Why to feed a dog with kibble? Dry dog food – is it good? How to choose a good dry dog food? Is it allowed to feed the dog with kibble every day? What is the best dry dog food? Let's answer all these questions step by step.
Today we're going to find out how dog kibble is produced, whether it's allowed to feed the dog with dry food constantly and how to choose the best dry dog food for your pet among the great variety available at the dog's market.
Healthy Dog Feeding Is a Pledge of a Sound Mind and a Sound Body
All we want to be healthy, that's why we don't eat harmful and junk food by our own will. It's very important for us to understand what members of our families and we eat.
It's well known that advertising is just an advertising. It contains no concrete information and is used only to motivate the person to buy something. The most important info is written in small print as a rule. Even if the text is readable, it's only a specialist who can understand its meaning.
How to Choose a Good Dry Dog Food?
Bright pictures of toothsome steaks, cereals and vegetables are shown in TV spots. They say this is the best dry dog food of premium class.
Dog kibble look equally good in the shop window at first sight. But it's only at first gaze!
When the dog is appeared at your home, it becomes the member of your family. That's why dry dog food for your pet should be chosen as consciously as for you. This article is useful for those, who want to choose really the best dog kibble.
A Good Dry Dog Food Is:
- meat (it's the word "meat" that should be written on the label and not "meat and flesh-by products"). There is also should be mentioned, what kind of meat is used to produce the kibble. F.e., chicken or cut-up chicken meat;
- small part of entrails;
- 50 % maximum (25-30% is better) of cereals and/or vegetables (carbos and fibers);
- large list of vitamins and minerals;
- natural additives (antioxidants), these are the agents, which preserve lipids in dry dog kibble. Lipids are no less important vitamins as E and C and herbal oils.
Dry Dog Food Shouldn't Contain:
- low-quality protein source (flesh-by products of minced beef skin);
- chemical additives (Ethoxyquin, E320, E321, Propylgallate);
- coloring agents;
- sugar, caramel;
- useless fillers like nutshell or cellulose. These fillers are used by producers to add weight and to save costs. These products make your dog's belly full up, but they are virtueless for its organism. They may cause problems with digestion easily.
Chemicals and low-quality by-products in kibble are the main reasons of dog diseases.
1. Chemicals
Artificial antioxidants E320 and E321 may lead to liver involvement, digenesis, metabolic stress and even cancer. Allergy and brain malfunction were disclosed during lab tests.
For example: artificial antioxidant Ethoxyquin, which is produced in the USA, was developed initially for rubber strength improvement. Now it's used to prevent brown spots on apples and pears. Ethoxyquin is on the third place according to toxicity scale (from 1 to 6, 6 is the most toxic). It causes slow depressions, skin neurosis, liver damage, sometimes even death. In Europe Ethoxyquin is forbidden to use in human's food because this agent is toxic (poisonous!) by inhalation, dermal contact and if swallowed. Ethoxyquin use for dog kibble production is allowed in small quantities. Ethoxyquin as lipid-soluble essence is settled down in liver and in fatty layer.
2. By-Products
Dog kibble production isn't regulated with Food Production Acts for humans. That's why the producer is under no obligation to indicate the full list of ingredients on the package. According to European Feed Stuff Act, carcasses of fur-bearing animals, hooves and horns, feathers and coat may be pointed on the label as flesh-by products. Waste products from butcheries, such as glandular secretions and hormones are used for low-quality kibble.
Blood, urine and bowels may also be called as flesh-by products.
Of course, not all by-products are bad, insides are also referred to flesh-by products and they are wholesome for dogs.
We would like to mention once again that premium-class dog kibble producer will specify all the list of ingredients and won't hide them under indefinite name: "meat or vegetable by-products". F.e., chicken, liver, inners, corn etc.
Try to find dry dog food without by-products. Some producers explain what by-products they use: heart, liver, kidneys.
One of premium dog kibble producers use purified chicken bowels and identify them as by-product according on his own showing. Bowels are used as protein source and not as meat in this case.
Urina is also used for dry dog food production. Why? Because salty kibble is better eaten by the dog and there is no need to add salt itself. The producer doesn't point out salt adding on the package and it influences positively on the buyer.
Pay your attention to the quantity of your dog's excretory products (watch when the dog does its deeds). Their quantity shouldn't exceed 25% of the amount the dog had been eaten. The more the volume of excretory products, the lower the quality of dog kibble is.
Draw your attention also to the dosage, which is recommended by the producer. The more the feed of daily amounts, the lower quality of the kibble is.
Definitions of some ingredients on dog kibble label:
- brown or unpolished rice - outer cover is removed only;
- Brewer's rice – wastes of beer and schnapps production;
- soya flour - soya oil by-product. High-protein. Some dogs may have allergy;
- associated cereals – valueless granola wastes;
- cellulose – valueless maldigested stomach filler. The dog is sated quickly having no nutritive efficiency. Leads to problems with digestion. Nutshell and velour grasses are also called cellulose;
- nutshell - maldigested filler also;
- yeast – highly-nutritious supplement, valuable source of B vitamins;
- dried algae – natural source of various minerals and vital nutrients.
Why preserving agents and antioxidants are added to dog kibble? They prevent oil rancidity. E320, E321, Propylgallat and Ethoxyquin are harmful agents. They are lipid-soluble and hurtful to the dog's health in good supply.
There is such a problem with preserving agents: not every consumer knows the difference between antioxidants and EWG supplements and producers trade on clients' ignorance.
EWG supplements are bad. They are poisonous according to the standards of many countries. That's why watch carefully the ingredients of dry dog food, it shouldn't contain E320, E321, Propylgallat and Ethoxyquin.
IMPORTANT! Sometimes it's written in large print: without artificial additives. You continue reading and see EWG supplements that means the same - poisonous!
It's good when the producer uses vitamin E as antioxidant. This product will be of higher price, but it will be safe for the dog's health. Vitamin E usage is a positive fact and many producers use it as an advert for their products.
That's why, read attentively what is written on the label of the kibble before buy it!
Interactive dog treat dispensing toys, click on the pictures!
Read also how to feed puppy with dry dog food.