are whole, they are not necessarily of better quality.

Last but not least, just like meat meal that is already concentrated before being added to the kibble "dough", a dehydrated egg product of good quality adds more protein to a food formulation than eggs that still contain a lot of moisture. As always, the quality of the ingredient depends on the manufacturer’s choice.

"Fresh vegetables/fruits are better than dried"

In principle I do agree, but once again as a consumer you don’t necessarily know for sure whether these were added fresh, or dried and then rehydrated, simply because there is no official AAFCO definition for things like carrots, peas, spinach, blueberries, and so on. Without additional details from the manufacturer we can only speculate.

In my opinion a commercial food should not be rated on the type of fruits and veggies it includes or doesn’t include because the amount is so negligible that there isn’t any real benefit anyway. All ingredients are processed somehow during manufacturing and are in the end in a processed form.

Adding fresh, finely chopped or grated raw fruits and vegetables (no grapes, raisins or onions please) to your dog’s meals will add much more nutritional value than a few pieces added to a commercial formulation, so pick the kibble that suits your individual dog’s needs the best, no matter if it contains some "gimmick ingredients" and enhance it yourself!

"The addition of glucosamine and chondroitin is a plus"

More gimmicks! Please consider that in order to get enough glucosamine or chondroitin into your dog to actually have a therapeutic effect you would have to massively overfeed and the poor animal would be obese in no time.

As an example, a 50 lb dog with light to moderate joint problems may need 500 to 750 mg of glucosamine per day. On average, fortified foods contain around 50-100 mg of glucosamine per cup, at around 350 to 450 kcal per cup. To get close to the 500 mg target dose, you’d have to feed 5-10 cups of food, supplying anywhere from 2,250 to 3,500 kcal per day – over double the energy requirement of even a moderately active 50 pound dog!

Your wallet and your dog’s joints (and waistline!) would be better off choosing a food for its main nutritional characteristics and adding a high-quality supplement for joint support.

These are just a handful of misconceptions I hear or read about on a daily basis.

In closing I’d like to say that it would be a major setback if every manufacturer out there would suddenly only produce "cookie cutter" products that do not include certain ingredients such as beef, corn, barley, soy (as whole soybeans, not soy industry byproducts) etc. - we need those alternatives for the dogs out there who don't fall into the largest section of the nutrition bell curve - even if some people think that some of those products don't fall into the "five star" category.

Please base your choices on your dog's needs rather than on some arbitrary review status.

[Jed]

The bottom line for me is that I have no idea what goes into dry food. Could be anything. Legal requirements re labelling are pretty loose for dog food. The fact that a lot of dry food is now manufactured by human food manufacturers makes me wonder if the spoiled leftovers are used in the dry food.

I buy minced chicken frames with quite a lot of meat on them, with offal added, for 80c kg. I was buying whole chickens minced, but I suspected it had preservatives in it, so changed. It was $1.20 kg. I buy shopping bags of meat bones for $3.50, which I think is quite expensive. The dogs have whatever veges are in season, and cheapish. They also have some other additives. You often have to search around for the best deal for raw food, and it might not be where you think you'll find it. I find raw a lot less expensive than commercial foods.

Some of you might enjoy this.

Carrot: Hello Mr. Kibble, thank you for joining me today.

Kibble: You're welcome. I must say though, I had to wait 6 weeks for

this interview.

Carrot:? Were you refrigerated?

Kibble: No, I don't have to be. Why do you ask?

Carrot: I read in your resume that you are made from natural chicken,

animal fat, apples, cottage cheese, grains and many other perishable

ingredients. How could you not spoil?

Kibble: This is going to be a hostile interview, isn't it?

Carrot: Would you please answer my question? All my friends would

begin decay and rot in a few hours? How do you stay so...un-moldy?

Kibble: The people who make me wear white coats. I'm sure they know

what they are doing. Besides, the research department worked really

closely with marketing on this issue. Who made you?

Carrot: God

Kibble: Never heard of that company. But it's a catchy name - dog

spelled backwards.

Carrot: Really, let's figure this out. Meat and fat- yet you never

spoil. And. you look so...inert.

Kibble: Well, I am naturally preserved. The purchasing department

says I don't have to worry because the fat is loaded with preservatives from

the rendering plant.

Carrot: But I thought you were all natural!

Kibble: The legal department looked into this and as long as our

people with white coats just add a little Vitamin E and Rosemary it's OK to

call

me natural and I never go bad because there's enough preservative in the

fat that comes from the rendering plant to keep me from going bad.

Carrot: So even though you're 'natural' you could be loaded with

preservatives from your suppliers?

Kibble: That's right.

