Scientific Studies

Hello chazhounders!!! It's been a while since I've been on the board. I've moved from TX to CO and I love it!

Since moving here I've just started researching every type of diet there is to offer our pets.

I have a few questions. Have you guys found any scientific evidence that proves grain free dog food is better than non? Is there scientific evidence that raw is the best diet? Is there scientific evidence that "lower grade" dog food is worse?

I'm only asking because I was told the "grain free" movement started with someone on the internet, and isn't scientifically based. When I googled "what is bi-product in dog food I couldn't find anything other than articles written by random people. Can you guys point me in the right direction?

I'm just trying to figure out what's best for my pups

A doctor in Stockholm did a study that showed raw food was healthier than processed food for dogs and cats.
It's difficult to find studies just on raw, due to the funding being provided by pet food companies. Conglomerates have taken over that market. However, you can review studies done elsewhere about what dogs are (scavenger carnivores) and studies on how they digest certain foods, and come to basic conclusions based on that, it's not very difficult, really, to see that a dog digests meat better than grains. That, couples with anecdotal evidence, despite what people want to say about it, is pretty good, imo.

Raw is as natural as it gets for a carnivore. Its what they were designed to eat and be able to digest by nature. So I don't know that scientific studies would even be possible. The nutrition of raw meat and bones is already known.

http://orijen.ca/orijen/ORIJEN_White_Paper.pdf has some good info in it

Thanks for all of your input! I really appreciate it.