Science diet dog food Adult Large Breed, Chicken & Barley 2022

Science diet dog food Adult Large Breed, Chicken & Barley 2022

Following my article about the influence of diet on certain cancers, both through your comments on my blog and the messages I received in private, many of you asked me: so, what diet for our dogs? So I decided to publish an article on food for our dogs.

What I tell you through this article is in no way the truth! Moreover, I am very wary of “scientific truths” which are true, in the best of cases, only when they are said and sometimes totally contradicted sometime later!

I will explain to you what I believe today, taking into account my training, my many readings and research, and the experience I have with my dogs or those of the people I meet in the context of my profession.

I hope that my experience will be useful to you and allow you to best respect your dog’s dietary needs and thus ensure him the longest possible life in good health.

I also refer you to the many sites that talk about this subject; there are more and more. Afterward, it’s up to everyone to sort it out, but I think it’s worth reading the analyzes and experiences that are described. We are not obliged to adhere to it, but it has the merit of making us think.

Science diet dog food Adult Large Breed, Chicken & Barley 2022

I didn’t worry about my dogs’ diet, any more than my own, before the 2000s. I became aware of the importance of food and that manufacturers have completely denatured everything that passes through their hands to derive maximum benefit from it to the detriment of our health, which is the least of their concerns.

The market for pet food has become colossal; look at the place that pet food represents on supermarket shelves to realize it. PetSmart stores are springing up everywhere; marketing has made a big splash in dog food, making us believe that a German shepherd does not eat like a boxer. We see the appearance of specialized food by breed, size, age, and pathology, not to mention the number of brands and all the marketing arguments that show that the human imagination is fertile when it comes to “making Money”! And everyone wants their piece of the pie.

From there, the recipe is simple: sell the most expensive foods that cost the least possible.

Meat costs more than cereals, that’s how our brave doggie went from carnivore to omnivore, and you’ll see, marketers will soon describe him as a vegetarian

So ? what food for our dogs?

 From there: 3 solutions seem to be respectful of the needs of the animal

      1) Keep a diet in the form of kibble

It has many benefits for us human beings.

• The short side first: when many people no longer have time to cook for themselves, it would be illusory to think that they will spend a certain time preparing food for themselves. dog
• The practical side then: ease of storage, conservation, use (especially when moving), no loss,
• Finally, the cost side: it is still cheaper than an equivalent fresh food, even of good quality. In addition, the kibbles normally contain all the nutritional ingredients that the dog needs (well, that’s what we are told)

The main drawback for me is that I have relative confidence in the compositions of the croquettes insofar as no manufacturer seems to communicate all the information on the manufacture of the croquettes. They hide behind their “trade secret” when you write for details. Personally, without transparency, I cannot trust. We already see the scandals in human food where the mentioned compositions are not respected; what to think of animal food for which the controls do not have to be frequent! As for more, we are not communicating everything.

        2) Switch to a “homemade” diet

It has advantages, especially for the dog but for us too.

• The pleasure side: there is no comparison on this side between the pleasure that all my dogs have in front of a bowl of fresh food compared to a bowl of kibble
• The natural side: we respect their nature
• The side “I control what’s inside”: at least we know what we put in and how it was made.

The disadvantages now, because there are also

• I have already said it: preparation takes time and requires greater financial resources if you want to provide quality food.
• And then, it is necessary to know a minimum to cover all the dog’s nutritional needs without deficiency, but it is learned quickly as long as one is interested in it.
• When traveling, it’s more complicated than a kibble-based diet.
• Some dogs, so used to kibble, can’t stand it. 

           3) Give them a mixed diet

It is the solution that I adopted.

I keep the croquettes by choosing the best, that is, cereal-free croquettes. I choose a supplier I trust and who manufactures on a small scale. Grain-free croquettes have become fashionable because many owners are beginning to ask questions about this subject. But, as always, faced with market demand, the big groups are starting to offer cereal-free kibble. If other unsuitable ingredients replace the cereals, the result will not be so much better simply because they are not expensive. It is how many grain-free kibbles include very large quantities of potatoes…

I can’t imagine my dog ​​feasting in a field of potatoes any more than in a field of wheat or corn!

In my classes on dog food, which are certainly not new, I don’t think the dog’s needs have changed; we were told to avoid potatoes. But today, they form the basis of certain cereal-free croquettes.

