Commercial or Raw Dog Food?

There are some good arguments on both sides of the raw food or commercial dog food debate. It is particularly frightening when you hear on the news that some dog food has been tainted in some way, or that your dog's current food is under question for something that could possibly cause him harm. When things like this come up, it is another layer added to this powerful debate. Because there are so many different types of dog food available, it is difficult to figure out which kind you should feed your pooch. You might even wonder if you should feed him or her commercial dog food at all. Your veterinarian should be able to help recommend an appropriate diet for your dog.

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If you decide to put him on a commercial dog food diet, you should be familiar with his nutritional needs. Dogs need meat and fiber as well as many other vitamins and nutrients in order to maintain optimal health. Depending upon their age, sex and size they will need different types of nutrition. Pregnant dogs and puppies have different needs as well. Great protein comes from dog food that contains lamb, chicken and turkey and you should make certain that your dog's diet contains these protein items. You should avoid products with by products or preservatives and those that have grain listed as the top ingredient.

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As for the raw food diet, it includes giving your dog meat bones which are raw, veggies, organs from protein sources, chew bones and proteins such as cottage cheese and shelled eggs. Dogs have, in fact, survived on diets like this for centuries. Since the 50's, commercial dog food has been available however, allergies and dysplasia along with other health problems have been connected to commercial dog foods.

The raw food diet for dogs requires the owner to properly mix the proper nutrients to ensure that the dog is completely healthy. It is also an expensive diet for owners to provide to their dogs, while commercial dog food is affordable and the proper amount of nutrients has already been researched for you. Commercial dog food requires your dog to eat the same thing over and over while the raw food diet provides interesting, different and variations in foods, which keep the dog happy. However, because essential nutrients like fatty acids and such are added to commercial dog food, supporters say that dogs on the raw food diet are missing out on essential nutrients like these.

Commercial or Raw Dog Food?

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Commercial Dog Food - Is It Poison?

Is commercial dog food killing our dogs? Maybe! With the recent pet deaths there have been numerous pet food recalls. The one constant is the unlisted ingredients of even major dog food brands.

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For instance, many of the ingredients found in dog food have been outlawed for human consumption. Why? Because they have been proven to cause diseases like Cancer, Leukemia, Liver Dysfunction, Kidney Failure and many others. As for me, my dogs are part of the family. If there is even a slim chance that what I feed my dogs will cause one of those grave diseases I'm looking elsewhere for a food source.

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Part of the problem is that manufacturers only list the ingredients on the package that they include themselves. What goes in at the rendering plants is not included on the labels! That is where the "poison" additives go in. Apparently, the rendering plants have little or no restrictions at all. With the most recent increase in reported pet deaths government officials have promised to look more closely at what actually goes on at some rendering plants. Until they do, however, all our dogs are at risk.

If you know how to make your own dog food you will be well served to do so. Many experts believe that feeding homemade dog food we can even increase our dog's life span. At the very least, we can control the vitamins and nutritional proteins that our furry pals ingest. The additional life span will just be an added benefit.

Don't think our dogs can eat the same foods we eat. Their systems won't handle everything. Do a little research. Maybe even find a manual about homemade dog foods. There are plenty of them available. Most vets will try to advise us, but they are probably getting a commission on some brand of commercial dog food they recommend! If you don't believe this, just look at the posters on the vet's wall next time you take Fido for a visit. Tell the vet about your concerns and ask him or her to recommend some reading material on how to make good, nutritional homemade dog food.

Commercial Dog Food - Is It Poison?

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Information About Commercial Dog Foods

There is no such single commercial dog food which can be designated as the "best-suited food" for all dogs. Every dog has different and exclusive nutritional requirements based on its breed, age, size, and level of physical activity. Therefore, what is best for one dog may not work at all for another dog. Feeding your dog with just one kind of meal for its entire life can leave a lot of nutritional gaps. Therefore, all dog owners prefer to feed their dogs with a variety of commercial dog foods in order to fill these nutritional gaps. In addition, commercial dog foods contain a lot of supplements for better health of your dog.

dog food for dogs with allergies

All manufacturers of dog food are supposed to strictly abide by the AAFCO guidelines and provide the composition of the dog food. Although the list mentions the ingredients and contents of the dog food, the exact percentage by weight of each ingredient is usually not mentioned. Usually the list mentions the names of all the ingredients present in the dog food in decreasing order of weight.