Carrot: I still think there's something else - you never go bad at

room temperature.

Kibble: Well, there is more. I am so highly heated and processed that

all the 'life' goes out of me. In a sense- I die and become a new

molecular substance that is called 'inert'. I am no longer 'food' as you

know

it.

Carrot: Err...sounds cool. But now that you're dead and inert, who

would want to eat you?

Kibble: You mean you've never heard of 'protein digest' spray? After

I come out of the extruder I'm sprayed with an irresistible protein digest

and vitamin mix. It's all approved by our in-house vet. We pay him

$90,000 dollars a year to make sure I'm nutritionally complete.

Carrot: But underneath that spray you're dead and inert!

Kibble: That's the coolest part! The finance department figured this

out. It's called 'fixed price'. I really wish I had thought of this.

Carrot: You're inert. You can't think. What is fixed price?

Kibble: Fixed price is a great marketing tool so I cost the exact

same amount each week in the retail store. It all ties together because I

can be kept in warehouses for months to take advantage of good pricing.

Carrot: But your ingredients can't possibly stay the same price from

week to week. The market fluctuates all the time.

Kibble: Not a problem! Let's say the price of chicken goes up. The

people in white coats just reduce the chicken and add fillers that keep the

cost the same. They have complete control over the gross profit. The share

holders LOVE this because they can always make their car payments right on

schedule. The other option is 'fixed formula' but that was voted down

because

we couldn't compete if the price keeps changing. Adjusting the formula

is easy!

Carrot: But what about nutrition??

Kibble: Remember, I'm dead and inert so in a sense it doesn't matter

what goes into me. After I'm processed, heated and extruded, it's really

that magic spray that gives me all the nutrition. Besides, dog's have

livers and immune systems to remove the other stuff.

Carrot: Wow. is that 'natural'??

Kibble: Sure. soak me in a glass of water and you'll see I break down

into a pasty brown substance. It's an earth tone - very natural.

Carrot: I'm looking real closely. All I see is a brown pasty

substance. Where are the meat, fat, apples, cottage cheese and grains?

Kibble: You don't know anything, do you? That's where the graphics

department comes in. Didn't you see the full color photo of the

chickens, apples and other fresh ingredients nicely printed on the bag? They

show me on the cover, not as I actually am, but as people would expect me to

be...That packaging costs a small fortune. Legal says it's OK.

Carrot: That's comforting. If your lawyer says its OK then I feel

much better. What about wholesome ingredients and freshness?

Kibble:? Those are just 'concepts' that people have come up with -

I'm convinced that if your packaging and marketing materials are really

good then we can overcome anything. That's why we pay those marketing

people what we do!

Carrot: Listen, I'm beginning to feel a little funny around the edges

so I have to go back in the fridge. Thanks for stopping by!

Kibble: My pleasure.?

[westiemum]

Love it!

How true!! Couldn't have said it better myself!

Cheers,

Westiemum

The bottom line for me is that I have no idea what goes into dry food. Could be anything. Legal requirements re labelling are pretty loose for dog food. The fact that a lot of dry food is now manufactured by human food manufacturers makes me wonder if the spoiled leftovers are used in the dry food.

I buy minced chicken frames with quite a lot of meat on them, with offal added, for 80c kg. I was buying whole chickens minced, but I suspected it had preservatives in it, so changed. It was $1.20 kg. I buy shopping bags of meat bones for $3.50, which I think is quite expensive. The dogs have whatever veges are in season, and cheapish. They also have some other additives. You often have to search around for the best deal for raw food, and it might not be where you think you'll find it. I find raw a lot less expensive than commercial foods.

Some of you might enjoy this.

Carrot: Hello Mr. Kibble, thank you for joining me today.

Kibble: You're welcome. I must say though, I had to wait 6 weeks for

this interview.

Carrot:? Were you refrigerated?

Kibble: No, I don't have to be. Why do you ask?

Carrot: I read in your resume that you are made from natural chicken,

animal fat, apples, cottage cheese, grains and many other perishable

ingredients. How could you not spoil?

Kibble: This is going to be a hostile interview, isn't it?

Carrot: Would you please answer my question? All my friends would

begin decay and rot in a few hours? How do you stay so...un-moldy?

Kibble: The people who make me wear white coats. I'm sure they know

what they are doing. Besides, the research department worked really

closely with marketing on this issue. Who made you?

Carrot: God

Kibble: Never heard of that company. But it's a catchy name - dog

spelled backwards.

Carrot: Really, let's figure this out. Meat and fat- yet you never

spoil. And. you look so...inert.