And then, there are many parameters to take into consideration and for which you have to be a specialist to find your way around:

Science diet dog food Adult Large Breed, Chicken & Barley 2022

• Ingredients
• Proportions
• The rate of proteins and fats (but all are not equal, and it is complicated because if we know most often the quantity, we lack information as to the quality)
• The ash rate
• Nutrients
• The manufacturing process (the temperature and the heating time cause most of the important nutrients to be destroyed by cooking)

And all the rest of this makes it very difficult to know if what we are giving our dog is good for him.

The ideal solution, I do not know. Otherwise, I would gladly share it with you.

My solution today is to give kibble on certain days when I don’t have much time (and for budget reasons). I chose them as best I could be based on my research and the elements I could obtain.

There are still several objective criteria that can alert you to how your dog tolerates them:

• If the stools are loose, odorous, or bulky
• If your dog has flatulence
• If his hair isn’t shiny and profuse
• If he scratches

All this is not normal: CHANGE IT WITHOUT WAITING!!!

Whenever I can, I give kibble in the morning, and in the evening, when I have time, I give fresh food.

The main thing is not to mix the two during the same meal because the digestion times are not the same.

Advantages :

• if 1 of the two meals is not perfectly balanced, I think the ingredients of the other meal compensate for it
• I keep a pleasure side, and I control what I give
• it does not give me too big a budget increase and is not too restrictive
• my dogs are used to eating equally well when needed

For those interested in preparing meals for their dogs, I am sharing some basic elements with you through a document that I had prepared to give to adopters in shelters. This information comes from my courses which were provided at the time by the Veterinarian François DRALEZ, now deceased, who was a somewhat special veterinarian, osteopath before fashion, acupuncturist, phytotherapist, passionate about this field of nutrition, both human and canine, and which taught me much of my current knowledge. I pay homage to him here.

You also have a lot of information in the book that I have already quoted in my previous article: “why do our dogs have so many cancers? »

Document extracted from Doctor DRALEZ’s course

(but which is already old, and I am thinking of adapting according to developments: you will see that he does not say the same as Doctor Ziegler on certain points, but I think that things have evolved a lot in the wrong direction in recent years!)

The price of a bag of food does not mean much: the daily quantities to be given vary from one brand to another and depend on the animal’s physical activity. Quality still has a price. The most expensive is not always the best. The cheapest is always suspect.

There are good industrial foods on the market today. It is possible to save yourself the daily chore of cooking for your dog for a reasonable price without inducing more or less serious pathologies.

Science diet dog food Adult Large Breed, Chicken & Barley 2022

If you prefer a household diet, you will have to follow certain rules to cover all your dog’s needs. The simplest formula, but to be adapted according to age, is as follows:

1/3 protein: raw red meat, cooked white meat, fish, or raw egg yolk. Do not often give cooked cheeses (Gruyère), especially not fermented cheeses (Camembert, Brie, etc.), which often induce fermentation and allergies.

1/3 of cereals: well-cooked rice, washed before cooking, and drained afterward to eliminate gluten. Other cereals (pasta, bread, etc.) are too rich in gluten and should be avoided. Dogs lack enzymes to properly digest gluten, which often leads to digestive allergies and intolerance,

1/3 of vegetables: cooked or raw: carrots, green beans, zucchini, leeks. Always use them in combination with 2 or 3. No preserves. Avoid what ferments: beans, lentils, cabbage

Two additional contributions are essential in this type of diet to balance the ratio:

• Brewer’s yeast (or wheat germ): tablets can be used as a reward, replacing treats. 2 tablets can be given per 5 kg per day.
• An oil in first cold pressing: sunflower, corn, or rapeseed, possibly alternating. One tablespoon per day for a dog weighing 20 to 30 kg.

QUALITY and REGULARITY of food are synonymous with good health

AVOID GIVING;

• Any industrial food: do not follow the advertising, nor the pleasure that your animal seems to experience, nor the price, which is not always linked to the quality of the product but the cost of the advertising. The composition of food means nothing. When a manufacturer claims to put “digestible” protein, is it sirloin or powdered duck feathers? No one specifies
• Boxes and other pâtés for dogs, rich in salt or flavor enhancers, These foods, which are always sterilized, are harmful: fermentations, allergies, indigestion, and eczema.
• FRUITS: give in moderation because they favor acid fermentations. Give them only 10 hours after a meal, or at the latest 1 hour before the meal. An adult dog takes 10 to 12 hours to digest his meal; nothing should be added in this interval except water.

