But are bones good for dogs? What about chews like rawhide, which can serve as a substitute for bones for dogs whose owners are uneasy giving them bones? Do the health benefits outweigh the potential risks? This article will explore the benefits and risks associated with feeding your dog bones and other chew items that can serve as alternatives.

Bones

It’s important to note that experts do not agree on whether pet owners should feed bones to their dogs. Some cite the nutritional value as reason enough to include an occasional bone in their pet’s diet. Others argue that the risks outweigh the benefits and that the serious injuries possible from eating bones should be enough reason to avoid giving them to dogs.
In the end, each pet owner must decide whether or not to give bones to their dogs. A bit of research can help pet owners feel confident they are making the best decision for their pet.

Despite the claim that bones are a great source of nutrition, the truth is that bones contain no vitamins at all. In fact, the only useful elements found in bone are calcium and phosphorus. Both are important for a dog’s overall health but are easily found in other foods.

There is no research proving that bones are essential for a dog’s health. Any health benefits might come from the meat and tissue that are still present on the bone when the dog consumes it.

Although some may say bones are a good source of nutrition, the truth is that there is little nutritional value in bones. Some even claim that a dog cannot be at his healthiest without bones. However, veterinarians who have been practicing for years see many dogs that live to a ripe old age without ever having had a single bone.

Of course, dogs in the wild eat bones, and some cite that as proof they must be healthy or necessary. But even if dogs in the wild need bones (and there’s no solid evidence for this), does that mean bones are the healthiest choice for domesticated dogs, for whom other options are readily available? Sure, if you gave your dog a choice between a bone and a bowl of healthy kibble, there’s a good chance he’d choose the bone. But, then again, if you gave him a choice between kibble or something from the cat’s litter box, he’d probably go for the litter box snack. The point is that you can’t always trust your pet’s instincts to make the healthiest dietary choices.

Many experts agree that the potential problems associated with eating bones make them a poor choice as a treat for your dog.

Some dogs, although admittedly a minority, are allergic to the marrow in bones and may become violently ill within hours of eating it. But that’s not the greatest danger. As bones break, they splinter. Usually, these splinters pass through the stool. However, there’s a chance the splinter will become lodged in the intestines or remain in the stomach. Also, if a dog swallows a larger chunk of bone, it can get stuck in the stomach or liver.

The health problems that result from such incidents can be very serious and, at best, lead to a stay in the hospital with hefty vet bills. At worst, the dog could die from the injuries.

Additionally, a dog’s teeth can crack from chewing on hard bones, leading to the potential for serious infections.

One solution for those who are sold on the health benefits of bones is to use ground bones. In fact, some commercial dog foods include ground bone in their recipes. This way, your dog can get whatever nutritional value is present in bones without the associated risks.

Alternatives to Feeding Dog Bones

Much of the appeal of bones is that dogs enjoy chewing on them. If you’d like to replace that aspect of bones for your pooch, there are many options available.

Rawhide
Rawhide, made from cow skin, is probably the most common chew item for dogs, but it is not without its own risks. If a dog swallows a chunk of rawhide, it will likely digest over time and not require surgical intervention. However, it can still make your dog very uncomfortable. When the rawhide becomes small enough for the dog to swallow, it should be taken away.

Pig Ears
Pig ears are very high in fat, so they aren’t the best choice for a dog struggling with weight. Because of their high fat content, pig ears should only be given as an occasional treat.

Pizzle Sticks
Pizzle sticks are lower in fat than pig ears and make a better choice for overweight dogs.
There are other animal products, such as lamb lung and pig tails, available for your dog’s chewing pleasure. No matter what you give your dog for chewing, whether it’s a bone or an alternative, you should always supervise your dog while he enjoys his treat to ensure he doesn’t choke on a large piece.

Whether or not you choose to give your dog bones, remember to weigh the risks against the benefits when making your decision.

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Safe Human Foods for Dogs

Meats
Biologically, dogs are carnivores, so it’s fine to give your dog meat protein from good animal sources. That means you can give your dog some chicken, beef, lamb, pork, turkey, or meat from other kinds of animals. If you’re cooking these meats for yourself, it’s okay to set aside a portion for your dog. Most dogs prefer their meat plain, so leave off the seasoning and sauces. Your dog may turn up his nose if you cover a piece of steak in steak sauce, especially spicy sauces. If you have a small dog, it’s a good idea to cut the meat into small pieces first. Many dogs will wolf down meat when it’s offered (pun intended), so cutting it into smaller pieces reduces the chance that they’ll choke.

Vegetables
Wolves and dogs in the wild don’t necessarily eat a lot of vegetables, but many pet dogs like them, and most are perfectly safe to give to your dog. Wolves and feral dogs do consume vegetable matter when they eat the stomach and intestinal contents of their prey, so it does form part of their diet in the wild. Many dogs like broccoli, carrots, green beans, cauliflower, zucchini, squash, and other veggies. It’s fine to give small pieces of these vegetables as treats – they are crunchy, and lots of dogs like them raw. However, if you want your dog to get any nutrition from them, they need to be pureed or broken down. Putting them in a food processor for a minute and/or cooking them for a few minutes will allow your dog to get more nutrition. Just remember that dogs should not eat onions and should only have garlic in small amounts.

