Dog food remains fundamentally unchanged for over a century. Its production continues to follow one philosophy: “To make the most amount of food in the cheapest possible way.”
While it makes record-breaking profits for manufacturers, it remains to be one of the most harmful consumables that your dog has. From the ingredients to the formulation and balancing method to the processing, packaging and feeding method, it’s all one big mess.
Ingredient transparency has always been one of the most significant issues with dry dog food. Unknown ingredients, low quality proteins and rejects from agricultural and slaughterhouses make their way to dry dog food and are used to stretch profit margins.
With almost no regulation, most pet food manufacturers use ambiguous means to lower costs. They use ingredients like wheat mill run, peanut hull, corn cob, fermentation waste, slaughterhouse waste and by-products from meat, poultry and fish.
Ingredient transparency has always been one of the most significant issues with dry dog food. Unknown ingredients, low quality proteins and rejects from agricultural and slaughterhouses make their way to dry dog food and are used to stretch profit margins.
With almost no regulation, most pet food manufacturers use ambiguous means to lower costs. They use ingredients like wheat mill run, peanut hull, corn cob, fermentation waste, slaughterhouse waste and by-products from meat, poultry and fish.
The quality of the ingredients in pet food is often so low that they need to be processed at high heat to kill bacteria and make it safe. As a result, many nutrients are lost and need to be re-added later in synthetic form to comply with regulatory standards.
Dry dog food productions commonly use artificial flavors, food dyes and other chemicals. They use fat preservatives such as BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin to extend the shelf life of dog food. Many of these chemicals are carcinogenic and banned from human food.
The quality of the ingredients in pet food is often so low that they need to be processed at high heat to kill bacteria and make it safe. As a result, many nutrients are lost and need to be re-added later in synthetic form to comply with regulatory standards.
Artificial flavors, food dyes and other chemicals are commonly used in dry dog food production. Fat preservatives such as BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin are used to extend the shelf life of dog food. Many of these chemicals are carcinogenic and banned from human food.
Just like you, your dog has unique needs, but unlike you, they lack self-management in eating. So it's important for their food to be balanced, nutritionally complete and accurately portioned.
Unfortunately the current practice of dog food formulation, balancing and feeding is not accurate. An improperly balanced diet or incorrect portioning leads to serious issues such as obesity, kidney disease, liver disease, pancreatitis and even cancer.
Dog food manufacturers often use a single formulation for each life stage which means they don't take the specific needs of your dog into consideration. Specific factors such as reproduction status, body weight, size, physical activity level and age that are unique from one dog to another, affect their required nutrition.
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The current practice of food formulation and feeding is like driving a winding mountainous road...in the dark...without any lights. You might make it to the end of the road but the chances of you falling off a cliff is much higher. To understand this better let's take a deep dive into feeding suggestions by a well-known kibble brand for Buster and Millie.
As you see, Buster is being overfed. At first glance 86 calories per day may not look significant but in long term it can and will be harmful. It’s also worth noting that it’s not just calories that's the problem. The concentration of protein, fat and other micro and macro nutrients are also not balanced.
Overfeeding is the leading cause of obesity in dogs. Overfeeding can lead to serious issues, as overweight dogs are more likely to develop diabetes, arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Plus, being overweight makes it difficult for dogs to move well, which means they’ll exercise less and when they do move, they’re more prone to injuries.
Overfeeding is not just about obesity though. It can cause other serious problems including bowel issues, liver and kidney issues, skin problems, joint problems and lethargy and tiredness.
On the other side, Millie is being underfed. It goes without saying that underfeeding leads to many complications. This often happens because the feeding instructions on dog food packages are vague and are designed for a broad average that may not suit every dog.
Not giving your dog enough food can cause digestive issues, reduced energy levels, problems with their skin and coat, and most critically, weaken their immune system.
The only way to ensure that your dog is getting adequate nutrition throughout their life is through proper personalization. By feeding a tailor-made food you make sure that your dog is receiving all the required nutrients.
Nutrients such as energy (carbohydrates and oils), vitamins (A, D, E and Bs), macro minerals (such as calcium and phosphorus ) and micro minerals (including iron, selenium, and copper, among others), essential fatty acids (from animal fats and plant oils), proteins and amino acids (from human-grade animal-derived proteins and amino acids).
These nutrients must be provided in the correct quantities that aren‘t too high or too low for your dog‘s needs.
