There are a lot of dogs that eat a dry food diet. But pawrents need to learn about the misinformation about this inexpensive and convenient form of dog food.
There's a wide variety of types, brands and kinds of kibble, yet few people have researched their dog's food. Instead, most of us trust the opinions of veterinarians, pet store employees, or whichever price is right.
I treat kibble like a treat; it's a once-in-a-while type of food that I can use for snuffle mats or when I am in a pinch. There are also better, higher-quality kibble that you can find from better brands; usually, they are smaller businesses.
Kibble contains up to 50% of carbohydrates
Dogs are primarily carnivores, yet carbs are the most prominent ingredient in all kibbles, sometimes composing over 50% of the ingredients by weight. Grains and starches are much cheaper for manufacturers to produce in large amounts.
The heating process kills all the nutrients
Raw meats, vegetables, carbs, and fillers, are mixed to create a dough. Then, hot water or steam is applied at extremely high temperatures and pressure to cook the product. High heat and pressure kill the nutrients in each of the ingredients!
Even though dogs are very flexible with their diets, their sharp incisor teeth prove that a dog's diet is meant to consist primarily of meat. So manufacturers spray a flavour enhancer on the final product, usually made from animal fat, which makes the product attractive to dogs.
Kibble is also missing one or more amino acids that your dog's body needs. A sign of low-quality food is that you'll often see amino acids such as L-Lysine, DL-methionine, L-threonine, L-tryptophan and taurine on the ingredient panel.
Vitamins are added to make up for what was lost during the cooking process, and artificial colours are added to ensure it still looks good.
What else? Preservatives are sprayed to make it last longer on the shelf!
The protein is from low-quality sources
What counts as a meat source in dog food can range from whole, ground carcasses (including animals that are sick, diseased or dying) to animal by-products. These are not quality meat sources that your furry friend deserves!
Grain-free isn't carb free
It simply means that other carbohydrates like potatoes or legumes are used instead. Excessive carbs act as filler.
And many kibble brands contain carcinogens, such as aflatoxins, otherwise known as a type of mold. Since many kibble brands include food with grain, it's easy for this mold to grow. Corn, wheat cereals, peanuts, rice, and soybeans are the most common grains susceptible to mold growth. In addition, many of these grains, high in starch, contain a high glycemic index, spiking your dog's insulin, glucagon, and cortisol, putting them at risk of obesity.
Unhealthy ingredients
Many food dyes are added to kibble, like Yellow 5, Blue 2, Red 40 and Yellow 6.
Understanding the label's ingredients can be challenging because the dog food industry needs to be more regulated. For example, in the U.S., the requirements are left in the hands of The Association of American Feed Control Officials. AAFCO is a voluntary regulatory body that sets the standards and requirements for every dog food in the country.
A diet of just kibble lacks not only REAL nutrition for your dog but also gets boring. Imagine eating the same cereal every day for every meal.
A dry food diet could be linked to the following:
Allergic skin reactions
Diabetes (from too much starch)
Malnutrition (from too little protein)
Obesity
Immunosuppression
Metabolic issues
Some cancers
What should my dog be eating?
So what should your dog be eating? A biologically appropriate raw food diet is said to be best by experts, and it's as close to nature as it gets!
5-10% vegetables, which provide micronutrients (puréed is best)
& optional:
10% raw edible bone (never cooked, because bones become brittle and choking hazards) Good resource: GIVE YOUR DOG A BONE by Ian Billinghurst
Another good option is a home-cooked diet! We've been feeding a home-cooked diet to Lambo for years, and he loves it, and we've seen the benefits in his health, energy and happiness! It takes a lot of research and supplementation if you do it yourself, but there are also a lot of companies in larger cities that offer this service.