Eggs and Dairy
When it comes to what human foods dogs can have, eggs are great! Many dog foods include eggs in their ingredients. Dogs can easily digest eggs and get lots of protein from them. While egg whites contain enzyme inhibitors and a substance called avidin (a Biotin inhibitor), Biotin deficiencies are very rare. Your dog would have to eat a large amount of egg whites to have a Biotin deficiency. Additionally, egg yolks are rich in Biotin, so feeding the whole egg balances it out. As long as you cook the eggs, these inhibitors will be neutralized. It’s perfectly fine to give your dog some scrambled eggs or eggs cooked in other ways a couple of times per week.

You can also give your dog other dairy products. Some dogs are lactose intolerant, so it’s usually not a good idea to give your dog milk, but there are still plenty of other dairy products that are safe. For example, you can add a little yogurt to your dog’s diet. A cup of low-fat yogurt has half the lactose of a cup of whole milk, and most dogs have no issues with yogurt. It’s also a good probiotic that aids digestion. A half-cup of cottage cheese has even less lactose. You can also give your dog American cheese, Swiss cheese, or Cheddar cheese as they contain very little lactose.

Peanut Butter and Nuts
Peanut butter is often mistakenly thought of as being made from a nut, but peanuts are actually legumes. It grows from a plant. Peanut butter is a great favorite with dogs, and it’s perfectly safe to give your dog peanut butter, peanut butter cookies, and peanut butter dog treats.

Many nuts are also safe for your dog, but some are not. Almonds are fine, and you’ll find many dog food treats made from almond flour. However, macadamia nuts are NOT safe for dogs as they contain a toxin that is dangerous to dogs. While some walnuts are toxic to horses, there is no evidence that they are toxic to dogs. However, dogs can choke on large nuts in the yard, though this is not the same as toxicity.

There are other foods you could give your dog, but they probably aren’t very healthy. For example, it won’t hurt your dog to eat pasta or bread, but these foods aren’t great for his waistline.

You may wonder if you should cook these human foods or give them to your dog raw. That’s really up to you. Those who prefer a raw diet claim that cooking food can reduce some of its nutritional value, and that’s true. However, raw foods also carry more risks associated with Salmonella – mainly for you, rather than your dog. Dogs have strong stomach acids and are usually capable of coping with Salmonella, but people who handle raw food can spread bacteria to other foods and people. So, cooking food is generally safer when humans are involved in its preparation.

No matter how you choose to prepare your dog’s food, there are plenty of human foods that you can safely share with your dog.

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The Pet Food Institute (PFI) was developed in 1958 out of a need to regulate pet food manufacturers. They established a standard to which all manufacturers must adhere. These standards include:

• Clearly identifying products as dog or cat food
• Selecting a brand name that is not misleading about its content or nutritional properties
• Providing a guaranteed chemical analysis that conforms to the state’s animal feed law
• Listing ingredients in descending order of preponderance. Ingredient names must be widely accepted as standard or common, and no single ingredient can be given undue emphasis (1)

In addition to the standards put forth by PFI, there are regulations monitored by the American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) that state, “A pet food label may not express or imply any claim that a product is complete, perfect, scientific, balanced, etc., unless:

• It is nutritionally adequate for a normal animal in all of its life stages—growth, adult maintenance, and gestation/lactation
• The claim is modified to state that it is complete and balanced for one or more specific life stages

Many dog owners decide what to feed their pets based on the recommendations of pet store employees or other shoppers rather than reading the label and understanding what they are actually feeding their dogs.

The first ingredient on a dog food label is often either ‘ground corn’ or ‘meat and meat by-products’. Ingredients must be listed in “descending order of preponderance,” meaning by descending weight. Pet food manufacturers sometimes use devious tactics to alter this order. For instance, breaking down foods into smaller groups—such as labeling corn as ground corn, corn bran, and corn flour—splits the ingredient into three lighter groups. On the other hand, combining ‘meat and meat by-products’ together increases their overall weight, raising their placement on the ingredient label.

What is Meat Meal?

One term to watch out for is “meat meal.” While it may not sound appealing to the human palate, meat meal is a highly nutritious combination of animal products that would otherwise be discarded. These include brains, lungs, viscera, organs, and connective tissue—all ingredients that offer substantial nutritional value. Meat meal is made by cooking, grinding, and dehydrating meat by-products. Because it is dehydrated, it weighs less and is often found lower on the ingredient list. This can be misleading for new dog food buyers, who may mistakenly assume that foods containing meat meal are of lower quality than those with “meat by-products.” In reality, meat meal has more nutritional value per pound than meat by-products, which are typically 75% water.

Although dogs need carbohydrates for energy, the quality of the grain is crucial. Grains are often broken down into individual parts, causing them to sit lower on the ingredient list. Corn and wheat are the most common grains used, yet both can lead to skin and allergy issues in dogs over time. Brown rice, brewer’s rice, and potatoes are better sources of carbs and are more nutritionally dense than corn or wheat.

