Have you ever thought about how manufacturers make their dog food? Many dog owners are seduced by pictures of choice cuts of meat and fresh grains that are plastered all over dog food labels and are seen in commercials for most brands. They think they are giving their animals the finest quality meals that money can buy. But once you realize what dog food is made from you will start to seriously doubt the authenticity of the ratings that so-called "quality" dog food receives. And you will rethink buying it for your pet.
The grim reality is that the pet food industry is a poor extension of the human food and agriculture industries. Manufacturers and slaughterhouses can turn a tidy profit by making pet foods out of products that would otherwise be thrown away. This waste includes grains that are considered unfit for human consumption and slaughterhouse leftovers such as intestines, udders, heads, hooves, and possibly diseased and cancerous animal parts.
Dry dog food is made by a machine that blends the materials in accordance with a computer created recipe designed to provide the proper nutrition as laid down by AAFCO (the Association of American Feed Control Officials).
The mixture is heated and made into dough, and then cut into pieces. As the dough reaches normal air pressure, it expands and rises into its final shape. The food is then allowed to dry. Then it is sprayed with fat or other compounds to make it more appealing allowed to cool, and bagged.
Although the cooking process kills the bacteria in the ingredients, the food can still pick up potentially harmful microbes during the drying and coating process. It has been reported by some experts that getting dry dog food wet allows surface bacteria to multiply which can cause pet sickness and illnesses. They warn customers not to mix dry food with water, canned food, or other liquids.
The higher quality brands of dog food such as the super-premium, natural and organic varieties do not use byproducts. If you read their labels you'll notice that the first ingredients include meats such as turkey and lamb. But don't be fooled; primarily these are still leftover scraps. However, these meats are primarily still leftover scraps.
When it comes to poultry, bones are allowed. The "chicken" mentioned in some dog food labels is actually backs and frames, spine and ribs, minus their expensive and nutritious breast meat. Many of these meat products are not even fresh when the meals are created; they are rendered.
Rendering is a process that involves extracting oil from fat and blubber by melting it. In other words, the raw materials are dumped into large vats and boiled for several hours. The rendering separates the fat, removes water, and kills bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other organisms. But these high temperatures can also alter or destroy natural enzymes and proteins found in the raw ingredients.
Once the dog food industry is put into perspective, it is no wonder that dog lovers choose to give their pets the very best nutrition possible by creating healthy meals for them. Our dogs need proper nutrients in order to live long and healthy lives, and they are simply not receiving them from the dog food industry.
If you want your dog to live a life free of the common health problems associated with modern dogs being fed the wrong food every day, then providing a natural diet is the right choice for you and your dog.
