Pet Fooled

[Stacy]

Has anyone seen this documentary on Netflix? I feel like Karen is talking to me! I'm not quite halfway through it, but right now they are talking about BHA being a toxic preservative in dog food. And they are also talking about biologically apropriate foods for animals (which don't include corn.) They haven't said anything about sourcing yet. But so far it's fascinating (and kind of old news if you read the food group)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Oh good! I'm going to try to watch it tonight. 

[Stacy]

I would love to hear your thoughts on it. I didn't hear anything glaringly wrong, but I'm not as well versed in dog food and the industry as you are.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'll report back with my "review" lol. 

[Stella]

"Like"!!!!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

That's what she said so I'm going to check that out as soon as I'm home long enough.

[Pamela & Winslow]

My husband and I watched the show Wednesday night, and we both found it informative.  Still, we don't know exactly what we're going to feed our new puppy, but at least we have about a month to continue our research.  We "know" there are good foods out there, but since my husband is retired, we don't make as much as we are used to.  Cost is a factor, but we are willing to "up our game" until it hurts in order to feed our dogs what they deserve.

Also, there were some horrific scenes in the show with animal carcasses in a state of decay which may or may not be used in the dog food industry.  I just don't know if those scenes are accurate or just for the sensational value.  Still, sad what they said goes to the rendering plants and are used as animal food. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Hi Pamela,

Join the Food Group and start reading, lol! Here is a link to our list of recommended food brands. These have all been carefully researched and all use only ingredients sourced in No. America, contain no artificial colorings or preservatives, and have not had recalls in recent years.

It's very, very important however that you not change your puppy's food for at least two weeks after he/she comes home. Feed the exact same food and treats (if any) that the breeder was feeding, even if it's garbage. (And it often is.) There are several reasons for this, and you can learn about them in The Food Group, lol.

[Stacy]

I did notice that the documentary didn't really address what you should feed. It kind of gave you ideas about what to look for in a food and left it to you to do that part. I feel like the fact that they didn't push for a specific food is to their benefit. It made it seem less biased. Luckily Karen has done all that work for you! I love the recommended food list. I felt extremely comfortable picking a food off that list and knowing that it was good stuff. 

I'm with you about the horrifying scenes. I like to think that they aren't sourcing dead bloated cows for dog food. But we keep hearing about pentobarbital contamination recently. So someone has euthanized those animals for some reason and then they're using them in dog food. It really does freak me out thinking that they're using sick animals for feed. 

Karen - are the foods on the list using human grade meat sources for our food? I might want to pick a food that does that.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I don't know if all of them do, if the info isn't on the website, you can always email and ask. Here is what Orijen has on their website:

"The fresh meats, meat meals and fat ingredients we use are produced exclusively from animals that have been deemed as fit for human consumption, and are produced in category 3 facilities (human grade facilities, no flushing, and no 4-D animal parts permitted on premises).

All fruits and vegetables used in ORIJEN foods are also passed as fit for human consumption."

I know that Honest Kitchen's website also states that they use human grade ingredients. Some day when I have a little free time, maybe I will check all of them for that, lol.

[Stacy]

I'm going to have to look into this. I might have to switch brands. I admit - I go through life with my head in the clouds a little bit. I didn't really even think about it. I always thought the thing about turning horses into dog food was just a myth. But once I know better I have to do better. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You should read more about what "human grade" means in dog foods before making a decision on changing foods. There are wonderful foods that can't claim to use only "human grade" but are still perfectly safe and nutritious.

Here's some info: http://dogcare.dailypuppy.com/humangrade-ingredients-dog-food-3098....

From the link:

Human-Grade Ingredients

"Human-grade ingredients in dog food are considered edible by humans. Human foods are more vigorously regulated than pet food, and the FDA and USDA conduct regular inspections of facilities producing food for people. Only pet food made in human-grade facilities, subject to inspection and approval needed for human grade status, is considered human-grade pet food. The Association of American Feed Control Officials -- AAFCO -- states as far as pet food is concerned, there is no legal definition for human grade. If one ingredient that isn't human grade is in the food, the package can't claim that the food is human grade or human quality. For example, a dog food with USDA-inspected chicken is human grade. But if it contains poultry meal, it is not human grade."

[Stacy]

I was just reading an article that said basically the same thing. But it was written by Marion Nestle, so I wasn't sure if it was a valid source. I do think that I'm feeding them a good food. I just get freaked out at the thought of inadvertently harming them. 

The perfect solution might be to go to the grocery store and cook for them full time. But since I don't cook at all that seems like a thing that's not ever going to happen. I guess I'll just try to stay informed and hope that Fromm doesn't get bought out by proctor and gamble or nestle or one of the other big names.