DOG FOOD
TODAY IS ONE OF THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD AND MISUSED
PRODUCTS IN THE DOG WORLD. "IT ALSO
IS A MULTI BILLION DOLLAR A YEAR BUSINESS." ALL
CLAIMING TO HAVE THE BEST AND HIGHEST QUALITY.
THEY EVEN CLAIM THAT THEIR PRODUCTS WERE INSPECTED BY
USDA. WAIT A MINUTE THEY DIDN'T SAY THEY PASSED.
"YOU WOULDN'T PUT A DIESEL ENGINE ON A VOLKSWAGEN FRAME - AND YOU WOULDN'T PUT
UNLEADED GAS IN A DRAGSTER." OF COURSE NOT, NEITHER WOULD WORK, AND THE SAME
ANALOGY APPLIES WITH DOG FOOD. YOU NEED A DIGESTIBLE PROTEIN TO BUILD MUSCLE-YOU NEED A
DIGESTIBLE STARCH ENZYME TO PROPERLY DIGEST PROTEIN AND A PROPER AMOUNT OF
FAT TO
FUEL THE MUSCLE.
ALL DOG FOODS HAVE ABOUT THE SAME
BASIC MAKE UP OF PROTEIN, FAT, FIBER, AND MOISTURE. WHAT IS REALLY IN YOUR DOG
FOOD AND HOW IT IS PROCESSED IS WHAT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE. OF COURSE WE
STILL NEED CARBOHYDRATES, MINERALS AND VITAMINS. BUT THESE AREN'T GOING TO DO
TOO MUCH GOOD UNLESS
WE GET THE FIRST BASIC INGREDIENTS RIGHT.
HOW DOG FOOD IS PROCESSED IS SOMETHING MOST OF US DON'T KNOW ABOUT
OR EVEN PAY ATTENTION TO. ALL DOG FOODS ARE PRODUCED BY A VERY EXPENSIVE MACHINE
CALLED AN EXTRUDER. THE SAME TYPE OF MACHINE THAT MAKES OUR BREAKFAST CEREAL.
WE ALL KNOW THAT CEREAL HAS TO BE COOKED. THIS IS DONE IN THE EXTRUDER.
THIS PROCESS IS CALLED (HOT RUN).
BECAUSE OF MASS PRODUCTION DOG FOOD COMPANIES TEND TO SPEED UP THESE EXTRUDERS,
THIS PROCESS IS CALLED COLD RUN,
TO SAVE MONEY OF COURSE.
"THE PROBLEM IS THE COLDER THE RUN THE LESS DIGESTIBLE
THE FOOD BECOMES, THE REAL SECRET IS THE STARCH ENZYME."
WITHOUT
THE STARCH ENZYME YOUR DOG WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DIGEST
THE PROTEIN IF THE FOOD HAS A DIGESTIBLE PROTEIN.
WHY DO
DOGS EAT THEIR STOOLS?
NOT BECAUSE THEY LIKE IT, BUT BECAUSE THEY NEED THOSE
ENZYMES BACK TO TRY TO DIGEST THE NEXT ROUND OF BAD DOG
FOOD YOU'RE FIXING TO FEED THEM. SO WHICH GRAIN
IS BETTER TO USE? THERE ARE MANY MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT
DOG FOODS. ONE IS THAT CORN IS A FILLER OR IS BAD
FOR A DOG AND RICE IS BETTER FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON.
ACTUALLY, CORN IS THE MOST DIGESTIBLE AND
EASIEST TO COOK OF ALL GRAINS. WHEAT IS NEXT THEN RICE, BARLEY AND MILO. ANY
COOK CAN TELL YOU THAT CORN OR WHEAT COOKS FASTER AND AT A LOWER TEMPERATURE
THAN RICE. A GRAIN MUST BE LOW IN FIBER, HIGH IN ENERGY (CALORIES) AND
HIGH IN GLUTEN TO MAKE A DIGESTIBLE DOG FOOD. THE GRAIN MUST MAKE UP CLOSE TO
ONE HALF OF THE INGREDIENTS IN ORDER FOR THE DOG FOOD TO MAKE A NUGGET THAT
HOLDS TOGETHER.
THIS BRINGS US TO THE NEXT PROBLEM PROTEIN!
LIKE I
STATED EARLIER A DOG NEEDS A PROPER PROTEIN TO BUILD
STRONG MUSCLE AND A PROPER STARCH ENZYME TO DIGEST
PROTEIN. A LOT OF PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK THAT DOGS EAT
NOTHING BUT MEAT BECAUSE ALL DOGS CAME FROM WOLF. BUT
REALLY HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A FAT SHINNY WOLF? AND
WHAT IS THEIR LIFE SPAN? PROTEIN COMES IN MANY FORMS
BUT LESS THAN 5% ARE DIGESTIBLE, OR USABLE.