Additional fat is often added to dog food, listed plainly as ‘chicken fat’, ‘beef fat’, etc. A general rule is to check where fat appears on the ingredient list. Since fat is heavy due to its water content, foods with ingredients like ‘brown rice, chicken meal, chicken fat’ are likely nutritionally dense with little filler. In contrast, a label that reads ‘lamb, brewer’s rice, brown rice, poultry fat, rice flour, beet pulp, rice bran…’ is misleading. Although meat is typically listed first because it’s 75% water, the inclusion of heavy carbs or fillers before the added fat lowers the food’s overall nutritional value.

Preservatives in Dog Food

Finally, preservatives are an essential concern in dog food ingredients. Without them, animal and vegetable fats would spoil quickly. Today, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and vitamin E (including seven different tocopherols), along with antioxidants like butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), are the preferred preservatives. The harmful chemicals once used for preservation have largely been phased out. However, ethoxyquin continues to be used in some products, and after 20 years of research, no adverse effects have been found.

When buying dog food, look for labels that claim the product is ‘natural’ or ‘organic’. Read the labels carefully and be mindful of what your pet is eating. Commercial dog foods and ingredients are not the “ogres” they’re often made out to be, as long as you do some research and make an informed decision. As with human food, when it comes to your pet’s health and happiness, spending a little more money to buy a quality product is worth it in the end.

(1) Pet food labeling requirements from the Pet Food Institute

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As the team takes the dog’s vitals, the receptionist rushes back, paperwork in hand.

“Two-year-old Golden Retriever, seemed normal all day, went for a two-hour hike this afternoon, was fine post-walk,” her voice is controlled, almost monotone. She knows her job—the vet wants the facts without hesitation. “Dog had dinner, seemed fine. Slept all evening, and when the owners went to wake him up to go to bed, they noticed him wobbling and seeming dopey. By the time they got him here, he couldn’t walk or hold up his head.”

“Find out if he could have gotten into anything on the walk, what he had for dinner, and whether he has presented any of these symptoms before,” asks the vet. “Ask if he could have injured himself in any way or if he could have been kicked by someone or something!” he shouts as the door closes behind the receptionist.

With a weak, racing but erratic heart rate and dangerously low blood pressure, the vet’s hunch is that the dog is bleeding out, but this is not a common occurrence in young, healthy dogs. The other option is he ingested something toxic. Both alternatives are potentially fatal if a diagnosis is not made quickly.

Within a minute, the receptionist returns.

“He was only out of their sight a few times, so they don’t think he would have had time to eat anything or injured himself without them knowing. He’s on a BARF diet, and no, he has not shown…”

“Get permission from the owners to do a series of abdominal radiographs and find out what he ate tonight…” the vet interrupts.

The techs wheel the gurney to X-ray, knowing that asking permission from the owners is only a formality—who would say ‘no’ to the vet when their dog is dying?

Minutes later, the abdominal radiograph hangs on the backlit screen, showing a small, hard sliver of something where nothing hard should be, alongside the esophagus and an abdomen full of fluid, presumably blood. More slivers are visible in the dog’s abdomen.

The vet rushes to speak to the owners, knowing that it is his responsibility to ask permission to open their dog up and stop the bleeder. Without being told, the techs begin prepping the dog for emergency abdominal surgery.

“Something has pierced an artery in your dog’s esophagus,” the vet begins, halfway through the door that connects reception to the back room. His usual relaxed, friendly, and capable manner drops—seconds matter, and he has no time to hold the couple’s hand while they make critical decisions. “I need to open him up immediately to find and stop the bleeder. Do I have your permission?”

“Yes,” the husband whispers, eyes wide. “What could it be?”

The receptionist pops her head through the door and tells the technicians it’s a go-ahead, allowing the doctor a minute to speak with the owners.

“It looks like a bone fragment, and he has a gut full of them. Why he does, I can’t tell you,” he says calmly.

“That’s his dinner,” says the man, obviously puzzled by the vet’s concern. “He is on a BARF diet.”

“Ground bones…” the vet’s voice trails off, a barely concealed look of disgust shadowing his tense features.

“Yes, he gets it added to his dinner every night…” says the wife in a tremulous voice, speaking for the first time.

Without another word, the vet turns away, heading back to his hectic prep room, too angry to address the concerned owners without telling them that they may have inadvertently killed their dog.

What is a Raw Food Diet?

After the pet food recalls in recent years, there has been a shift in how people feed their pets and the long-standing belief that commercial pet foods are the only way to feed domestic animals. Although the jury is still out on this argument, there is some validity to feeding either a homemade diet, a less processed commercial diet, or supplementing a manufactured diet with whole foods.
A homemade pet food diet is generally a cooked meal that includes a meat portion, a grain portion, and a vegetable portion, ideally balanced and monitored by a veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist.

