All You Wanted To Know About Food For Fido

[Juicy]

I read this post on another dog forum written by a member, and I thought its pretty good and I got very educated by it

Ingredients which automatically rule out a food.
If these are anywhere in the ingredients list, put it down and look for something else.

A non-meat first ingredient is an automatic no go.

Meat by-products: By-products can vary ... they can consist of the internal parts of animals such as necks, heads, undeveloped eggs, feet, intestines, lungs, spleen and liver. Although by-products are used by many manufacturers, are these ingredients you would knowingly feed your pet?

Corn: Corn products are difficult for dogs to digest.

Food Fragments: Lower cost by-products of another food manufacturing process. Examples include wheat bran and brewer's rice (a waste product of the alcohol industry).

Meat and bone meal: "Meat and bone meal" and "beef and bone meal" are inexpensive sources of animal protein. The protein in a meal containing a large amount of bone may be poorly digestible and fail to provide adequate nutrition.

Animal Fat: Animal fat is a "generic" fat source that is most often made up of rendered animal fat, restaurant grease, or other oils too rancid or deemed inedible for humans. Look for a named fat source, such as poultry or chicken fat, that is naturally preserved.

Chemical Preservatives: Chemical preservatives include butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), propyl gallate, propylene glycol (also used as a less-toxic version of automotive antifreeze), and ethoxyquin. BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin are potentially cancer-causing agents. The long term build-up of these chemicals (that may be eaten every day for the life of your pet!) have not been thouroughly studied and may ultimately be harmful.

Sweeteners: Sweeteners such as corn syrup, sugar, and cane mallases are usually added to lower quality foods to increase their appeal. Dietary sugars can aggrevate health problems, including diabetes.

Beef Tallow A low quality fat product.

SugarThis is not an ingredient most people would expect to find in dog food, but many foods do, in fact, contain sugar, especially the semi-moist brands. In fact, some semi-moist foods contain as much as 15% sugar. The sugar adds palatability and moisture, and aids in bacterial contamination prevention. Dogs do not need this amount of sugar, which can stress the pancreas and adrenal glands, causing diabetes. Completely devoid of protein, vitamins and minerals, sugar is, literally, empty calories.

Food colorings These still commonly used in pet foods today despite the fact that they are not necessary and some have been linked to medical problems

Stuff to look for

Rice A combination of brown and white rice. The white rice for digestibility and the brown for its added nutritional value. A diet product that is 100% brown rice can be somewhat hard for some animals to digest. Rice is good, corn is not.

Meat vs Meal Pet food labels found in grocery and mass marketers like to use Chicken or Lamb to represent real meat. – (Contains 70% moisture). This leads you the consumer to believe that their product is meat based. Chicken or lamb meats are heavier than grains prior to cooking. The moisture contained in the meats (70%) is reduced by 2/3rds after the cooking process, leaving the total formula as a grain base food after processing. Therefore, pound for pound, meal is better than meat as its basically a concentrated form of meat, less water, more protein!

Wheat Wheat is ok, as long as its not in the top 3 ingredients

Other Ingredients and what they are for

Chicken Fat (Omega 6) Essential fatty acids, maintains moisture in skin cells and is easily digested.

Fish Meal (Omega 3) Essential fatty acids, controls skin inflammation, helps relieve itching & hot spots.

Flax Seed (Omega 3) Essential fatty acids, helps reduce allergy problems caused from flea bites and gives the coat a shiny luster.

Sunflower Oil (Omega 6) Essential fatty acids, prevents scruffy, dry coat and maintains moisture in skin cells.

Lecithin Helps emulsify cholesterol and aids in the digestion and absorption of fats that feed the coat.

Linoleic Acid (Omega 6) Essential fatty acids, helps to prevent moisture loss from cells that cause flaky, dry skin and coat.


Sage Strengthens the mind and concentrating abilities; it aids in healing skin sores and skin eruptions and removing dandruff. It has been mostly employed in disordered states of the digestion and for its savory usage.

Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols) Nourishes and heals the skin.

Biotin Aids in the growth and health of hair.

Cranberry Meal Prevents the spread of bacterial infections in kidneys and the urinary tract. Helps prevent Cystitis.


Rosemary Is a stimulant of the circulatory system; to treat bad breath; stimulates the hair bulbs to new growth. Employed for its savory usage.


Apple Meal Rich in soluble fiber, lowers blood cholesterol levels and normalizes blood sugar.


Amaranth Vitamin packed herb, calms the stomach, reduces tissue swelling, removes worms and parasites from the digestive tract.


Brewers Yeast (Nutritional Yeast) A rich source of the B vitamins, contains 16 amino acids, 14 minerals and 17 vitamins. Protects, binds and rids from mycotoxins, which cause liver and organ damage..