"THE DOG
FOOD YOU ARE USING TODAY MAY SAY THAT IT HAS 22% OR 28%
OR EVEN 30% PROTEIN."
BUT THAT PROTEIN % MAY ACTUALLY BE
ZERO, BECAUSE OF THE WORD BY-PRODUCT.
THE WORD BY PRODUCT SIMPLY MEANS (WASTE) STUFF THAT
DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE PROCESSING PLANT THINGS LIKE
CHICKEN FEET - HEADS - FEATHERS AND EVEN FECAL.
THEY'RE ALL PROTEIN BUT NOT DIGESTIBLE.
"THE MOST
COMMON AND MOST COST EFFICIENT SOURCE OF PROTEIN COMES
FROM MEAT AND BONE MEAL, USUALLY FROM BEEF ORIGIN."
IN
ADDITION, THE MINERAL CONTENT OF MEAT AND BONE MEAL
CONTAINS A GOOD NATURAL SOURCE OF CALCIUM AND
PHOSPHORUS.
OTHER SOURCES OF PROTEIN MEAL INCLUDE LAMB OR TURKEY
MEAL.
"THE
BIGGEST FAD AND FRAUD IN RECENT YEARS HAS BEEN DOG
FOODS THAT CONTAIN LAMB MEAL."
THERE IS NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT LAMB OR MUTTON.
YOU SURELY DON'T BELIEVE THAT DOG FOODS ADVERTISING -
LAMB MEAL - CONTAIN MEAT LIKE THE $6.00 A POUND LAMB
CHOPS YOU SEE IN THE GROCERY STORE? ACTUALLY,
MOST LAMB MEAL COMES FROM AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND
SOUTH AMERICA WHERE MANY MORE SHEEP ARE RAISED THAN IN
THE UNITED STATES. THIS MEANS THAT THE CARCASSES
THAT THE LAMB MEAL COMES FROM CAN BE DISEASED.
SUCH DISEASES AS SCABIES (Mange), HOOF AND MOUTH,
AND SCRAPIES, i.e., "a fatal degenerative nervous
disease of sheep and goats, (RELATED TO MAD COW DISEASE)."
ONCE THESE CARCASSES ARE PROCESSED INTO MEAL USDA CAN NO LONGER INSPECT THEM. USDA DICTATES THAT DISEASED ANIMALS ARE DISPOSED OF AND CAN'T BE USED. NOT EVEN
FOR ANIMAL FOODS.
SINCE
SOME OF THESE OTHER COUNTRIES DO NOT HAVE SUCH
SAFEGUARDS, LAMB MEAL COMING INTO THIS COUNTRY CAN BE
FROM
"UNHEALTHY SOURCES."
THE USDA HAS HELD HEARINGS CONCERNED ABOUT THESE
DISEASES BEING SPREAD BY INCOMING LAMB MEAL, BUT
POWERFUL PET FOOD LOBBYIST HAS SO FAR BLOCKED SUCH
RULES.
"FISHMEAL
IS AN EXCELLENT SOURCE OF PROTEIN."
FISH BY-PRODUCT CONTAINING FISH HEADS, FISH SCALES AND
INTERNALS ARE NOT. FISH MEAL CONTAINS HIGH LEVELS OF
THE ESSENTIAL AMINO ACID, METHIONINE, AND THE COAT AND HEALTH IMPROVING OMEGA 3
FATTY ACIDS. THE BEST FISHMEAL COMES FROM MENHADEN HERRING THAT HAS THE OIL LEFT
ON IT. THE ONLY DRAWBACK OF FISHMEAL TO THE DOG FOOD INDUSTRY IS THE EXPENSE.
SOYBEAN
IS BELIEVED TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN A FILLER AND
UN-DIGESTIBLE.
"ACTUALLY
SOYBEAN IS NOT A POOR SOURCE OF PROTEIN."
IT
IS AN INCOMPLETE SOURCE AS IT DOES NOT CONTAIN
SUFFICIENT AMOUNTS OF ALL THE ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS SO
IT MUST BE BALANCED OUT. IT ALSO CAUSES MANY DOGS TO
HAVE A LOT OF GAS AND THUS HAVE AN OFFENSIVE ODOR.
