Commercial Dog Food – Know What You’re Buying?
Commercial Dog Food – Know What You’re Buying?
By Steve Gaskin
Since nutrition is known to be an important part of health – it’s essential that dog owners understand as much as they can about commercial dog food and its ingredients and the effect they can have on canine health.
Here’s a question for you? Do you REALLY know what you are currently feeding your dog? If I asked that of most owners, they might reply that they are feeding a balanced and complete diet! It may be true that they have never even stopped to read the labels on the cans or the packets — and are in fact just spouting some type of PRE learned defence, gleaned from television commercials!
The commercial pet food advertising systems are so effective that I have even had people develop a hostile defensive reaction, when asked this simple question!
Yet, if most people really knew what was in much of the commercial dog food on the market today — they would be horrified! I have seen first-hand one of the main ingredients being processed in a factory called a — Protein Recovery Unit! I actually saw huge dumpsters of chicken waste, including feathers, feet and heads; being turned into a disgusting smelling brown powder — called chicken byproducts or poultry meal! The stuff they used was not refrigerated and sat around in huge containers awaiting delivery to the processing plant. If you were able to see and smell the powder that I am describing; I know that you would not want it to form any part of your dogs diet!
And that’s only part of the story! Ever looked at the chunks of so-called meat in a can of dog food and wondered why they looked so artificial? It’s because much of what you can see in dog food, is actually textured vegetable protein or TVP. It’s not actually meat — at all, rather it is modified soya beans, made to look like chunks of meat! Why do they go to such trouble? It’s because it’s far cheaper to use this ingredient — than real meat!
Why should this concern you? Firstly dogs are carnivores — so real meat, is essential in their diets! Secondly, this bean based protein is a major reason why pet dogs have so much of a problem with gas — and finally it’s a question of ethics and morals. They tell you that your dog is getting high-quality food packed with meat, so that’s what they should provide your dog with!
So now you might be able to see some of the deception? You open the can — it looks like meat — but it’s not — what else have they put in there?
Well — the answer is pretty much, whatever they like! Your dog’s food can be made of low-grade, putrid trim from the abattoir — reject or low-grade cereals, waste vegetable or animal fat, plus other ingredients like animal hair and even one ingredient called leather meal! This is not what they tell you you are buying! Remember all of the lovely pictures, chicken breast and beef chunks piled high? It is out and out deception!
So — since we know that animal and human health is closely linked with diet; can I suggest to you that the best place to start with your dog’s health — is by reading the ingredients listing on the cans and packets. Be informed — it’s your first line of defense!
Steve Gaskin is an author of Dog Tips, and Food and Training Articles – he and his wife own and breed Staffordshire Bull Terriers. For more information on dogs – for Ebook reviews and a FREE Home-made Dog Food Recipe visit: http://dogloverstoolbox.com