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There are different brands of commercial dog foods available in the market. They usually contain ingredients such as -- animal by-products, animal digests, meat (beef, chicken, etc), bone and animal fat. Many meals are grain based formulations containing corn gluten, and include corn, barley, whet, rice, oats, brewer's rice, brown rice or any other grain. Other plant based formulations include amaranth, alfalfa, semolina, barley, soybean, flaxseed, or linseed. Commercial dog foods may also contain whole eggs, whole fish or fish cuttings.

Many commercial dog meals are exclusively made up of fresh vegetable and fruit base. Such meals contain green turnips, tomatoes, carrots, peas, guava leaves or peppermint leaves. A variety of fruits are also used in commercial dog foods such as oranges, papaya or pumpkins. The benefit of a meal based on fresh fruits and vegetables is that it provides the essential vitamins and minerals required for your dog's body.

Information About Commercial Dog Foods

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Commercial Dog Food is Killing Your Dog

Canned Dog Food Health Investigation

dog food for sensitive stomachs

That's right! Commercial dog food could be killing your dog, because of the preservatives it contains. Through extensive research, we discovered that dog food contains at 6 deadly chemicals that have been banned from human foods because they can cause the following:
Kidney cancer
Immune system collapse
Severe allergic reactions
Birth Defects
Blindness
Chronic Diarrhea
Bladder cancer
Skin cancer
Stomach cancer
Spleen cancer
Leukemia
Liver dysfunction
Major organ failure
Hair Loss and
Behavior problems, including increased aggressiveness

Dog Food For Sensitive Stomachs

Don't be fooled by buying foods labeled as chemical and preservative free makes them safe, then think again. but it's just more lies! A lot of pet foods advertised as "preservative-free" , contain preservatives. Manufacturers are not required to have to list preservatives that they themselves did not add. How much sense does that make??

So many preservatives make their way into pet food at rendering plants before the meat is even sent to the manufacturer. An analysis of several pet foods labeled "chemical free" or "all natural ingredients" found synthetic antioxidants in all samples."

But don't expect to see it on the label, since it is often added at the rendering plant and not by the manufacturer, ethoxyquin (EQ) is used to preserve most dry pet food. Now, EQ is the most powerful of all preservatives and may be the most toxic. The use of EQ is permitted in pet food. But factory workers exposed to EQ exhibited side effects similar to those of agent orange: a rise in liver or kidney damage, cancerous skin lesions, hair loss, blindness, leukemia, fetal abnormalities, and chronic diarrhea.

EQ In animals has been linked to: immune deficiency syndrome, spleen, stomach, and liver cancers, and a host of allergies."

And one more thing, did you know that before the animal parts and by-product used for pet food are shipped from the slaughterhouse to the rendering plant, the by-product is denatured. Which means that crude carbolic acid, cresylic disinfectant, or citronella, is sprayed on the product. That's enough to make you sick!! And certainly it's enough to make your dog sick!!

HELP YOUR PET

Commercial Dog Food is Killing Your Dog

Dog Food For Sensitive Stomachs

The Shocking Truth About Commercial Dog Food Every Dog Owner Needs To Know

With the commercial pet food industry being under the gun in recent times, it can be hard for any of us to believe that we will not be seeing more pet food recalls in the near future. The sad truth is that the dog food we buy in the stores has the potential to cause extreme illness to our dogs.

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The pet food industry did not just taint themselves, they also caused concern and heartbreak among many dog owners that will never be able to regain the faith that most of us all took for granted with this industry.

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Many pet owners lost their dogs - someone they considered members of their families - over tainted dog food incidents. Many dog lovers will never trust the commercialized dog food industry ever again.

Beyond tainted dog food, the large dog food companies have always been in the practice of providing food for dogs that is not healthy for our pets to begin with. This has always been a problem and still is today. There are hidden dangers in dog food many of us are not aware of.

The trend recently has been for us humans to eat better. The more nutritious the food is that we consume means we live healthier lives. Paying attention to diet and avoiding foods that have excessive fats and processed sugars, especially in the processed foods we buy, helps us to maintain bodies that are fit and trim.