SINCE IT IS HIGH IN PHOSPHORUS AND LOW IN CALCIUM, ITS'
MINERAL BALANCE IS ALSO VERY POOR.
HOT SPOTS
OR SUMMER SORES
ARE NOT CAUSED BY THE SUN. THEY ARE FREQUENTLY
CALLED A FORM OF DERMATITIS KNOWN AS ECZEMA BY
VETERINARIANS. THIS CAUSES DOGS TO ITCH, SCRATCH
AND EVEN BITE THEMSELVES. THE SCRATCHING AND ITCHING
CAN BE SO SEVERE THAT THE RESULTING SORES BECOME
INFECTED WITH BACTERIA, FUNGI OR PARASITES.
"WE SPEND
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR HAVING OUR DOGS TREATED FOR
ALL KINDS OF RELATED PROBLEMS."
THESE DOGS ARE OFTEN TREATED FOR DERMATITIS AS IF IT
WERE THE PROBLEM. THEY REQUIRE EXPENSIVE ON GOING
VETERINARY TREATMENT THAT INCLUDES PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
LIKE CORTISONE, ANTIHISTAMINES OR ANTIBIOTICS OR THEY
MAY BE PRESCRIBED SOME EXPENSIVE EXOTIC DIET.
ADULT DOGS FREQUENTLY GET HOT SPOTS IN THE SUMMER. OLDER DOGS SEEM TO BE MORE
SUSCEPTIBLE THAN YOUNGER DOGS AND IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR THE SAME DOG TO START
HAVING TROUBLE EVERY SUMMER AS SOON AS THE WEATHER WARMS UP. THIS IS COUPLED
WITH THE FACT THAT
DERMATITIS SELDOM OCCURS IN THE COOL WEATHER MONTHS. THIS IS
WHY THEY ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS SUMMER SORES.
AS I INDICATED THESE CONDITIONS ARE NOT CAUSED BY THE SUN OR FOOD ALLERGIES.
THEY ARE CAUSED BY AN OWNER
WITH GOOD INTENTIONS FEEDING A MATURE DOG A HIGH
PROTEIN DOG FOOD. THE OVER FEEDING OF HIGH PROTEIN DOG FOOD CAUSES AT LEAST 90%
OF ALL SUMMER SORES NOT TO MENTION THE DAMAGE IT DOES TO THE LIVER AND KIDNEYS. EXCESSIVE OVER FEEDING OF PROTEIN CAUSES ALL
THE HEALTH CONDITIONS MENTIONED ABOVE. YOU
AS A DOG OWNER NEED TO UNDERSTAND A DOG'S PROTEIN NEEDS, HOW HIS DIGESTIVE SYSTEM WORKS, AND HOW
HE METABOLIZES THAT PROTEIN.
A YOUNG GROWING DOG HAS GREATER PROTEIN DEMANDS THAN AN
OLDER DOG FOR PROPER GROWING AND DEVELOPMENT.
YOUNGER
DOGS DO BEST ON A
28% TO
30% PROTEIN DIET WITH 12% TO 15% FAT CONTENT.
THE
BALANCE OF THE RATION IS CARBOHYDRATES, MINERALS AND
WATER. AS A DOG MATURES AND REACHES FULL SIZE, HIS
PROTEIN DEMANDS DROP SHARPLY.
OLDER
DOGS DO BETTER ON A RATION CONTAINING 18% TO 26%
PROTEIN AND 10% TO 14% FAT.
WHEN A DOG EATS MORE PROTEIN THAN HE ACTUALLY NEEDS,
THAT EXCESSIVE PROTEIN IS NOT STORED, OR TURNED INTO
FAT, CARBOHYDRATES OR CALORIES WITH ANY DEGREE OF
EFFICIENCY.
IT IS DIGESTED IN THE GUT AND
BROKEN DOWN INTO ITS AMINO ACID COMPONENTS. THESE COMPONENTS ARE THEN ABSORBED
INTO THE BLOODSTREAM WHERE THE BODY USES THE ONES THAT ARE NEEDED. THE BODY
USUALLY USES A FAR SMALLER AMOUNTS OF PROTEIN THAN IS PRESENT. THE REMAINDER OF
PROTEIN IS FILTERED OUT BY THE KIDNEYS AND EXCRETED IN THE URINE IN THE FORM OF
AMMONIA (AMMONIA NITRATES).
THIS IS THE STRONG AMMONIA ODOR YOU HAVE IN YOUR
KENNELS.