However, proponents of feeding a raw food diet believe the cooking process breaks down necessary nutrients and that our domesticated dogs are almost entirely carnivores, not the omnivores they were originally believed to be. In an attempt to emulate how our pets would eat in the wild, diets include a wide range of ideologies and ingredients.

Why feed a raw food diet? Many believe that the benefits are worth the time and energy required to feed their pet a raw diet. The better oral health maintained by chewing on bones, the mental stimulation, and the added metabolic or caloric burn required to devour a carcass are beneficial to the overall health of the animal. There is even an argument that the tearing and chewing action required to eat meat helps build jaw, neck, and shoulder strength, while the increased flow of digestive juices helps boost the immune and neurological system.

The BARF Diet

BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones And Raw Food diet. The premise is based on a ‘prey model’ diet and attempts to emulate how a dog or cat would eat in the wild. The ideal BARF diet consists of 60 to 80% raw meaty bones (RMB) such as chicken necks, backs, and wings, and 20 to 40% fruit and vegetables, offal, eggs, meat, or dairy products.
At first, the theory seems sound—how and why would human intervention change how our pets eat? However, BARF advocates do not take into account how a wild dog actually eats their prey, an important part of why this diet may or may not work.

First, most wild animals are scavengers as well as hunters, so their diets can include everything from freshly killed prey to other hunters’ leftovers, to bugs, berries, birds, and human refuse they stumble upon. Wild dogs, especially, are omnivores—if it even marginally resembles food, they will eat it with relish.

Next, the order in which a wild dog or wolf eats a prey animal must be examined. Keep in mind that the pack eats the most nutritionally dense part of the animal first in case they are forced to leave the carcass. When a wolf pack kills a deer, they start with the organs and intestines, eating the offal as well. Considering a deer is an herbivore and their diet consists of grasses, why would a wolf pack eat the offal? Instinct tells them that the added digestive enzymes will help properly digest the upcoming meal, and the soil-based probiotics in the grass will aid in maintaining the balance of good bacteria in the digestive tract. The nutrients in the grass will also help provide a balanced diet—something lacking if all the wolf pack ate was the meat on the carcass.

Once the abdominal cavity is empty, the pack turns to consuming the meat before finally chewing the bones. Bones are an afterthought, usually enjoyed over several days if they are able to continue working on the carcass. Bones are also consumed with skin and fur attached, so that any sharp slivers are padded by the dense hide.

The Prey Model Diet

Similar to a BARF diet, Prey Model diets go one step further toward extreme diets for pets that few owners would have the desire or stomach to feed. Used more in laboratory tests, whole prey is ground, packaged in meal-sized portions, and then frozen until fed to the animals.

The Natural Diet

Probably the most extreme and yet most effective raw food diet type is the natural diet, embraced by many zoos and wildlife conservation societies around the world. What is a natural diet? About as simple as it gets—toss a prey carcass in with the animal you want to feed and allow nature to take care of itself. This diet, however, is obviously not realistic for the average pet owner and may be best left to zoos.

The Downside of Feeding a Raw Food Diet

Sadly, the Golden Retriever died on the operating table. The body can only handle so much blood loss before organs begin to shut down, and even young, healthy animals cannot survive the impossible.
Is this type of injury, an intestinal perforation, common in animals fed a raw diet and/or ground bones? No, but it does happen. A severed artery is the fast way for a pet to die, while many perforations are a slow process involving contamination from the digestive tract into the sterile abdominal cavity. Without surgery and antibiotics, sepsis sets in and animals die a slow, painful death.

The other major concern about feeding a raw diet is contamination from bacteria, parasites, and viruses. For example, 16.3% of chickens reported by the US government were contaminated with Salmonella, while a study performed on twenty-five commercial raw dog and cat diets found that 20% were contaminated with Salmonella, and an astounding 64% were contaminated with E. coli. Arguments that the short digestive tracts of dogs and cats, as well as strong stomach enzymes, make these animals better suited to fight off bacteria, the reality is that animals can still get sick and potentially die from these conditions.

Proponents of a natural diet, including BARF Diet and the BARF World Distributor Network, Dr. Ian Billinghurst, understand the downside of feeding a raw food diet and state that “there are grave dangers that go along with the natural diet and natural conditions the ancestors or wild cousins of our dogs live with.”

What does this mean? There are risks associated with feeding a raw diet, and although the nutritional components may sound like the solution to the dog food debate, there are inherent dangers that owners must understand before making the decision to switch their pet’s diet.

Blockages, intestinal perforations, cracked and broken teeth, parasites, and food contamination are all real-life concerns that many raw food advocates gloss over. What level of risk are you willing to take with your pet’s health? Are you able to assess an emergency situation and take the necessary actions to save your pet both mentally and financially? What about when you travel? Do you feel comfortable finding a vet in a strange city or leaving your pet in the hands of a pet sitter?

There are benefits as well as downsides to feeding a raw food diet, although it is questionable whether the good outweighs the bad. Contact our vet and ask for a referral to a veterinary nutritionist before switching to any raw food diet so that your pet’s diet is monitored. Regular checkups and lab work to monitor your pet’s health are mandatory, and using safe, clean preparation practices to prevent bacteria and parasites from being transferred to you and your family is necessary.