Yucca Used for its reduction of both breath and stool odor ! A cleansing agent. Used by the Indians of the southwest for skin disorders, skin eruptions and helps avoid inflammation..


Eggs An excellent source of protein and contains all the essential Amino Acids..


Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Streptococcus Faecium fermentation extracts Probiotics. Better digestion and absorption of nutrients, they act to exclude and prevent harmful bacteria from colonizing and creating digestive upsets, helps prevent sickness and stress..

Yeast Culture All natural live yeast culture, it acts to stimulate microbial and enzyme populations in the animals digestive system. Live yeast cultures plus dried fermentation solubles..

COPPER AND IRON A deficiency of iron causes nutritional anemia. A small amount of copper will improve utilization of iron..


Beet Pulp (Sugar) CONTROVERSIAL
• AAFCO - Beet Pulp is the dried residue from sugar beets which has been cleaned and extracted in the process of manufacturing sugar.
• Natura uses it because - "it as a good source of fiber and a stool hardener". However, it is not found in their Innova or California Natural products.
• Solid Gold doesn't use it because they believe it is: "Added to pet food to slow down the transition of rancid animal fats (think toxic waste). This holds the waste in. Kidneys and liver work overtime. Dogs may chew their lower backs. Feet may swell, so the dogs lick their feet. Sugar is a contributing factor to ear infections and cataracts".
Beet pulp is rather controversial, many think that it is an excellent additive and source of fiber and that all sugar has been completely extracted before being added as a pet food ingredients. If this is the only "problem" ingredient in a kibble, other factors will have to help you decide.

Brewers Rice
• AAFCO - Brewer's Rice is the small milled fragments of rice kernels that have been separated from the larger kernels of milled rice.
• Natura will not use it because they state it is a "lower quality rice product that is missing many of the nutrients found in Ground Rice and Ground Brown Rice." Solid Gold says that is the sweepings from the floor of the mill.

Rice Bran
• AAFCO - Rice Bran is the outer coating of the rice kernel, with little or none of the starchy part of the germ.
• Natura and Solid Gold reject it because it is "an inexpensive source of fiber that is considered a filler ingredient", i.e. devoid of nutrient value.

Sorghum
• AAFCO - Sorghum is the ground grain of the sorghum plant.
• Natura alleges that although sorghum is good source of carbohydrates, it is low in digestibility.

Side Note
Condemned parts and animals rejected for human consumption can be rerouted into commercial pet foods. These condemned parts are referred to as the 4 D's: dead, dying, diseased or decayed. We believe this is one of the most despicable practices in the pet food manufacturing industry.
Some manufacturers have a lower standard regarding the quality of ingredients they use to make pet food. A recent example of this practice is the discovery of Pentobarbital in major pet foods, including supermarket brands. Pentobarbital is a chemical used to euthanize animals. Many holistic veterinarians feel that daily ingestion of pentobarbital can be harmful.
Many manufacturers cut costs by using the cheapest ingredients available at the time a food is made. Since costs rise and fall, some manufacturers will vary ingredients from batch to batch .. resulting in changed nutrient values for each batch and possible digestive illness.
Some manufacturers have lower standards regarding the freshness of ingredients they use to make pet food. You can not determine the freshness of ingredients by reading a label; you must trust the pet food manufacturer.

[Juicy]

Now I know you are still asking ***8220;is this food good***8221;, so here is the basic lists with the research done for you (tsk tsk!)

