Knowing what to feed a dog can be frustrating, complicated, and, in a word, a headache! On one hand, you have people who firmly support commercial food manufacturers because of the long-standing success the animal world has seen in the overall improvement of health, lifespan, and condition in our four-legged friends since the inception of commercial diets. On the other hand, there’s the RAW food/BARF diet group, who believe that ‘kibble kills’ and that returning our pets to their nutritional origin is the only way to restore health to the breeds.
Convenience in a Bag
The ‘inception of commercial diets’ might be an exaggeration, as commercial diets have undergone their fair share of growing pains. The first mass-produced foods were little more than semi-formed bricks, similar to heavy muffins or loaves made from wheat and meat by-products, with maybe a few vegetables tossed in. Although the consistency and overall quality of the product were questionable, the convenience factor soon won over the general public, and the commercial dog food manufacturing process rapidly developed into a mainstay for pet owners everywhere.
Today, commercial dog food is no longer a hit-or-miss product. High-end manufacturers have spent years researching and performing trials to create healthy, consistent, and tasty choices with formulas specialized for all stages of life, as well as many medical conditions.
What About Homemade Diets?
There are many homemade diet recipes available, each with its merits and solid arguments. The most important advantage is that when you make the food yourself, you know exactly what goes into it. After the massive recall of commercial food in 2007 due to melamine contamination, this argument is stronger than ever before.
There are as many homemade diet recipes as there are breeds of dogs, and choosing the right one for your dog can take some trial and error. Most of these diets include meat, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates, so the nutritional balance is generally correct, and they should not be deficient in any essential nutrients. The benefit of a homemade diet is that it’s easy to adjust as requirements change. For example, if your dog develops a bad case of diarrhea, you can remove richer meats like lamb or organ meats and increase the rice content until their stomach settles.
Cooking? Who Needs Cooking?
A raw diet and BARF (Bones and Raw Food) diet are just as they sound— all food, including the meat, is served uncooked, hence the name. Raw food advocates stress that this diet is as close to what wild dogs would have eaten before humans stepped in, and they believe it will clear up many diseases that plague our pets today.
However, the jury is still out on the safety of this diet for a number of reasons. The first, and least important, is that aggression and food-guarding behavior have been observed in many dogs when fed raw chicken backs and bones. This is manageable, as it only requires extra caution and training to resolve the issue.
The second problem is whether feeding raw bones is safe. While raw bones are not as dangerous as cooked bones, they can lead to bowel impaction or blockages. There have also been cases of bone fragments slicing through the intestinal wall. For example, in one case several years ago in Victoria, BC, Canada, a fragment nicked an artery, and the two-year-old Golden Retriever bled to death internally before the vet could stop the bleeding. This is a rare occurrence, and the likelihood of something similar happening is slim, but caution should still be taken when considering switching your dog to a raw or BARF diet.
The last concern is the balance of bones, meat, vegetables, and grains (if used). Some BARF diets recommend that up to 60% of a dog’s caloric intake comes from bones. However, about 95% of the organic material in bone (a third of the total components) is collagen—a fibrous protein that neither cats nor dogs digest well. The high levels of calcium and phosphorus found in bones, which are essential for the inorganic hydroxyapatite crystals that form the framework of bones, account for the other two-thirds.
Suffice it to say, bones comprising nearly 60% of a dog’s nutritional intake is excessive. As for the fatty marrow inside large bones, it is just that—a fatty substance with little nutritional content, unless a high concentration of fat is required. The idea that wild dogs eat the bones of their prey is not entirely accurate. When a wild dog or wolf makes a kill, such as a deer, the first part they eat is the viscera. Researchers believe that the partially digested ‘greens’ and digestive enzymes are the most important part of the meal. The next parts to go are the organs, followed by the meat, and finally, the bones. Wild dogs and wolves split the bones to gain access to the marrow, as they have a greater need for fat than our domestic canines.
So, What Is the Answer?
The simple answer is to feed your dog the best quality food that fits your lifestyle. If kibble works for you, make sure you’re buying high-quality food that meets your dog’s nutritional needs. If it’s important for you to know exactly what your dog is eating, and you have a little extra time on your hands, a homemade diet (under the guidance of your veterinarian) is a great solution.
A well-planned raw or BARF diet can be an excellent solution for animals with allergies, immune-mediated diseases, and many other disorders. However, caution should be taken when considering the use and quantity of raw bones.
Undecided? You could try a combination of the above—kibble mixed with a homemade ‘stew,’ whether raw or cooked. This blend nicely provides both balanced nutrition and whole, real foods. For many, it’s the best of both worlds and guarantees a well-rounded canine!