Six months later, the owners of the Golden Retriever adopted a new puppy and brought him to the hospital to introduce him to the doctor who worked so hard against all odds to save their beloved pet. When asked what they were feeding the new pup, they quickly assured him there were no more ground bones in the house and that they were giving him a combination of top-quality commercial dog food mixed with a homemade stew. Hedging their bets? You better believe it!

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Tips for Switching Dog Food

• It is better to switch within a food type – from wet to wet, from dry to dry and from a mixture to another mixture. Sudden changes in type of food can cause intestinal upset that is easily avoided by sticking to the same food type. Once they are on the new brand of food and their stomach is fine, then gradually switch the type of food if required i.e. wet to a mixture to dry only and vice versa.
• Plan on the switch taking at least a week – longer if your dog has a history of having a sensitive stomach. The slower the transition, the less chance of any loose stools or diarrhea. With this in mind, make sure you have a weeks worth of the old food in the cupboard before starting the switch as you do not want to run out – that just adds unnecessary complications!
• The quantity of food you feed your dog should not change – if they were eating a cup of food before, base the transition on the same one cup of food. Once the food is fully switched over to the new food, the quantity can be adjusted to meet their caloric needs so they do not gain or lose weight unnecessarily. Begin by mixing 25% of the new food in with 75% of the old – continue like this for a few days. Then, mix the two foods 50/50 for a few days. Lastly, bring the new food up to 75% of the total volume and 25% of the old – again, continue for a few days. By the end of the transition, your dog should be on 100% of the new food without an upset! If your dog has a sensitive stomach, you can always slow the transition even more by mixing the food in 10% or 20% increments instead of 25% and make the transition over a longer period of time.

If at any time your dog does develop insistent diarrhea, take them off food entirely for 12 hours to allow the stomach to calm down and then feed them small meals of boiled white rice and boiled white chicken meat for a few days. Then transition them with the chicken/rice mixture instead of the old food over a longer period of time.

It takes a little patience to properly make the transition but it is worth the extra time in the end. No one enjoys an upset stomach including your pooch and nothing is worse then being woken up a dozen times through the night because you rushed the process of switching dog food brands!

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Dr. Mark Morris Sr., DVM, developed the first veterinary prescription diet in 1940 while treating a patient suffering from renal failure. He believed that nutritional therapy could be as effective, if not more so, than the drug treatments of the time. By reducing the strain on the kidneys in processing nutrients, he felt that the dog would live longer with a better quality of life. By lowering the protein levels in the food, his patient indeed lived longer than anyone expected, and the first Prescription Diet® was born. Since then, Hill’s Pet Nutrition has developed dozens of these specialty foods, and as new information is discovered about treating disease through diet, they will continue to introduce innovative products and therapies to help our pets live longer after diagnosis.

Eukanuba/Iams runs a strong second in developing these specialty diets, along with Medi-cal/Royal Canin Veterinary Diets® and Purina, both of which offer prescription-formulated foods. The variety of companies making therapeutic diets for the same condition is a significant benefit for pet owners. If one brand of Rx food does not agree with your dog, there are others to choose from without diminishing the chances of successful treatment through diet.

Why Feed Prescription Dog Foods

Prescription dog foods are only available through a veterinarian, much like any other conventional prescription therapy. Nutritional therapy is a crucial part of treating all diseases, whether in humans or animals. Take the treatment and maintenance of diabetes; nutritional therapy is imperative for managing and even preventing the disease. The same applies to dogs, as their genetic makeup is strikingly similar to that of humans.
Some prescription diets are intended for short-term use only to assist in recovery from a specific disease or condition. However, more often than not, a therapeutic diet is prescribed for the remainder of the animal’s life—and hopefully, that life is long and happy.

While these diets tend to be more expensive per meal, the savings on vet bills make the extra cost worthwhile. The significant improvement in controlling diseases such as colitis and diabetes through diet far surpasses any medication, as nutritional therapy typically has few side effects when the food is prescribed correctly.

Are Prescription Diets Dangerous? Prescription diets are formulated for specific conditions, which often require the increase, decrease, or elimination of certain nutrients. This can lead to deficiencies or toxic levels that put an already healthy pet at risk. For cats or dogs that free-feed (having a bowl of kibble always available) and live in multi-pet households, this can be particularly challenging. Talk to your vet about alternatives or slowly train the pets to eat only when the dish is put down for them, making it easier to monitor who eats which food.

What if I Feed a Homemade Diet but My Vet Wants Fluffy on an Rx Diet?

