Science Diet's "The Truth About Pet Food" LOL

[JESSY_RN2B]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Well, I decided to see what Dr. R has to say about dogs and what they eat in the wild.
Very interesting indeed!

https://www.petdiets.com/faqs/display_faq.asp?ID=4

A quote from that site:

Canine predators consume the intestinal tract of large herbivores, which contains plant material. Both coyotes and wolves have been observed eating plants; fruits, berries, persimmons, mushrooms, and melons in the wild. Similarly, our dogs have anatomical and physiological characteristics that permit the digestion and utilization of a widely varied diet from both plant and animal sources.

Thank you for sharing! I had read about this and still, they tend to consume high protein in the wild along with the GI tract contents.

I am not trying to disagree with you just that there is not one absolute answer. Every individual has different ideas, beliefs and conclusions therefore should feed what they please. Whether feeding corn as a first ingridient or high protein meat.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Britster

Living to be old doesn't always mean they are healthy though.... just saying, playing devils advocate here a little bit. Because I don't totally disagree with you, but..

My grandma's Lab is 9 now. Sure she is seemingly healthy to a normal person who is not a dog freak (LOL)... but I see an overweight dog, who could not even go on a quick 15 minute walk with me without nearly passing out.... her hair is dull and dry, and sheds like crazy (alot more so than a Lab I know that is fed Blue Buffalo), her eyes have hardly any hair around them anymore, hard to explain, but they are dark circles sort of. She poops a TON, she constantly has ear infections, and she has a nasty doggy smell even when you bathe her. These are differences to me, that I notice, and I believe she is fed Kibbles n Bits.

Well, as I said, it is not what I would feed mine. Just saying.

As for comparing your grandma's dog to another and using food as the guideline; I really don't know that that would be an accurate comparison. There are far too many other variables. If research were only that easy!

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by JESSY_RN2B

Thank you for sharing! I had read about this and still, they tend to consume high protein in the wild along with the GI tract contents.

I am not trying to disagree with you just that there is not one absolute answer. Every individual has different ideas, beliefs and conclusions therefore should feed what they please. Whether feeding corn as a first ingridient or high protein meat.

Oh, I am not disagreeing with anyone here. I am far from an expert in nutrition.......FAR..hahhaa!

[Ellie May]

I say to each their own.

I have reasons for what I believe is right (based on what I see, what my dog's vet sees, and most of all what her nutritionist sees). She is much more qualified to decide what the proper diet is for a canine than me anyway.

When all things are equal as far as balancing the diet goes (and all things are equal with AAFCO approved kibble and canned along with properly balanced hoemecooked and raw until science shows otherwise), then it comes down to food safety and variance among individual dogs.

And honestly, I'm not going to go out and get a bag of Ol' Roy or whatever, but are dogs fed that any less healthy than those fed holistic foods? Maybe or maybe not. Impossible to prove.

I'm not against homecooked or holistic kibble persay, but I just don't believe it's all as good as what it looks.

A lot of E's vet staff feeds Purina. It works well for them. Her vet and I stand there and roll our eyes at them because we opt for something with a little less crap when possible. But hey, one of them shys away from the great Blue Buffalo because patients who eat it tend to be gassy.

I know somebody (from YT) who fed Nature's Logic. Supposed to be great stuff. Dogs did terrible on it.

There have been potential problems with both unbalanced homecooked and prey model raw here. Can't prove it and can't talk about it here. Very serious issues though.

Point is, it's not all as good as it looks and you have to be very careful. And just because a group of people online say something is true, that doesn't make it true.

[Britster]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Well, as I said, it is not what I would feed mine. Just saying.

As for comparing your grandma's dog to another and using food as the guideline; I really don't know that that would be an accurate comparison. There are far too many other variables. If research were only that easy!

Very true... there are definitely a lot of variables. But I do think food has a lot to do with little things like that.

I will notice little things with Jackson that I am sure are related to food (and he's been on "high quality" food his whole life, but not ALL of them work for HIM). For example Wellness and Fromm caused him major eye goop... the moment I took him off those foods, and switched to another, within a few days the eye goop completely stopped. So I do think certain ingredients, etc, just don't work for some dogs.

I am sure a lot of dogs process grains perfectly fine... in fact I know they do. I don't honestly think Jackson would have an issue with a grain inclusive food, and I also don't think that EVERY dog should be on grainfree. Grain-free has turned into a gimmick as well. I'll see a bag that says "grainfree" on the front and you look at the ingredients and it's basically a sack of potatoes... I don't think potatoes (a food full of them) is any better than feeding a food with oatmeal, barley and rice.

