One of the most difficult aspects of sharing your home with a dog is choosing what to feed him. With a constant stream of pet food recalls, commercial foods can seem less attractive. However, the debate over how best to prepare a homemade diet adds another layer of complexity to the decision. Should you cook your dog’s food or go raw? Or perhaps follow the extreme side of the fence and opt for the BARF (Bones And Raw Food) diet? And what if you simply don’t have the time or ability to cook a homemade diet?
Commercial Dog Food
First off, commercial dog food is a healthy and convenient choice, as long as you know a bit about what you’re buying.
The major dog food manufacturers—Pedigree, Purina, Procter & Gamble (makers of Iams and Eukanuba), and Colgate-Palmolive (producers of Science Diet and Hill’s)—make more dog food than all the smaller manufacturers combined. However, if you follow the FDA website on pet food recalls, you’ll notice that the frequency of recalls for these big brands is actually quite low, considering the volume they produce. Pet food recalls are more often associated with smaller manufacturers that may lack the quality control capabilities or procedures of the top producers.
The big manufacturers also offer prescription diets—foods developed for specific medical conditions. Research and development for these diets takes a significant amount of time and money, resources that many smaller manufacturers don’t have. So, how does this affect your happy, healthy pooch? If you think that research doesn’t filter down into their regular foods, think again.
Commercial dog food can be a healthy choice, but it’s important to read labels, learn about fillers and byproducts, and never reach for the cheapest bag of dog food. It’s guaranteed that going for the cheapest option will end up costing you dearly in the long run.
Homemade Diets
Since the melamine contamination pet food recall in March 2007, many people have switched to a homemade diet. Homemade pet food, as the name suggests, is made from meat, grains, and vegetables purchased from a grocery store and prepared at home.
Homemade diets have a long list of pros and cons, with the most concerning downside being balanced nutrition and supplementation. If most humans struggle to feed themselves a healthy, well-balanced meal, how can they expect to feed their pets a nutritionally complete diet?
If you feel that a homemade diet is the right choice for you and your pet, it’s important to talk with a holistic veterinarian. While raw diets are popular, most experts believe the risks of bacterial and viral contamination from raw meat outweigh the benefits of a homemade diet.
Feeding a homemade diet is a major commitment—do your research, read up on the pros and cons, ask yourself if you have the time and resources to cook two meals a day for your pet, and consider your lifestyle. For example, if you travel a lot with your dog, do you have the means to keep the ingredients or pre-made meals properly chilled for extended periods?
Specialty Dog Food
Specialty dog food is a hybrid of commercial pet food and a homemade diet. It’s a custom kibble made from a variety of base meats, carbohydrates, vegetables, and supplements, all prepared the day you place your order. The food is delivered straight to your door within a few days—just as convenient as any other kibble on the market, but with the added benefits of being fresh, containing almost no preservatives, and free from grains and gluten. Best of all, it’s delivered as needed.
How does specialty dog food work? For example, if you visit the RedMoon Custom Pet Food website, the homepage allows you to create either dog or cat food. Once you click on the appropriate button, the first thing you’re asked to do is choose a base formula. To start, take a look at the old bag of food to see what your pet is currently eating (e.g., chicken or lamb-based food). Does this base seem to be working for them? Choose a meat and carb combination that best matches what your pet is eating (this can be changed at a later date) and consider your pet’s activity level. The next page asks you to choose the size of the bag and the kibble size. From there, you’ll select the supplements your pet requires, such as a joint formula for large breeds or arthritic pets, or an oral health supplement for dogs prone to bad breath and unhealthy teeth and gums. The final step is the ordering process. You can also save your pet’s diet so reordering is simple and quick.
Specialty dog food takes the guesswork out of choosing a healthy diet for your pet. It’s fresh, convenient, and developed with your dog’s individual needs in mind. It combines the convenience of kibble with the adaptability of a homemade diet—a perfect package delivered right to your door!