Some prescription diets can be replicated at home. For example, a gastro diet for colitis, acute, and chronic diarrhea can consist of boiled chicken and white rice, well supplemented to avoid nutritional deficiencies. However, many more complicated diets, such as the cancer diet, brain diet, and urinary tract diets, are nearly impossible to replicate at home due to the precise nutrients added to the base product. If your vet believes that Fluffy will be happier and healthier on a prescription diet, there is a good reason for it, and you should heed their advice for Fluffy’s sake.
The Cost Behind Prescription Diets The unfortunate aspect of these high-end prescription diets is their cost. Many people hesitate at the price yet willingly pay for medication without a second thought. This seems backward, as many conditions are not treatable with medication, or if they are, the drugs come with negative side effects. Food is the most natural treatment and can be incredibly effective for many conditions. Nutritional therapy and drug therapy often work hand in hand to combat a condition from all angles. If your doctor recommends a specific food, take that recommendation as seriously as you would if it were a drug. These foods are more expensive because of the years of research behind them, much like medications, and the quality of ingredients used. In almost every case, however, vet bills are lower than they would be without the food, so the costs balance out in the end.

Consider it this way: if you or someone you loved developed cancer, a heart condition, colitis, kidney disease, or began to show signs of cognitive decline, and a doctor said that eating certain foods could lessen or even reverse the symptoms, wouldn’t it make perfect sense to eat that food? Would it then make sense to deny your dog the nutritional support it needs to combat the illness? Food for thought.

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Why Order Dog Food Online?

If you live in an area that doesn’t carry many premium or “super premium” dog foods, ordering dog food online is a great way to access top dog food brands. Websites like PetFoodDirect.com, Amazon.com, Care-A-Lot.com, and many other online pet supply companies make it easy and safe to order dog food and have it delivered directly to your door. These sources often offer nutritionally advanced foods that are hard to find locally, especially if you live in a smaller town or don’t have access to a holistic pet food store.

Purchasing dog food online significantly expands your selection. This can be especially important if your dog has allergies or other health issues and requires a special diet.

Even if your dog doesn’t require a special diet, many people prefer to feed higher-quality food. Ordering online can give you access to grain-free foods, gluten-free foods, foods with higher protein percentages, pre-packaged raw diets, holistic diets, and many other options not typically available at local pet stores.

Is it Safe?

Yes, it is safe to order dog food online. Ordering dog food online is as safe as any other online transaction. Always look for secure connections when making a purchase, and consider using stores that accept PayPal for added security. If you’re uncomfortable providing your credit card information online, you can always call and place an order over the phone, though an online transaction on a secure website is generally safer than a phone transaction.

Are There Any Other Positive Features?

Most pet supply companies offer an auto-reorder feature, which you can activate if you wish. This ensures your dog food order is automatically refilled at certain intervals, so you never run out of food. You don’t need to go online to reorder—it will automatically be delivered to your house. Of course, your credit card will be charged automatically if you choose this option.

When you order online, you can purchase as much dog food as you need. It’s not unusual to order several hundred pounds, especially if you have multiple dogs. Some pet supply websites offer savings for bulk orders. If you have a good storage area, this can be a great option.

What is the Cost of Shipping?

This is one potential drawback of ordering dog food online. You might find dog food for less than what you pay at your local pet store, but shipping costs can be high, depending on your location. Since dog food is shipped “FOB” (freight on board), the cost of shipping can add significant expenses. You might save money on the dog food itself, but after factoring in shipping, the total cost could be the same or even higher than buying it locally—assuming the same product is available locally. If the product isn’t available locally, it will cost a bit more to order it online and have it shipped. In this case, you can either pay more to buy it online and have it shipped, or ask a local store to stock the product and inquire about their price. Sometimes, high-end products are simply more expensive, and shipping is part of the cost.

Should I Order Dog Food Online?

If you’re looking to buy a super-premium food that’s hard to find locally, then yes, ordering dog food online is a good idea. You can find the food you want at a fair price, especially if you compare prices at different sites. You can also compare shipping policies and prices and look for sales. If this is your first time buying this food for your dog, start by purchasing a small amount to see how your dog likes it before making a larger purchase. While shipping costs are unavoidable when buying hard-to-find products, they may be worth it.

However, if you’re feeding your dog a food that’s typically available at local pet supply stores, it’s probably not worth the shipping costs to save $1–2 on the food by purchasing it online—unless you’re buying in bulk.

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Protein requirements in dogs can vary greatly depending on the individual dog’s life stage, activity level, health, physiological condition, and overall diet. A regular intake of dietary protein is crucial for tissue growth, maintenance, and sustaining normal metabolic processes. That’s why dogs in their growth stage (puppies and young dogs), as well as those with increased metabolic demands (such as lactating females and athletic dogs), usually benefit from a high-protein diet.

Puppies and young dogs require higher levels of dietary protein, as protein provides the building blocks for tissues like muscles, skin, hair, and other connective tissues in various organs. Protein is also essential for the proper development of the brain. During growth, proteins need to be of high quality and highly digestible to provide the body with enough essential amino acids for tissue development. For females in the later stages of pregnancy and during lactation, high-protein dog food is vital for proper fetal development and for producing good-quality milk, which is rich in protein. It’s also important to note that a high level of dietary protein benefits the health of the female dog herself, as late pregnancy and lactation place significant metabolic demands on her body. Additionally, in athletic dogs—especially those engaging in highly intense physical activities—protein requirements are elevated due to the increased degradation and synthesis of muscle proteins and the greater use of proteins to produce energy during exercise.