Science diet dog food Adult Large Breed, Chicken & Barley 2022

• Starches: such as bread, pasta, etc., should be avoided for the fermentations they generate.
• SALT, charcuterie, ham: carnivores do not evacuate the excess mineral salts they contain, their only way of perspiration being the pads and the respiratory tract.
• Raw egg white: when giving eggs give soft-boiled eggs.
• MILK and MILK BY-PRODUCTS: frequent source of diarrhea, inflammatory pathologies, intestinal flora disorders. They carry residues of pesticides and antibiotics. Yogurts should be used infrequently.
• OFFAL: organs of elimination concentrate all the body’s waste and toxins, plus residues of pesticides and antibiotics.
• Leftovers from the table: to be chosen and not to be mixed with an industrial meal; they are not garbage cans.
• SUGARS, DRIED CAKES, COOKIES… source of acid fermentation with severe visceral pain (colic), hepatic and pancreatic disorders, eczema, obesity, and various allergies
• Bones: risk of constipation, even occlusion, perforation. Avoid rabbit, pork, mutton, and poultry bones, which break into very dangerous splinters. Prefer softer veal bones (the ideal is the palette).

• Chewing bones or Chewing Lamellae are interesting for their mechanical role but are sometimes coated with a thin layer of skimmed milk which brings allergies and fermentations.
• SAUCES, cooked fats, and grilled meats because they are carcinogenic. Sauces are culture broths that cause severe diarrhea.

IMPORTANT NOTES

You shouldn’t change every Médor menu “to please him”; you have a good chance of putting him in diarrhea or inducing other problems. The only tolerated and interesting variations are to be able to go from a traditional meal: (meat + rice + vegetables + supplements indicated above) to a single and unique good industrial food for all the conveniences that this represents. It is better never to mix the two during the same meal.

If an animal vomits or has diarrhea following an excess or a sudden change in food, leaving it on a diet for at least 24 hours is imperative.

In case of abnormal depression or persistence of disorders, it may be a serious pathology, more serious than simple indigestion! Consult your veterinarian.

For those who wish to understand the information on the kibble bags:

The term by-products refer to the residues of products intended for human consumption. For cereals: envelopes, broken grains, damaged, moldy, chemically polluted grains (pesticide, herbicide, fertilizer); and for animal materials: beaks, feathers, horns, hooves, fur, fins

The term ash designates the mineral residue of the product (what remains after combustion). A rate around 7% remains normal and acceptable. Above 8%, it is advisable to be very careful: an excess of certain minerals can be harmful to health.

Be careful when cooking:

The very first objective of cooking food is to guarantee the health and safety of the raw materials used: in fact, cooking destroys harmful micro-organisms (viruses, parasites, bacteria, yeasts) which could be found in the ingredients. During the industrial cooking-extrusion operation, the ingredients are put under pressure; they are blown with air, then the products are heated to very high temperatures (frequently up to more than 400°).

This temperature generates a product pyrolysis phenomenon. It has been scientifically established that attacking the amino acid structure of foods brings up highly carcinogenic substances known as heterocyclic amines.

To finish :

We could talk about this subject for hours as many things to say. And I’m far from having all the knowledge to do so

Today, we must be very wary of anything that comes from manufacturers whose interests are the opposite of ours!

What if we alternate raw food (mainly meat and vegetables) and kibble? It can only be good for our dog.

 That you should not, in any case, radically change your diet without transition

I’ve read on forums that some dogs can’t stand fresh food: personally, all my dogs can stand it without any problem. Afterward, you have to find out about the very different quantities. I had a weight gain, especially on Flavie, but I must admit that I hadn’t weighed everything.

Manufacturers play a lot on our fears and manipulate us!

When I was a small and young adult, all our dogs came very old; we knew nothing about their nutritional balance; they ate, I think, often table scraps; they were not vaccinated, I think, nor wormed or treated against fleas. It is all relatively recent. They never saw the veterinarians, who were rare, you had to travel 30 km to get one, and it was very far for the time. Admittedly, we did not live in the same world, but I think there are when even a lot of abuse!

Afterward, it’s up to everyone to make allowances, document themselves, take their responsibilities, measure benefit/risk, and opt for the solution that suits them best. However, still, it is necessary to have the right information!

That’s what I tried to share with you here for the info I have

If you have reliable information that can contribute to the debate or experience in this field, do not hesitate to share it in the comments. 