Yet, do we consider what foods we purchase for our dogs to eat? Are we simply buying certain dog food based on what we think our pets like the best to eat? You owe it to your pooch to pay close attention to what you are putting in it's precious tummy.

There are some ingredients in dog food that we should flat out avoid. They are not healthy or reliable in quality for pet consumption. They are also used heavily in the dog food industry by the larger companies.

Corn gluten meal is a by-product. This is added to absorb the toxins of the food as it is being cooked and processed. Unfortunately dogs don't digest corn very well. In fact, corn is one of the biggest causes of allergies in dogs. The reason many commercial dog food companies use corn is because it is a very cheap source of protein and is used as filler in the food.

Chicken by-product meal is also used in the dog food industry. This is made up of parts of the chickens feet, necks, intestines, etc. They use this as a source of protein as well, yet this it is of such low grade that it does nothing for your dog. It also has the potential to be toxic or tainted.

Soybean meal is also used as a protein source in dog food. The protein is a decent quality, however Soybean is also the number one allergy that dogs suffer from.

There are other ingredients to consider, but I think you have gotten the gist of why some of the major brands of dog food that are on the supermarket shelves should be avoided.

When you do your research about feeding your dog the right foods, you will be amazed at the changes you see. Your dogs mood, energy levels, skin, bathroom habits and even their behavior will improve. It's amazing what a change in diet will do.

This article isn't supposed to scare you off of commercial dog food entirely, but you do need to know what to look for. Use the link at the bottom of this article for more information about finding the right foods for your pup.

There are resources available to begin feeding your dog with food that is not only tasty, but also nutritious to their dietary needs. You want your dog to live a long, happy and healthy life - do what you can to help them out by feeding them the right diet.

The Shocking Truth About Commercial Dog Food Every Dog Owner Needs To Know

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The Horror of Dog Food - Dog Food Rating System Reveals the Toxic Evil of Commercial Foods

A recent exercise in dog food rating shows that very few commercial products pass inspection.  In fact, most dog foods were found to be disgusting stews of ghastly ingredients based on grotesque recipes designed to increase corporate profits--even if the end result is damage to pet health.  The bottom line:  It's almost impossible to find truly healthy dog food in the store.

dog food bowls

Author Andrew Lewis has made a personal crusade out of investigating the dog food industry.  After discovering some of the horrible things that transpire in the manufacturing process and learning more about the significant health risks posed by most commercially available products, he created a dog food rating criteria and began testing scores of dog foods.

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His findings?  Less than ten of them came close to passing inspection and he argues that even these products should be used sparingly.

That's why so many people are joining a chorus calling for the use of homemade dog food.  Unless you make your own dog food (which is surprisingly easy and inexpensive), you are at the mercy of the dog food industry and that means you'll be feeding your pet things like this:

Additives and chemicals that have been banned from human food because they're known to cause massive illness and to encourage disease.

The ground corpses of disease-riddled dead animals and the carcasses of pets who were put to sleep.  The poisons used to kill those animals makes its way into dog food, too.

Plastics and inorganic matter.  From the collars of dead cats to the plastic bags used for the moving of animal carcasses, a variety of unnatural substances find their way into dog food.

And that's only the beginning.  Dog food analysis conclusively demonstrates that we cannot trust the dog food industry to supply our pets with healthy options.  Instead, they continue to mass-produce low quality foods that fail to meet nutritional needs while simultaneously encouraging deadly disease. 

Store bought dog food is a complete disaster that no truly loving pet owner could knowingly purchase or use.

The Horror of Dog Food - Dog Food Rating System Reveals the Toxic Evil of Commercial Foods

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Commercial, Raw Or Cooked Homemade Dog Food For Your Jack Russell?

Amongst other things, providing a proper diet is important for your Jack Russell terrier. Many people find it easier to provide canned dog food to their pets with the hectic lifestyle that they are having today. However if we want the best for our dog, then we have to look at other sources of food - namely non-commercial dog food. Would you believe it? Most of my friends find a difference in their Jack Russell's health when they switched from canned dog food to homemade dog food.

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Raw Dog Food
When providing non-commercial food, we can either provide raw, cooked or mix raw and cooked food. There are pro and cons to providing raw food to your Jack Russell. The major problem with raw food is that it may contain bacteria such as e.coli or salmonella. If your Jack Russell consumes food with these bacteria it may cause problems for him.