ALL PROTEIN CONTAINS NITROGEN COMPOUNDS. AS A MATTER OF
FACT, ANALYTICAL METHODS OF DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF
PROTEIN IN A SAMPLE SUBMITTED WILL USUALLY DETERMINE
THE AMOUNT OF NITROGEN IN THE SAMPLE. A
YOUNG HEALTHY DOG THAT IS DRINKING PLENTY OF WATER CAN
FLUSH EXCESSIVE NITRATES FROM ITS BLOOD WITH NO
DIFFICULTY. IT MUST DRINK A LOT MORE WATER AND
PRODUCE A LOT MORE LIQUID WASTE.
AS A DOG GETS OLDER, IT MAY NOT DRINK ENOUGH
WATER OR IT'S KIDNEYS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO OPERATE AT A HIGH ENOUGH CAPACITY.
"FEEDING A DOG TOO MUCH PROTEIN CAN CAUSE THE DOG TO SUFFER FROM A LOW GRADE OF
UREIC POISONING."
IT TAKES A GREAT AMOUNT OF WATER TO RID HIS BODY OF THE
EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF AMMONIA NITRATES IN HIS BLOODSTREAM BEFORE THEY DAMAGE THE
KIDNEYS, LIVER AND CAUSE DERMATITIS.
THE MORE EXCESSIVE PROTEIN FED THE MORE NITRATES THE BODY IS LADEN WITH. THE
OLDER DOG THAT DOES NOT DRINK ENOUGH WATER EVENTUALLY GOES INTO LIVER AND RENAL
FAILURE. IT WILL ALSO CAUSE AN ELEVATED BUN (BLOOD UREA NITROGEN).
EVEN WITH
EXPENSIVE VETERINARY CARE, A DOGS LIFE CAN BE DRASTICALLY SHORTENED AND
COMPLICATED BY EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF PROTEIN FED OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
FAT IS THE GAS FOR THE MUSCLE. FAT IS NOT A NUTRIENT
WITH ANY VALUE EXCEPT FOR PURE CALORIES. IT CONTAINS NO
AMINO ACIDS, NO VITAMINS, NO MINERALS OR NO OTHER
NUTRIENTS OF VALUE. FAT MUST BE BURNED ON A DAILY BASIS
THROUGH SHEER ACTIVITY OR IT WILL BE DEPOSITED AS BODY
FAT. A MATURE DOG CAN LITERALLY BE KEPT FAT ON A
HANDFUL OF HIGH FAT DOG FOOD. THAT FAT DOG CAN BE
NUTRIENT STARVED AND BE DEFICIENT IN SEVERAL VITAMINS,
MINERALS AND AMINO ACIDS.
"IT HAS
ALWAYS BEEN SAID THAT A FAT DOG IS AN UNHEALTHY DOG,
AND THAT'S TRUE.
CHOLESTEROL TO A DOG IS 10 TIMES MORE DAMAGING THAN IT
IS FOR HUMANS.
"A DOG
EATING A HIGH FAT THAT IS BRED AND EXPECTED TO PRODUCE
HEALTHY PUPPIES CAN BE A TOTAL DISASTER."
THESE DOGS FREQUENTLY DO NOT TAKE IN ENOUGH NUTRIENTS
TO INCUBATE A HEALTHY LITTER OF PUPPIES. PUPPIES CAN BE
BORN SMALL, WEAK AND EMACIATED WITH THIN, ALMOST
TRANSPARENT SKIN. SINCE THE FEMALE IS NUTRIENT STARVED
SHE WILL PROVIDE INADEQUATE LEVELS OF QUALITY MILK FOR
THE PUPPIES. WE HAVE SEEN BREEDERS LOSE LITTER AFTER
LITTER BLAMING EVERYTHING BUT THE HIGH FAT DIET.
WHY DO DOGS EAT GRASS? A QUESTION ASKED A LOT BUT USUALLY UNANSWERED. DOGS HAVE
A VERY SENSITIVE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF ROUGHAGE. IN DOG FOOD
ROUGHAGE COMES IN MANY FORMS USUALLY SOMETHING LIKE WHEAT MIDDLING OR BEEF PULP.
THIS CAN BE GOOD OR VERY BAD.
IN A
(COLD
RUN)
FOOD WHEAT MIDDLING AND BEEF PULP CAN GIVE YOUR DOG THE
RUNS. COME ON, LOOK WHAT IS IN METAMUCIL FOR HUMANS.
HOWEVER, IF THE WHEAT MIDDLING AND BEEF PULP ARE (HOT
RUN) THEY BECOME A VERY VIABLE ROUGHAGE. THIS
WILL HELP THEIR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM TREMENDOUSLY. SO
IS YOUR DOG IS A GRASS EATER? WATCH TO THEM THEY KNOW
MORE ABOUT THEIR SYSTEM THAN YOU DO.
