Food

How to recognize good foods, bad foods, and the food that’s just right for your dog. (Brace yourself: we’re going to name names.)

which includes as many follow-up calls as necessary. To consult the APCC

Commercial dog foods today contain anywhere from two to dozens of main ingredients, as well as vitamins, minerals, preservatives, and other additives. People have become sensitized to the presence of certain ingredients that have a bad reputation – some deservedly, some not. Let’s take a closer look at some of the “controversial” ingredients in dog foods. We have included several ingredients that we’ve seen pet food manufacturers either hype (in the case of ingredients they use) or denigrate (in the case of their rivals’ ingredients). We’re not going to address the hype, pro or con, but just tell you the facts.

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or fish broth is used in place of water.

• We looked for the use of whole grains and vegetables

There are two types of people in the world: Those who give their dogs treats, and those who don’t, ever. I think all of us here belong in the former group. Right? Everyone with me? Good. We are all aware that we could make our own dogs treats rather than buy them. Some of us do make our dogs’ treats, sometimes. But there is something special about buying snacks for our dogs – sort of like buying Popsicles from the ice cream man for the kids; it may be expensive, and impulsive, and foolish. But so what? The joyous little doggie dance that dogs do when they know you’ve got something yummy for them is worth any price.

There has been renewed interest in fiber as a dog food ingredient. One pet food manufacturer published an article on the Internet condemning beet pulp in dog food as unhealthy, if not downright dangerous. There is a lot of myth and misunderstanding concerning fiber, so let's take a closer look at this controversial ingredient.The term fiber" (or "roughage") applies to complex carbohydrates that are resistant to mammalian digestive enzymes

My dog drinks about a half-cup of organic milk (same as I drink) with his evening meal. He is a strong, healthy 10-year-old dog, and has never had any problems with arthritis or digestive troubles. My husband, though, is certain that milk is bad for dogs. I look at my dog and feel certain I've been doing things right; he looks great. Is there any reason to discontinue his milk?

Virtually every dog food on the market complies with the labeling regulations and meets the nutrient standards suggested by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO); go look at the fine print on your dog’s food label. It will have one of two statements on it, indicating which of two AAFCO standards it supposedly met: either a “feeding trial” or chemical analysis of the food. The problem is, that particular food may have passed neither test itself.

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Research is needed to analyze the nutritional adequacy of raw food diets. However, a published study didn’t accomplish that goal. The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) published an article written by two veterinarians about homemade and commercially made raw meat-based diets. (A similar article, based on the same data, was published in the AKC Gazette.) The article has been regarded by many proponents of homemade diets as a warning shot fired by the commercial-food -producing community and their traditional veterinary medical footsoldiers over the bow of the raw feeding ship.

It’s unfortunate that The Iams Company was not given the opportunity to provide relevant background information and a scientific point of view prior to...