The Importance of Protein in Dog Food

In the circumstances mentioned above, the protein content of the diet should be no less than 25% (a percentage between 25% and 30% is considered optimal). However, it’s not just the percentage of dietary protein that matters, but also its quality. The quality of protein can be judged based on its usability and digestibility.

Usability refers to the content and proportion of essential amino acids in the protein (the amino acids that the dog’s body cannot synthesize and must be provided through diet). The more usable a protein is, the better its amino acid profile. Digestibility refers to how well the dog’s digestive enzymes can break down the protein into simple amino acids that can be absorbed from the intestines and used to build the dog’s body proteins or produce energy. The better the protein’s usability and digestibility, the higher its quality, meaning less food is needed to provide the dog with the optimal level of amino acids.

When considering the protein content in commercial dog food, it’s important not only to look at the percentage of protein on the label but also the protein source. Real meat, fish, and eggs provide the best protein for dogs. In contrast, vegetable protein and protein derived from animal by-products (which mostly consist of collagen) have a poorer amino acid profile and are typically less digestible.

As mentioned, high-protein dog food isn’t always beneficial for dogs’ health. In fact, there are situations where it may even be harmful. To understand this, it’s important to note that excess amino acids—those not needed for protein synthesis—aren’t stored in the body as such. Instead, they are deaminated (losing their nitrogen-containing amino group), and the resulting products are used to produce energy or stored as glycogen or body fat. The nitrogen-containing amino group is converted into urea and excreted by the kidneys.

This process means that a high-protein diet can put a significant strain on the kidneys, making it unsuitable for dogs with renal impairment or other kidney disorders. In these cases, the kidneys may not be able to efficiently remove excess nitrogen (in the form of urea), leading to urea toxicity and the accumulation of other nitrogen-containing waste products. High-protein dog food should also be avoided for senior dogs, as their bodies are typically less efficient at digesting protein, and their kidneys are not as effective as those of healthy adult dogs.

From what’s been discussed, it should be clear that the decision to feed your dog high-protein dog food should be carefully considered, based on the individual dog’s health, life stage, and physical activity. Remember, it’s not just the percentage of dietary protein that matters, but also the quality and source of the protein.

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It’s no secret that dogs love treats. But, as with most things, there can be too much of a good thing. Treats are meant to be just that—treats. They should be given sparingly and not every time your pet looks at you with those longing eyes.

Feeding too many treats can lead to an overweight dog. Dogs that are overweight are more likely to develop serious health problems and, in general, do not live as long as dogs that are kept at a healthy weight. So, offer treats, but do so in a way that’s healthy for your pet.

Types of Dog Treats to Consider

With that in mind, let’s talk about the different types of treats. There are probably as many choices for dog treats as there are for treats for humans! The sheer number of options can be overwhelming, so how do you know which treats are best? If you’re ever in doubt, talk to your vet, but most treats are fine in moderation.

Biscuits
These are relatively inexpensive treats that come in many flavors, shapes, and sizes. Biscuits are a good choice for everyday after-dinner treats (if you give treats that often) due to their low cost. However, some brands have higher fat content than others, so be careful if you are trying to limit your pet’s fat intake.

Training Treats
These treats are typically smaller in size and can be kept in a small container for easy access when you’re out walking or training your pet. Because they are small, they’re a better choice than regular-sized treats when you need to give several at once during training sessions.

Jerky
Many jerky treats are available for dogs, with some containing only one ingredient: meat. These are popular among pet owners who want to avoid artificial ingredients. High-quality jerky tends to be more expensive than treats containing artificial additives. Keep in mind that some jerky treats can be high in fat, so if that’s a concern, look for jerky made with low-fat meats like chicken.

Medicated Treats
Medicated treats are a blessing for pet owners struggling to give their pets medications. Some medications are now available in a chewy treat form that dogs eagerly consume. There are also treats, such as “Pill Pockets,” designed to hide pills inside a soft treat. It’s very important to store these medicated treats in a place where your dog cannot access them, as they may eat an entire package if given the chance. If your pet consumes more medication than prescribed, contact your vet or the animal poison control center immediately.

Rawhide
Rawhide treats are loved by some pet owners and avoided by others. Some believe rawhide is dangerous because dogs may swallow large pieces, posing a choking hazard. However, many vets consider rawhide safe for dogs when used correctly. Most experts agree that rawhide should never be given unsupervised. If the rawhide becomes too soft, remove it and replace it. Once it dries, it can be given back to the dog.

Homemade Treats
A relatively new trend is pet owners making their own dog treats. Many recipes are available, and homemade treats are often healthier and more cost-effective than store-bought ones. Homemade treats are especially beneficial for dogs with food allergies, as you can carefully control the ingredients.

When to Give Treats

Some pet owners give their dogs treats every day, while others reserve them for special occasions. You’ll need to figure out what’s best for your pet while considering his health.
Here are some good times to give your dog treats:

• As a reward during training
• When you put him in his crate for the day or night
• When you’re leaving for the day
• After his evening meal

When NOT to Give Treats
Some pet owners give treats at the wrong times. Here are situations when giving treats is a bad idea:

As a bribe: For example, if your dog has one of your favorite shoes and you wave a treat at him to get it back, you’re teaching him that stealing your shoes earns a reward!