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Luckily your dog's stomach is strong enough to take care of other common bacteria. This is due to the fact that your terrier's stomach produces hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes that create a level of acidity in the stomach which prevents these bacteria from thriving. If any of these bacteria survives the acid, thankfully the small intestine of your is very short and these bacteria gets passed out without causing any problems. The advantage of raw food is that it is easier to be digested by tour dog in most cases.

Cooked Homemade Dog Food
The advantage of cooked homemade food for your Jack Russell is that cooking kills the harmful bacteria but unfortunately it also destroys some of the enzymes in the food that is beneficial to your terrier. Hence digesting cooked food requires more enzymes than digesting raw food.

Another case for providing cooked food is that some dogs may also have weaker stomachs and their stomach may not produce the necessary level of acids and enzymes that is able to fight and kill the bacteria in the raw food. In cases like this you have no choice but to provide cooked homemade dog food for your Jack Russell.

Commercial, Cooked Or Raw Dog Food
Commercial, homemade cooked or raw food? That depends on the individual as well as their dogs. If you truly have a very busy lifestyle, you may not have the time to cook the food for your dog. As such, it may be more convenient for you to feed your dog with the raw stuff. However some dogs may have a weaker stomach and may not be able to take their food raw. To let their dog's system get used to it, I provide my dogs with cooked food first and then slowly transition them to raw dog food.

At the end the ultimate decision depends on how well your dog can adapt to raw food. If he has problems with raw food due to his weaker stomach, then you have no choice but stick with cooked homemade food. If you really have no choice, then you will have to feed your dog commercial dog food.

Commercial, Raw Or Cooked Homemade Dog Food For Your Jack Russell?

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Dog Allergy Symptoms - Commercial Dog Food

Dogs may have allergy problems which affect their eyes, ears, skin, and other organs. Unfortunately, our pets cannot tell us what is wrong; however, we can observe the miseries our dogs are experiencing such as scratching, rashes, hot spots, dry skin, loss of hair, ear infections, bad breath, smelly stools, sneezing and so on. These are very typical dog allergy symptoms.

dog food mat

Have you noticed your dog having any reactions to the chemicals or the preservatives which are found in commercial dog foods? These companies may claim that their food is the healthiest and the best, but truthfully, this may not be the case.

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Our canines like humans need a variety of foods appropriate for them. Commercial dog food may taste good; however, this is not the test for wholesome food which our dog needs. If the food ingredients are causing the problems, you can be sure the chemicals and preservatives are the culprits.

Dog food is treated like many of our human foods. At one time in our past history a prisoner would be restricted to bread and water for three days. In those days there was real nutrition in the bread and a prisoner could survive on its ingredients. The bread of today would not have you see three days. It does not have whole health nutrition. We would get sick.

Likewise, dog food has been shortchanged. We are blindly trusting the dog food companies to do our pets right, however, this is not always the case. And so you and I take our pets to the vet trying to restore their health with medication which in truth is more chemicals and preservatives. It is a vicious cycle.

Chemicals and preservatives are our friends. I am only referring that some of our pets like us may be sensitive or allergic to certain chemicals and preservatives and it affects their health and behavior. We need to be alert and try to solve what is ailing our pet.

Other more severe dog allergy symptoms:

Different types of cancers Liver dysfunction and other organ failures Immune system interruptions Blindness Chronic diarrhea Packages labeled as food containing natural ingredients or are preservative free may not be completely true. These companies may not weigh:

The health and condition of meats and vegetables from the original source Names of chemicals, medications and antibiotics that were used in the animals Fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides used for growing plants Storage conditions and shipping methods upon arrival Sanitary handling by employees Cleanliness and sanitation of machinery and building No matter how many precautions you take we live in a world of chemicals. You breathe oxygen which is a chemical for human survival and you exhale carbon dioxide which plants need for their survival.

We just need to identify the harmful chemicals and preservatives and keep them out of our food and water supplies.

As you think about your dog allergy symptoms and the costs of medical care; do visit the pet category on the home page of Tricia Deed at http://www.Infotrish.vpweb.com/ and review Dog Food Secrets.

Dog Allergy Symptoms - Commercial Dog Food

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