[Britster]

Originally Posted by kjc

I am not judging the people who feed this brand to their dogs, I am judging the company that produces it. Sorry if I offended anyone as that was not my intent. I like rice, my dogs, not so much. Rice flavored with bacon, definitely a yes, for all of us. I thought it was made with higher quality ingredients, it really caught me off guard that it is not. Just thought RC was producing foods using the highest quality ingredients, granted they use smart science to maintain high levels of nutrition,(the list of additives is twice that of actual food) or to appear that way. Great if some or many dogs do well on it, vet once said eating something is better for the dog than eating nothing.

Chicken by-product meal is what is left of a whole chicken after the muscle (meat) is removed, then the carcass is ground to a powder. It is common in many pet foods, cheaper to use than actual meat.

The science and vet involvement is necessary to make it legal, meeting the FDA mins and Max’s required for pet food, could be better than most foods available. Didn’t care to investigate further. Label says ‘natural flavors’, science can make anything taste good.

I recently purchased a product that I could put on cardboard to feed my dogs and it would pass or even surpass FDA requirements for dog food.

Just thought it interesting as I like to know what is in the food I feed my pups and what it’s purpose is. Seems to me they are out to make money, not that anything in their food is actually harmful.

Subject: RC Adult Yorkie food ingredients (Irrelevant as the OP asked about feeding a puppy)

Googled corn gluten meal:
What is the difference between cornmeal and corn gluten meal?
Corn meal and corn gluten meal (CGM) originate from whole kernels of corn, but they're used for very different purposes. The corn meal you use as a coating for food is ground up corn, while corn gluten meal is a byproduct of this process. ... Look for horticultural cornmeal from Home Depot, for instance.Nov 6, 2019


Feeding corn gluten meal can cause your dog or cat to develop severe allergies to corn over an extended amount of time. ... It is much lower in some of the ten essential amino acids dogs need to sustain life than is meat or egg-based protein. Corn gluten meal can raise the protein reported on a food label.

From The Dog food Advisor:

The Two Most Common Problems
with Gluten Ingredients

In any case, here are the two most important things to know about gluten ingredients…

1. Glutens are less nutritionally complete than meat based proteins. They’re low in some of the ten essential amino acids dogs need to sustain life

2. Glutens can raise the protein reported on a food label. So, manufacturers frequently add them to a recipe to make a product look better than it really is

The Bottom Line

Whenever you discover gluten on a dog food ingredients list, you should always question the true meat content of the product.

I used to believe the same as you so I understand where you are coming from. But first of all, dogfoodadvisor is NOT a reputable source. They judge solely on ingredients. Some foods that they list as "5 star" have been recalled for vitamin D toxicity among other recalls yet he still calls them 5 star. He also has no medical license related to animals whatsoever. He is a human dentist which is fine and dandy but he has no more knowledge on pet food than any other layman. Not to mention, he is 100% financially motivated.

Glutens don't raise the protein in food anymore than the legumes, beans, peas used in supposed "higher quality" brands. All kibble has to have a starch of some sort to bind the kibble together. To me I am not sure how pea protein is any better than corn gluten.

When corn has been milled properly, it is an excellent source of nutrients that are easily digested and absorbed by dogs. For dogs that maybe have stomach issues Corn is also rich in the amino acids that support skin and bladder health, as well as antioxidants that support general health. It is also a great source of vitamins A, E and the B-Group, as well as zinc and manganese – all of which are essential for healthy skin.

Dogs are omnivores, not carnivores. While meat IS important, they can thrive on plant proteins as well. It wouldn't be MY first choice however some dogs have no choice. I know a few dogs who literally cannot eat meat proteins (a lot of dogs with IBD have to be on hydrolyzed foods that derive their protein from soy or other sources).

As for by products, many by products are essentially what raw feeders give their dogs (hearts, livers, lungs, etc). RC specifically tells you where their by-products are derived from, unlike some brands.

They may sound slightly unappetizing but when they are properly processed, they are a great source of protein that help provide a taste that cats and dogs love. We dehydrate the meat to remove excess fat and water, leaving a concentrated source of protein that also includes many of the vitamins and minerals that are essential to the health of your pet. By using high-quality meat by-products such as hearts, livers and lungs (listed as animal derivatives on our packaging) we not only give your pet an excellent source of nutrition, we also reduce our impact on the environment.

At ROYAL CANIN®, we say ‘Yes!’ to using corn, grains, wheat gluten and dehydrated meat and by-products to make the best cat food and the best dog food. We do it because years of hard work from our research teams has found that these ingredients – when they are properly processed – are the best source of nutrition for your cat or dog. If you want to know more, check out the product pages of our website or ask your local vet you will find that every ROYAL CANIN® product has been specifically formulated from quality ingredients to give your pet the best nutritional outcomes.

The biggest thing to me (now) is the HOW the ingredients are processed, where they are sourced, what the quality control is at the dog plant, if there are veterinarians on staff, who is formulating the foods.

I'm not by any mean saying Royal Canin is the end all be all. There are PLENTY of options out there for every dog. I feed the dog that is front of me - not what I think looks best on paper. And every dog will thrive on something different.