The Good
When you want the best money can buy***8230;.
ADVANCE
BALANCE DIET
The Food ADVANTAGE
CANINE CAVIAR PET FOODS
Cripple Creek Kennels
Natural Balance
FLINT RIVER RANCH
HAPPY PAWS
HOLISTIC BLEND
SOLID GOLD
LIFE'S ABUNDANCE
TENDER LOVING CARE
NATURE'S FINEST
MATRIX
OLD MOTHER HUBBARD
Sammy Snacks
TIMBERWOLF ORGANICS
ULTRA NATURAL PET FOODS
VeRUS Pet Foods
VITA-MAX PET FOODS
AZMIRA PET FOODS
BREEDERS CHOICE
CALIFORNIA NATURAL
INNOVA CANINE
PINNACLE
ROYAL CANIN SIZE (natural blend variety)
NATURALLY CANADIAN
CANIDAE PET
KIRKLAND (KIBBLE)
Far More
NATURAL BLEND
The Bad
Well, they aren***8217;t BAD, they just don***8217;t quite make the A grade cut. No-one should look down on you for feeding this to Fido and Spot, its good, just not the best. Dogs will do well on these.
BENCH & FIELD
THE PET PANTRY
DIAMOND BRAND
RIDE DOG FOOD
EAGLE PACK SUPER PREMIUM PET FOOD
NATURE'S RECIPE
INOVATIVE VETERNARY DIETS
ROYAL CANIN SIZE
NUTRO
NUTRO MAX
PRECISE PET FOOD
PET FIRST
SIRIUS PET FOODS
PHD, PERFECT HEALTH DIETS
WYSONG PROFESSIONAL DIETS
ANF Specialties
ANMAR
ANNAMAET PET FOODS
APD (ADVANCED PET DIETS)
ARDEN GRANGE
NUTRA NUGGETS
OWEN & MANDEVILLE PET PRODUCTS, INC.
"PAW" TICULARS
PET CHEF EXPRESS
Burns Pet Nutrition
PROPAC DOG FOODS
CANUSA PET FOOD
SPORTSMAN'S CHOICE
LAMB AND RICE FORMULA
Pronature
STURDY
DOCK'S PET FOOD
DYNAMITE ONLINE DYNAMITE SPECIALTY PRODUCTS
K9 Gourmet
MARTINS FORMULA
NOBLE DOG FOOD
NUTRIENCE PET FOOD
NUTRIENCE
AUTHORITY PET FOODS CO
QUALITY CARE PLUS (QC+)
REGAL PET FOODS
BLACKWOOD CORPORATION
Euro Premium
MAX DOG FOOD
NATURAL LIFE PET PRODUCTS, INC.
PETGUARD
PREMIUM EDGE
Petsmart Premier
TECHNI-CAL
The Ugly
Don***8217;t feed your dog these under any circumstances!
PURINA PRESCRIPTION DIETS (ok, so sometimes you have to, but I would beg and threaten my vet for an alternative)
Alpo
MERA DOG
Petco.
NATIONAL DOG FOODS
SPORTMIX
Tuffy's Dog Food
WALTHAM
WAYNE
SHUR-GAIN
Bil-Jac
SCIENCE DIET
EUKANUBA
LAND O' LAKES
EXCEL
MUENSTER MILLING CO.
EXPERT CONDITIONING
JOY PET FOODS
Purina Beneful
IAMS
Nutripet
BUCKEYE PET FOODS
PROFESSIONAL PET FOODS
EARL MAY PREMIUM BLEND
Prominence
CORNUCOPIA PET FOODS, INC.
PRO PLAN
VETERINARY MEDICAL DIETS Select Care and Medi-Cal
Jappy
FORZA10
LINDQUIST FOODS
FROMM
MASTERY
MY-CHAMPS MICROBIAL STYLE DOG FOOD
GEREEN ENTERPRISES
KUMPI DOG FOOD
HAPPY DOG
High Hopes
ECONOMY LINE
ECONOUF
EXCEL
1st. CHOICE
Big Red
Black Gold Pet Foods, Inc.
BLUE SEAL PREMIUM FEEDS. LTD.
BACK TO BASICS
BLUE RIBBON BRAND DOG FOOD
CYCLE ADULT
PUREBRED COMPANY
PURINA O.N.E. Brand
OL' ROY BRAND
WALTHAM
PEDIGREE
PURINA BRAND DOG FOODS
THOMPSON'S PET PASTA PRODUCTS
GRAVY TRAIN
KASCO
KIBBLES 'N BITS
DR. BALLARD ORIGINAL VETERINARIAN RECIPES
The Robert Abady Dog Food Company, Ltd
MAXXIMUM NUTRITION
But the good costs so much!
Burger King is cheap too you know***8230;
You have to realize that the higher quality the food, the less fillers and more actual nutrition. The portion sizes are much smaller, the food lasts longer, and you are spending less time picking up landmines all over the backyard. Everybody wins.
To add to this, dont play the helpless "oh but I cant find it at Walmart or Petsmart" card. Use google, look up the webpages, more than likely they will have a store locater for their distributers. Good food is worth the 5 seconds youll have to search on google for.
Sources
http://www.healthypetnet.com/
http://www.canidae.com/
http://www.doberdogs.com
http://www.feedmypet.com
The Animal Protection Institute, "What's Really in Pet Food.", January 29, 2002.
Kerns, Nancy "Choose the Best Dry Food.", The Whole Dog Journal, February 2000, 13-17.
The Animal Protection Institute, "Selecting a Commercial Pet Food. ", October 25, 2001.

[Renee750il]

Whoever put that together missed the very best source, bar none: www.dogfoodproject.com

[Juicy]

Oooh I learn more & more!! This helped out clear up some stuff I've heard.

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=myths

[Renee750il]

Mordy's site pretty much has the answers to about any kind of dog food question you can come up with. And you can depend on Mordy's research - 1000%