When he’s sick: While it’s tempting to spoil your dog when he’s not feeling well, giving him treats can actually make his condition worse.

If your dog is overweight: While you can still give treats to an overweight dog, you’ll need to cut back significantly. Opt for low-fat treats or make them at home.

Giving your dog treats is one of the fun aspects of being a pet owner. Just be mindful of the types and quantities of treats you give. Remember, your dog’s health is more important than the temporary pleasure he gets from a treat!

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Gestation lasts between 60 and 66 days, meaning that from egg to birth takes about two months.

When puppies are born, they are blind, deaf, and unable to walk, urinate, defecate, or maintain their own body temperature without external help. They are born this way because they spend insufficient time in the womb, as their mother must be able to hunt and provide for them.

By the time they are 21 days old, puppies can see, hear, walk, control their bladder and bowels, and maintain their body temperature. They also play, bark, fight, and learn at an astonishing rate. On average, a medium-sized breed puppy will have gained four to six times its birth weight and will be starting to eat solid food.

At eight weeks old, domesticated pups are ready to leave their mother. They may weigh ten to fifteen times their birth weight, depending on their breed, and can hold their bladder for up to six hours if necessary. Many already know a handful of commands and are eager to learn how to live in harmony with humans.

Within another four short months, some breeds of dogs become sexually mature and can have litters of their own. However, most responsible breeders wait until the dog is two years old to breed for a myriad of reasons. By six months old, a puppy is a fully functioning member of the canine community, and many working dogs are already performing their roles within another six months.

In the first year of life, the average puppy experiences growth and mental development equivalent to twenty-one to twenty-four human years. How are we supposed to feed a balanced and nutritionally sound diet to support such rapid changes?

What You Need to Know About Feeding Puppies

Much like feeding human babies, feeding puppies is not rocket science; humans have been doing it for thousands of years. However, puppies today are living longer than ever before, with a mortality rate that far exceeds their four-legged counterparts from a century or two ago. In some ways, more is expected of them in our modern society, where less time, energy, and knowledge are devoted to the average family pet compared to its ancestors. When you consider the drastic changes to a dog’s natural environment, it becomes clear why modern-day pups require a high-quality, well-balanced diet.

Not all puppy food is created equal! Fillers are ingredients that provide empty calories, devoid of any significant nutrition. They may fill up a puppy’s tummy without supplying the necessary nutrients to support growth.

How Do You Avoid These Foods?

Price can be a solid indicator. The profit margin on commercial dog food is small, so cheaper options often contain lower-quality ingredients. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is!

Next, read the ingredient list! Is corn listed in four different forms, each with a different name? Corn meal, corn bran, and corn flour all start out as corn—simple as that. However, dog food manufacturers often break whole foods down into these smaller, lighter forms, which can rank lower on the ingredient list. This can obscure the actual amount of a particular product contained in the bag.

This ingredient list manipulation can backfire even with top-quality ingredients, as it may obscure the presence of fillers and low-quality foods. For instance, if various parts of chicken are listed in four different ways among the first six ingredients, there’s a good chance the bag contains enough high-quality protein to support a growing puppy, even if it’s not the very first item on the list.

After assessing the quality of the nutrients in the food, the next most important factor is ensuring the nutrient levels match the individual puppy’s needs. Many people mistakenly believe that large breed puppies require more protein and calcium than small breed puppies because of their rapid growth. However, consider the amount of food a small breed puppy eats compared to a large breed puppy. Percentage-wise, small breed puppies actually require less protein and calcium because they consume larger volumes of food. Additionally, large breed puppies should grow at a slow, steady rate, rather than experiencing rapid growth spurts. A lower percentage of protein and calcium helps support this steady growth, reducing the incidence of growth-related conditions in large breed dogs.

The final consideration is how much food to feed a puppy. Manufacturers’ recommendations are listed on the bag and are based on the puppy’s weight and the caloric value of the food. These are merely guidelines, however, and common sense is essential for keeping your puppy healthy. Before each meal, assess your puppy’s condition. Is he getting a bit pudgy? Cut back by about ten percent. Is he looking skinny or ravenous? He may be in the midst of a growth spurt and need a few extra calories to get through the day. Add a few extra kibbles to his dish, but no more than ten percent of the total meal—you don’t want to overfeed him and risk making him vomit. This practice of adjusting food based on your dog’s body condition rather than strict measurements in cups is a good habit that will help maintain a healthy weight throughout his life.

Feeding puppies is not rocket science. Use your common sense, read labels, and do your research before stepping into the pet food store. If in doubt, consult your veterinarian for recommendations on food and to discuss your pup’s nutritional requirements.

Bringing home your new puppy from a reputable breeder should be a highlight you will cherish for the rest of your life together. Ensure it’s a long life by feeding him properly from the moment he becomes a member of your family.

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