There are some dog food secrets that the commercial dog food industry would prefer you didn’t know about. But if you love your dog and want the best for them, then you should be aware of them.
Is your dog part of your family?
Many pet owners consider their pet to be a part of their family. Indeed, in a recent British poll 22 percent of people said they considered their pet to be “close family members”. This is even more remarkable when you learn that only 21 percent of people said the same about their parents-in-law!
And of course, dogs are probably the most likely pet to be considered one of the family. And it’s natural for you to want to look after your family as best you can, including making sure they follow a healthy diet. So, many diligent dog owners try to make sure they only feed their dogs the highest quality and healthiest dog food they can. But just how good is that dog food for your dog really?
Dog food secrets
It turns out that many, if not most, commercial dog foods contains a lot of things that you wouldn’t consider suitable for humans to eat. Indeed, they contain things that it would be illegal to include in human food.
The fact is that processed dog foods contain lots of things that would be otherwise thrown away as waste. The dog food manufacturers add lots of these cheap ingredients to boost their profits. This is true whether the food is sold in tins, pouches or as dried food.
For example, dog food will often be made with meat that has gone off. And it’s cooked which makes it more difficult for your dog to digest, because the process of cooking kills enzymes in it that help with digestion.
Not only this, but the food often contains a lot of grain too. This changes the acidity of your dog’s stomach and it isn’t digested but just passes through your dog. So there’s no nutritional benefit. And many dog foods contain a lot of preservatives too, to make it last longer. Not to mention lots of nasty chemicals.
The fact that the food contains stuff like this that is bad for your dog’s health is one of the big dog food secrets of the industry. The major manufacturers are multi-national companies only interested in their profits and share price, despite what their adverts might claim.
Basically what it boils down to is this: feeding processed dog food to your dog is like feeding junk food to your kids. And while you might do that on occasion as a treat, as a responsible parent you wouldn’t make that their entire diet. So why would you do the equivalent with your dog? After all, they’re part of your family, right?
Feeding this stuff to your dog on a regular basis could be making your dog ill and reducing their lifespan. In short, and to be blunt, it could be killing your dog. And on top of this, it could also be the root cause of any behavioral problems your dog is having. The food you’re feeding your dog could be making it irritable and lethargic, or the opposite – hyperactive.
So what should you feed your dog?
Dogs have identical digestive systems to gray wolves. And gray wolves feed on their prey of mice, rabbits and even deer. They even eat the bones. They will also eat vegetables and fruit. Basically, their diet is raw meat and bones and raw vegetables and fruit. It stands to reason then, that the healthiest diet for your dog is similar.
So try switching your dog to a natural healthy diet and see if you notice a difference in their health, happiness and behavior. I’m sure you will. Give them a balanced natural diet made up of muscle meat, edible bones, liver and other organs, fruit (but not grapes) and vegetables.