Have you ever seen a wolf eat a carrot? Yes, I grant you that the image makes you laugh and seems straight out of a children’s story. However, the legend that which our dogs need vegetables persists, despite the alarming discourse of many animal health specialists. Discover a study that will surprise you and make you change your vision of dog food in this article.

Dog food and vegetables: a tenacious myth!

Dogs need vegetables

You have probably heard that vegetables have many health benefits for dogs. Supply of vitamins, fiber, and minerals, control of the animal’s weight, source of protein which satiates them The “specialists” never stop extolling the virtues of vegetables, even fruits, with great fanfare “scientists.”

Their speech is oriented around a central idea: wild dogs, wolves, and even lions would feed in nature on vegetables. You also find it hard to imagine a wolf obediently digging up a potato or a carrot? The same “specialists” to whom you will make this objection will retort that wild dogs consume vegetables by eating the stomach contents of their herbivorous prey…

But here comes the moment when a second objection arises: don’t herbivores mainly eat grass and not fruits or vegetables? At this stage of the discussion, your “specialist” will probably run out of arguments to convince you of the benefits of these foods in dog food. And for a good reason!

A study to shed light on this myth

Lucian David Mech, wolf and wild dog specialist and zoologist, has published many books during his career that shed light on the natural eating behaviors of our dear canine friends. His theories, based on 350 years of research and observation of wolves in their natural environment, give a completely different view of dog food.

Here is what he explains, in his book Wolf, about the behavior of wolves when faced with the stomachs of their herbivorous prey:

Science diet dog food Adult Large Breed, Chicken & Barley 2022

“Usually, wolves eat the larger organs like lungs, heart, and liver. The large rumen (one of the main stomachs of large ruminants) is frequently perforated when the wolf extracts it from the carcass, and its contents spill out. The plants present in the intestinal tract are of no interest to wolves, but the intestinal wall and the stomach itself are consumed, while their contents will then remain alongside the remains of the prey. » (Chap.4 – p.123)

And Lucyan D. Mech emphasizes that these plants are not even of interest to wolves who have nutritional deficiencies! He even specifies:

“To grow and stay alive, wolves need to ingest most of their herbivorous prey, except plants found in the digestive system . » (Chap.4 – p.12)

The observation of this specialist is clear: wild dogs, like our four-legged life companions, absolutely do not need these vegetables to survive. And we can even go further: fruits and vegetables can be more or less dangerous for the health of our dogs.

The real (harmful) effect of vegetables on dog transit

A marketing discourse, above all

Just as human diets are subject to fads, those of our four-legged friends are subject to reflection. What’s the point of including vegetables in the dog food they sell when their natural diet doesn’t include any?

Vegetables, like cereals, are extremely inexpensive and can be used to create dry kibble at a lower cost, thanks to the starch they contain. But you should know that these foods of plant origin, also having a large number of carbohydrates, unfortunately also cause many setbacks to the health of dogs: digestion problems, such as chronic diarrhea, problems of articular rheumatism, which would not have moreover not place with a simple small quantity of cereals, sufficient to form the dry kibble.

The key to getting out of this discourse, which is becoming part of our consumption habits with the backing of “expert” advertisements, is knowing the real effects of vegetables on your dog.

Giving vegetables to your dog: beware, danger!

On the one hand, it is important to note an important physical characteristic of dogs: they have an intestine three times shorter than humans. Consequently of this characteristic: they cannot directly digest these foods. However, when vegetables or fruits pass through your dog’s digestive system, they cause inflammatory and irritating effects. The result: an epidemic of loose stools, even total diarrhea, dogs that start to eat much more grass, to have bile regurgitation, and real discomfort for your companion.

Science diet dog food Adult Large Breed, Chicken & Barley 2022

One can assume that vegetables do not cause diarrhea because many masters often associate them with foods known for their constipating properties, such as rice or pasta. But beware of this too! If the rice effectively slows down the dog’s transit, it does not eliminate the inflammation of its intestinal and stomach flora induced by these vegetables.

As professional breeders, we are responsible for informing you that certain vegetables can be bad for your animal. It is the case, for example, with potatoes registered with the Animal Poison Control Centre, the ingestion of which can cause poisoning in dogs that can be very serious. Against all expectations, we find more and more potatoes in dog food today. So if your dog also starts to have diarrhea and sometimes even has black stools, it’s a safe bet that he is suffering from this intoxication which can be very dangerous

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Science diet dog food Adult Large Breed, Chicken & Barley 2022