The Dogs Dinner: All You Wanted to Know About Food For Fido

[SunGurl372]

Originally Posted by Camz

Well, the first ingredient is chicken meal. That's probably not a great sign.

Have to wonder why you'd feel that chicken meal is not a good ingredient? As opposed to what, just "chicken"?

Whole chicken has not had the water removed, whereas chicken meal would, making the meal actually the better source of protein by volume.

I always take it as a good sign any time a "meal" (as long as it named - chicken, beef, bison, fish - as opposed to generic - meat meal) is listed first in the ingredients.

[SunGurl372]

Originally Posted by Camz

6. If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points

This line from your post supports the meal vs. whole meat concept.

[Camz]

You are providing a chemical feast to your pet when you feed it the meat and bone meal in pet foods. In the absence of any government inspection programs or any rules and regulations on standards and origins of the ingredients in these foods, my recommendation would be to feed your pets only food that you would eat, such as scraps from the table or from the butcher.

http://www.belfield.com/article3.html

[SunGurl372]

Again, that article references "meat and bone meal".....an UNSPECIFIED meat source. I'm not saying that all meals are good....heck, what could be worse than a Chicken By-Product Meal????

But its apparent that holistic dogfood producers such as Solid Gold, Timberwolf Organics, Canidae are not throwing in poor ingredients when they say they are using a Chicken, Salmon, Turkey, etc. meal.

The term meal in these foods represents a dehydrated meat source ... a SPECIFIC meat source. Take the following example:

Solid Gold WolfKing

Bison | Salmon Meal | Brown Rice | Millet | Cracked Pearled Barley | Oatmeal | Rice Bran | Canola Oil | Flaxseed Oil | Garlic | Amaranth | Blueberries | Yucca Schidigera Extract | Carotene | Choline Chloride | Vitamin E Supplement | Iron Proteinate | Zinc Proteinate | Copper Proteinate | Manganese Proteinate | Potassium Iodide | Thiamine Mononitrate | Ascorbic Acid | Vitamin A Supplement | Biotin | Calcium Panthothenate | Selenomethionine | Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | Vitamin B12 Supplement | Riboflavin | Vitamin D Supplement | Folic Acid |


The bison is in its wet state, meaning it is 75% less once the water is removed during processing whereas the salmon "meal" is in a dry state where there is only about 10% moisture loss with processing.

So 20 lbs of bison would actually amount to 5 lbs while 10 lbs of salmon meal would be 9 lbs. Meaning the salmon is actually the larger protein source in this food.

Quoted from Mordanna's Dog Food Project:

"Some animal proteins in "meal" form are of high quality, including for example the whole carcasses of slaughtered chickens minus feathers, heads, feet, or entrails; while ones like "beef & bone meal" are made from any leftovers after the quality cuts of meat have been removed for human consumption."

[SunGurl372]

Wait! I do know what would be worse than Chicken By-Product Meal.... POULTRY By-Product Meal!!!!

[Peica'nDeica]

Excellent work Karen - just saw this post!! Thanks for putting this together. My pups are mostly on Timberwolf and sometimes I feel guilty when I have to get them Nutro Max - only because it's more readily available - I have to drive 25 miles to get TW. (If it makes any difference to those who are reading this - my dogs eat lesser portions and poop a lot less - I mean a lot lot less)

But what do you have to say for treats - is the bad stuff okay once in a while for dogs - when given as treats or would you whine and threathen even then ?

Why don't we also add a list for good treats - I also give them chicken breast strips from Costco. And liver treats from Trader Joes.

On the topic of Burger King, my girls love the double-whammy - ketchup, mustard and all

SunGurl thank for the additional research on the 'meal' - I've always wondered about it...

- AnB

[Camz]

You learn something new every day.

I always thought that all "meal" was crappy. I didn't realize that there were levels to meal, as in what is appropriate and what was not.

Thanks for the info!

[SunGurl372]

No problem! I remember how much I learned when I seriously started researching what was in my gal's food. I started her off on Iams, and now she eats Timberwolf Organics, so you can see how far I've come!!!!

[keekers]

this is very informative! i am looking at the science diet ingredients & its first ingredient is corn. they must have a in with the vets cause thats all you see there. never knew it was a bad food! i am going to order some canidae online & start to mix it until her sci di is gone..very interesting. wonder if i should get the life stages or chicken & rice or both?

[britishbandit]

Yes keekers, vets offices don't usually carry any decent brands, not around here anyway. I was told a few years ago by my old vet,that the "top brands" were Iams, Eukeneuba, and Science Diet. Go figure those were the brands the vet carried, and i've tried all three (throughout the years). They were junk. I use Canidae now for the dogs, and am amazed with the results. But, it may not be the best for every dog, I've heard some dogs have not had the same results as mine.
There are great foods out there, unfortunately a lot of times you have to do the research yourself to find out which ones, and what works for your dog. In my experince, vets have never been the best at directing me to a good food. Although the one I have now never suggested any food, just commented on how great the dogs looked, and asked what I was feeding. When I told him I used Canidae, he was very glad to hear it.

[Dawnna]

I know that this is an old tread, but I just found it.
All I want to say is THANK YOU SO MUCH, KAREN!!!!

It must've taken you hours...DAYS to put all of that information together!
It was really nice of you to, not only list Dog Foods specifically, but you
have a great list of guidelines too.

I am constantly second guessing myself on my Dogs' Diet.
I just want them to live forever...is that too much to ask?

Dawnna

[Pondwader]

I don't find this all that accurate.

Meat meal is a better source of nutrients than just meat. Meat meal is more concentrated as all the water is removed.

[jakesdad]

Although, I found this very informative, I have fed my pets Eukanuba from day 1. My first dog 35lb, terrier mix lived to be 18 y/o on Eukanuba. So... I'm sticking with my proven winner.

[Cassiepeia]

Now granted mine aren't pure bred's.

What on earth does that have to do with anything?

Cass.

[Dawnna]

There is nothing wrong with extra moisture in the diet.
It actually boosts the body's natural thirst which encourages
the Dog to drink more - or in other words - 'enough' water.
~~~~~~~~~~
One of my Dogs had extremely concentrated urine; it was so thick
that it would cake into his fur. I, of course, tried all of the kidney
cleanses & remedies, and whatever else was out there, but nothing
worked. So I started to add water to his diet every day. He now
drinks 3x as much water, and his urine is normal, his fur is clean,
and there are no more dead patches in the lawn and bushes.

His tear-stain problem completely cleared up as well.
~~~~~~~~~
I am also curious about the "pure-bred" comment.

Dawnna