What to Feed Your Dog
“You are what you eat.” There is little doubt that diet affects people in so many ways. But what about dogs? Does it really matter what we feed them? There is no doubt in my mind that diet is one of the first issues that should be addressed when working with dogs. As with all advice regarding your dog’s health, this is generalized information and, if your dog has special needs, you must do the research to discover what is best for him or her. I would suggest contacting someone who is a specialist in dog nutrition if you have specific questions.
There are basically three different regimens from which owners can choose when feeding their dogs: commercial, home cooked, and raw. I’ll address the positive and negatives of each and leave it to you to decide which best fits your dog’s needs.
Commercial food is probably the most common diet of dogs. It can be purchased anywhere from grocery stores to discount stores to feed stores. It is convenient, easily transported, comes both dry and canned, and is served with little mess. An owner can find many varieties including exotic proteins such as bison, duck, and venison. All the ingredients are listed as is the percentage of protein the food contains. Some trainers suggest lower protein diets for reactive dogs, higher protein for working dogs. Storing bags of kibble or cans does not require a lot of space nor special conditions. The first ingredients in a quality food should be meat and meat meal. By-products can be anything and are not considered quality sources for the main protein.
The downside of commercial foods is best highlighted by remembering the massive dog food recall several years ago involving contaminated ingredients from China. The consumer has no control over the source of ingredients in the food. Unless you buy the highest quality available, you are likely to have preservatives and additives in the mix which are not beneficial to your dog’s health. Sugar, salt, and artificial colors are best avoided. Kibble is boring. I suggest you look at the Whole Dog Journal, for recommendations of best commercial foods available (they do not accept advertising, so there is no conflict of interest). Some of the smaller local pet supply stores keep copies in their stores for your use.
Home cooked meals for your dog are wonderful. You have more control over the ingredients and those will be human grade. It is fairly easy to create a wide variety of meals as the meat counter at the grocery store has chicken, fish, beef, pork – everything your dog loves! You control the amount of protein, which grains are included (if any), and you can add special nutritious ingredients like carrots, green beans, and apples. Dogs don’t tend to be overly picky about which cut of meat you use, so home cooked dinners can be relatively cost effective.
So who has the time to cook for the dog with all the other activities families are engaged in? That is a problem. Other pitfalls include guaranteeing the meals are balanced – hamburger and rice doesn’t do it. It will take some studying on your part to determine the proper amount of calcium, fats, and fiber that must be included in the dinner. Supplements can be expensive and beneficial to some dogs but not others. Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Care Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats has extensive information on home cooked diets for pets.
Raw diets are the current preference of dog enthusiasts. Since canines are carnivores, raw diets are touted to be the ultimate food source for dogs. When looking for information, investigate topics such as Raw Meaty Bones (RMB) or BARF (either Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw Food, depending on whose article you read). Many people consider raw feeding as the best for meeting the dog’s health requirements. Benefits range from clean teeth to shiny coats, fewer problems with fleas and ticks, and reduction in allergies. As with home cooked diets, variety and supplements are essential. Commercial raw diets are available, but purists are not likely to suggest these as control of the product source is impossible. Raw meat is easy to find at grocery stores, butcher shops, and deer processors.
Drawbacks? Feeding raw is messy. Bones must never be cooked as cooked bones can splinter and harm the dog. Some people cannot stand to handle the raw meat, organs, smelly tripe, and they also worry about bacterial contamination. If you are interested in raw feeding, there are several Yahoo groups. You can also listen to the August 20th archived radio show on www.animaltalknaturally.com featuring guest veterinarian and author Dr. Tom Lonsdale.
Choose the best food you can afford for your dog and don’t forget to add the secret ingredient necessary for any diet – love!
Jan Casey is a reward-based trainer and owner of Smiles and Wags Pet Services in Cookeville, TN. You can submit questions to jan@smilesandwags.com.