Kibble: Well, I am naturally preserved. The purchasing department

says I don't have to worry because the fat is loaded with preservatives from

the rendering plant.

Carrot: But I thought you were all natural!

Kibble: The legal department looked into this and as long as our

people with white coats just add a little Vitamin E and Rosemary it's OK to

call

me natural and I never go bad because there's enough preservative in the

fat that comes from the rendering plant to keep me from going bad.

Carrot: So even though you're 'natural' you could be loaded with

preservatives from your suppliers?

Kibble: That's right.

Carrot: I still think there's something else - you never go bad at

room temperature.

Kibble: Well, there is more. I am so highly heated and processed that

all the 'life' goes out of me. In a sense- I die and become a new

molecular substance that is called 'inert'. I am no longer 'food' as you

know

it.

Carrot: Err...sounds cool. But now that you're dead and inert, who

would want to eat you?

Kibble: You mean you've never heard of 'protein digest' spray? After

I come out of the extruder I'm sprayed with an irresistible protein digest

and vitamin mix. It's all approved by our in-house vet. We pay him

$90,000 dollars a year to make sure I'm nutritionally complete.

Carrot: But underneath that spray you're dead and inert!

Kibble: That's the coolest part! The finance department figured this

out. It's called 'fixed price'. I really wish I had thought of this.

Carrot: You're inert. You can't think. What is fixed price?

Kibble: Fixed price is a great marketing tool so I cost the exact

same amount each week in the retail store. It all ties together because I

can be kept in warehouses for months to take advantage of good pricing.

Carrot: But your ingredients can't possibly stay the same price from

week to week. The market fluctuates all the time.

Kibble: Not a problem! Let's say the price of chicken goes up. The

people in white coats just reduce the chicken and add fillers that keep the

cost the same. They have complete control over the gross profit. The share

holders LOVE this because they can always make their car payments right on

schedule. The other option is 'fixed formula' but that was voted down

because

we couldn't compete if the price keeps changing. Adjusting the formula

is easy!

Carrot: But what about nutrition??

Kibble: Remember, I'm dead and inert so in a sense it doesn't matter

what goes into me. After I'm processed, heated and extruded, it's really

that magic spray that gives me all the nutrition. Besides, dog's have

livers and immune systems to remove the other stuff.

Carrot: Wow. is that 'natural'??

Kibble: Sure. soak me in a glass of water and you'll see I break down

into a pasty brown substance. It's an earth tone - very natural.

Carrot: I'm looking real closely. All I see is a brown pasty

substance. Where are the meat, fat, apples, cottage cheese and grains?

Kibble: You don't know anything, do you? That's where the graphics

department comes in. Didn't you see the full color photo of the

chickens, apples and other fresh ingredients nicely printed on the bag? They

show me on the cover, not as I actually am, but as people would expect me to

be...That packaging costs a small fortune. Legal says it's OK.

Carrot: That's comforting. If your lawyer says its OK then I feel

much better. What about wholesome ingredients and freshness?

Kibble:? Those are just 'concepts' that people have come up with -

I'm convinced that if your packaging and marketing materials are really

good then we can overcome anything. That's why we pay those marketing

people what we do!

Carrot: Listen, I'm beginning to feel a little funny around the edges

so I have to go back in the fridge. Thanks for stopping by!

Kibble: My pleasure.?

[Baby Dragon]

I buy minced chicken frames with quite a lot of meat on them, with offal added, for 80c kg.

Can I ask where from?

I'm paying $2/kg at the moment

[roxyporsha]

Jed you need to post that at every pets paradise store with there all natural innova crap.

BTW love it very true and a good way of putting it really sunk into me.

I will be taking to my teacher at tafe that teaches nutrition as she loves science diet and used to make us compare labels to see how good dog food was.

[Baby Dragon]

Having 6 dogs & 6 children, I think making up a raw meal for dogs would definitely be time consuming.''

I feed raw chicken, and Vets All Natural Complete Mix (totally raw.)

I buy chicken frames/mince etc and divide into portion sizes (it tells you on the back of the Complete Mix pack how much raw meat to feed depending on the dog's weight) and I freeze them in portion sizes.

I weigh out the amount of Complete Mix I need, add water and let it soak overnight.

Then to feed my dog, out comes the frozen chicken to thaw, and I give him the Complete Mix.

It seriously doesn't take much more time than feeding canned or dry food. You do have to supervise the dog when you feed them bones, but that doesn't take very long.

Yes I admit it probably is a bit more expensive than canned/dry food (depending which brand) but I think I'm saving on vet bills and dog dental bills. The best part is having a healthy and happy dog that is eating healthy food.

Edited September 21, 2008 by Blossom