[107barney]

I don't even feed S/D or kibbles n bits or any dog food for that matter but I am just honestly amazed at all the posts about "I'd never feed_____"

Some people feed the best foods they can, and they select the options that fit their budget. I'd rather see someone feed science diet and spend their extra money on preventative veterinary care rather than sit home feeding a superpremium dog food and then looking for guidance on YT because they have no money to go to a vet.

Until you have a bunch of degrees and clinical experience behind your name, it's your speculative opinion and that is all it is. Someone may rely on this information, and that is sad.

My last word is this: Please talk to your vet about diet. Choose the food you feel is best. If you want to home cook, seek out a board certified veterinary nutritionist to help you. And finally, don't be so brazen to say "I'll never...." because until you walk a mile or have a sick dog that needs a solution you yourself my not approve of, you are not truly informed of the difficult challenges some people face and the limited options they may have.

[Woogie Man]

I've noticed from time to time where people will post about their dog not eating a 'quality' dog food, but then chows down on a cheap food at a friend's house or some place. I think it's because most cheap brands use rendered fat to make the food more palatable. 'Good' foods tend to not do that. Sometimes I wonder why someone doesn't make a 'good' food and add the rendered fat for taste.

Silly idea, I know...but hey, it's a thought. Might be a good business model!

[Woogie Man]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

I know somebody (from YT) who fed Nature's Logic. Supposed to be great stuff. Dogs did terrible on it.

That might have been me. I fed it to all mine and they did wonderfully with it. I still think it's a great food but, it just goes to show you....not every dog will do well (or badly) on any given food.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Woogie Man

I've noticed from time to time where people will post about their dog not eating a 'quality' dog food, but then chows down on a cheap food at a friend's house or some place. I think it's because most cheap brands use rendered fat to make the food more palatable. 'Good' foods tend to not do that. Sometimes I wonder why someone doesn't make a 'good' food and add the rendered fat for taste.

Silly idea, I know...but hey, it's a thought. Might be a good business model!

My pups wolf down kibble like it is the best stuff made. They don't know what table scraps are and won't...and any place they visit knows not to feed them anything.

I honestly believe that most people who say their pups won't eat this or that never really gave the food a chance.

[107barney]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

My pups wolf down kibble like it is the best stuff made. They don't know what table scraps are and won't...and any place they visit knows not to feed them anything.

I honestly believe that most people who say their pups won't eat this or that never really gave the food a chance.

Can Daisy come live with you for a few weeks with her bag of L/D? ROFL

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by 107barney

Can Daisy come live with you for a few weeks with her bag of L/D? ROFL

Oh, I know that Daisy has you wrapped! Send her down and I will show you!

I have heard her beg for what she wants and daddy and mommy comply.

[Rhetts_mama]

My 2 cents: Knowledge about nutrition changes almost daily, both for humans and dogs. I'm not a big fan of the grain free, high protein diets based soley on the fact that dogs are carnivores. Wild dogs may be primarily carnivores, but their nutritional requirements are vastly different than our pampered pooches. Wild dogs have longer periods of going between feedings, they get more exercise. The body metabolizes proteins, fats and carbs differently in those kinds of cases. You just can't compare that to a dog who is fed at regular intervals and spends most of their day on the couch.

We know from human studies that excluding any group of food has long term negative effects on the body. Nutritional deficiencies build up over time. Supplements aren't as effective as the real thing. Unless their is a medical reason to exclude something (such as all grain-free due to allergies), it doesn't make sense to make a blanket statement such as "corn is bad".

Bottom line, you feed the best food your dog will eat and can tolerate.

[107barney]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Oh, I know that Daisy has you wrapped! Send her down and I will show you!

I have heard her beg for what she wants and daddy and mommy comply.

She is not begging. She is articulating her needs. There is a difference you know

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by 107barney

She is not begging. She is articulating her needs. There is a difference you know

Yes, in your mind. I think she is articulating her wants! The question is: how does she know about these "wants" ? rofl

[Ellie May]

Mine knows what kibble is and knows what homecooked is. Of course she prefers one over the other, but the chick loves food, so she'll eat just about anything.

E's vet says Yorkies are the breed she sees most (by far) for picky eating. And she thinks owners give in way too easily. lol. They're so afraid of hypoglycemia that it gets what it wants.