The Low-Down on Chowing-Down
The Debate of what to feed your dog---
The mere mention of the topic of what is best to feed a dog makes me sigh.
While attending school to become a dog trainer, we spent time going over the basic nutritional needs of dogs based on the breed (large vs small); puppy vs adolescence vs adult vs senior; activity level of the dog etc.
We learned how to “read” the nutritional label and then what to look for and what to watch out for. We learned that premium dog food brands often required less food to obtain the same nutritional requirements of a run-of-the-mill dog food brand-which in turn proved that while you spend more, you saved more and when you saved more, you could buy more----or was that from the t.v. series Chuck?? It all becomes a blur---
In the end, I felt overwhelmed and confused as there were so many conflicting arguments about what to and what not to feed your dog. Kibble vs raw vs cooked homemade.
Geeze louise—I work 55+ hours a week and while I would l-o-v-e to spend more time cooking for myself & my husband, I have become more of a quick-order cook…so if I can’t find the time to cook full-on homemade meals for myself or husband, where would I find time to cook for five dogs---all of whom are on different foods based on their age, their allergies, and their breed needs?
DRY food: There are some that are breed specific; some that are just for puppies or seniors; or those that are “all life stages” which was always a head-scratcher for me. If puppies require a higher protein and fat vs an adult dog vs a senior dog then how can it be “all stages?” I am a retired accountant---are we talking averages here?
There are fillers and good proteins vs proteins that are less protein-y than others. Good fat & bad fat. Yes to grain or no to grains?
There are those who maintain that as omnivores, dogs don’t need meat—so feed them plant-based proteins. I come from the Midwest where meat & potatoes reigned for decades—so I’ll stick with eating my meat proteins (sensibly)—along with my vegetables and grains. The same thing I feed my dogs—just in the form of kibble and in a bowl instead of dinner plate.
There are studies that talk about “coefficient of fermentation” where they compare the gastrointestinal systems of different animals. Seems Herbivores have the ability to extract a higher percentage of nutrition from plant matter due to their ability to ferment it. Those animals that have a low coefficient of fermentation, like omnivores & carnivores, don’t fair so well in that department—so is a plant-based protein the way to go? I dunno—again: I come from the land of meat & potatoes.
So, I will leave it up to you to navigate the complex, ever-changing landscape and conversation of what is best to feed your beloved dog.
I will stick with the dry kibble with additions of carrots, beans, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, rice and whatever else is left on my plate that a dog can have and do my best to sleep well at night despite the fact that I can’t wrap my head around all the do’s & don’ts of what to feed your dog!