MUCH IS SAID ABOUT VITAMINS ON A DOG FOOD LABEL, BUT ACTUAL STUDIES HAVE BEEN FEW
AND FAR BEHIND OTHER SPECIES OF ANIMALS. CANINES ACTUALLY CAN SYNTHESIZE MANY OF
THE VITAMINS THEY NEED. MOST DOG FOOD COMPANIES USE ACCEPTED A. A. F. C. O.
(ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN FEED
CONTROL OFFICIALS)
GUIDELINES AND NRC (NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL)
RESEARCH DATA AND RECOMMENDATIONS UNTIL IT COMES TO THE ANTI-OXIDANTS VITAMINS A
AND E.
I FEEL THAT DOGS, LIKE MANY OTHER
ANIMALS ACTUALLY HAVE HIGHER REQUIREMENTS OF THESE ANTI-OXIDANTS THAN MAY BE
READILY RECOGNIZED BY SOME IN THE INDUSTRY. SOME PEOPLE ALREADY KNOW THIS AND
TRY TO SUPPLEMENT BY USING THINGS LIKE COD LIVER OIL OR MACKEREL. HOWEVER,
THESE PARTICULAR OILS HAVE LITTLE OR NO VITAMIN VALUE.
"I USUALLY USE AND
RECOMMEND WHEAT GERM OIL WHICH CARRIES 250,000 TO 450,000 UNITS OF VITAMINS A
AND E."
"ZINC IS THE ONLY MINERAL THAT NEEDS DISCUSSION." DOGS DO NOT NEED LARGE AMOUNTS
OF ZINC AND DON'T DIGEST IT WELL. IT IS NOT SO HARD ON THE DIGESTIVE
SYSTEM AS IT IS ON THE COAT. IT IS USUALLY NOT NOTICEABLE ON DOGS WITH COLOR. HOWEVER DOGS WITH WHITE OR ALL WHITE SHOW IT VERY WELL. THEY USUALLY LOOK
DINGY WITH A YELLOW TINT AND BROWN AROUND THEIR EYES. THAT IS THE ZINC AND
ZINC TURNS TO RUST.
FIBER AND MOISTURE CONTENT IS USUALLY MENTIONED ON THE LABEL OF DOG FOOD. HOWEVER, MANY DOG FOODS CARRY 12% MOISTURE AND MORE. THEY THEN ADD HIGH
LEVELS OF CHEMICAL MOLD INHIBITORS BECAUSE ANY BAGGED FOOD OVER 10% MOISTURE
WILL MOLD.
"FOR INSTANCE A TON OF DOG WITH 12% MOISTURE CONTAINS 40% MORE WATER
AND 40% FEWER HIGH COST FEED INGREDIENTS." THAT'S LIKE BUYING A SACK OF WATER IN
EVERY TON. THIS IS GOOD FOR THE MANUFACTURE
BUT NOT SO GOOD FOR YOU AND YOUR DOG.
INERT INGREDIENTS ARE USUALLY NEVER MENTIONED ON A DOG FOOD LABEL. THIS IS
BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT IS REALLY IN THERE. INERT MEANS
FILLER, IN THIS CASE NOTHING. INERT INGREDIENTS ARE USUALLY SOMETHING LIKE SAWDUST, PEANUT
HULLS, HORSEHAIR AND FEATHERS. THIS IS THE STUFF YOU WILL
EVENTUALLY BE CLEANING UP.
"INERT
INGREDIENTS HAVE NO VALUE OF ANY KIND EXCEPT TO FILL UP
THAT BAG."
I HAVE ALWAYS RECOMMENDED TO MIX EQUAL AMOUNTS OF DOG
FOOD AND WATER TOGETHER AND WATCH WHAT HAPPENS. IF IT SWELLS 50% OR MORE THAT'S YOUR
INERT INGREDIENTS.
GET RID OF IT AND TRY ANOTHER BRAND.
"THIS
ARTICLE IS A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF 30 YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE WITH VARIOUS DOG FOODS AND LEARNING WHAT IS
BEST FOR THEIR DIET."
IT
IS WILLED THAT THIS ARTICLE WILL HELP YOU
UNDERSTAND A LITTLE ABOUT HOW DOG FOOD IS
PROCESSED, HOW IT
WORKS WITH THE GENERAL HEALTH OF YOUR DOG AND MOST IMPORTANTLY WHAT YOU ARE REALLY FEEDING YOUR
DOG.
