Disclaimer – I am not a vet, just someone who is passionate about my dogs and giving them the heathiest life I can. Do your own research!

I have nothing to gain from this discussion. No product or service to sell. I am not trying to persuade anyone, just sharing information.

-Raw vs kibble – processed foods – kibble is not the ideal diet.

What should dogs be eating?

Feeding Dogs: The Science Behind The Dry Versus Raw Debate by Dr. Conor Brady

-Dogs are carnivores based on dentition

-Dogs are not obligate carnivores like cats, but just because they can digest starch doesn’t meant they should. All dogs being fed kibble diets are in carb overload.

Why do we feed kibble?

-1860 – James Spratt saw a business opportunity in creating biscuits for dogs comprised of wheat meals, vegetables, beetroot and beef blood

https://www.petfoodinstitute.org/about-pet-food/nutrition/history-of-pet-food/

-Advantages of feeding kibble: Cheap, convenient, balanced, marketing

-Disadvantages of feeding kibble: fillers, cheap quality, synthetic ingredients, long-term health issues

Ingredients:

-Order of ingredients

-Types of meat including moisture content (chicken vs beef, meat meals)

-Repeating ingredients

-Starches:

            -Carb content of kibble calculation:

                        100 – (protein + fat +fiber + moisture + ash) = Carbohydrate content

-Glycemic index (measure to determine how food affects bloodsugar)

            -Important for heart health, diabetes, can affect energy and mood

-Corn:0, corn gluten meal: 68, rice: 66, grain sorghum: 70, whole grain millet: 52

Do dogs need grain?

-Unlike protein and fat, dogs have no nutritional requirement for dietary carbohydrates

            -Do foods general 40-70% carbs (binding agent, cheap fillers)

-Legumes and amino acids

-Check % protein from MEAT

What I look for in kibble:

-% protein, fat and carbs

-Ingredients (including quality to type)

-Quality amino acids

-calcium:phosphorus content (between 1.1:1 and 1.4:1 and calcium around 3 grams/1,000 kcal

-Copper content (desired range: 7-15 mg/kg)

-Reputable company

-How dogs do on it (coat, teeth, stool, long-term bloodwork)

-Prescription diets: DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH

Purina Pro Plan

Chicken, Corn Gluten Meal, Rice, Beef Fat Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols, Poultry By-Product Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Corn Germ Meal, Dried Egg Product, Fish Meal

Victor Hi pro

Beef Meal, Grain Sorghum, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Pork Meal, Chicken Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal (source of DHA-Docosahexaenoic Acid), Blood Meal Conventionally Dried, Whole Grai