Are you accused of being a Dog food Snob?

[Hazel & Chester Wayte]

We feed Chester Acana (were feeding Orijen). The breeder had him on Iams and when I learned from the DK food Gurus about what a good food actually is we switched Chester.

We were telling our Families about this great award winning Canadian company Champion and how everything is free range, locally sourced, fresh. How Chester eats better then us.. The eye rolls began. (My SIL has dogs too and she feeds hers whatever is on sale at Walmart).

She makes comments like ' I suppose these treats aren't good enough for Chester' ..

Or 'I better move Molly's dish so Chester won't eat it' ..or if he does nose into her dogs bowl.. Well..

' I guess he prefers it' . groan. I can't blame him Junk food does smell good, I sometimes go through McD's drive thru myself.

So when Christmas came- My MIL brought this bag of rawhide Candy Canes for him.(Chester hasn't eaten rawhide). from you guessed it China!..

She said to me oh..maybe you won't want to give him these- (I am thinking maybe she gets it when My eyes widened reading the bag) as the Red colouring might stain his fur!..not that this is from China and could cause an illness..

Unfortunately, a lot of my dog treats from well meaning family and friends were returned or composted. When my DH was telling a coworker about these dehydrated duck Jerky treats from Costco and Walmart- He actually emailed Costco to let them know how disappointed he was that they stocked these duck treats from Thailand and were irradiated. The response was really disappointing..that they inspect the plants..There are no recalls on this prodcut.

His coworker couldn't believe we would return them- 'that is what dogs eat'..I don't think wild dogs would eat glowing ducks :)

We started a new training Class - the first day the trainer hands out these plastic portfolios that have come from Iams- Sorry they used to have Iams samples- but they have expired. 'They are a good place to store your dogs papers and Iams is a really good food- there are lots of other food as good as iams'..the hair on my neck stood up. ' and unfortunately my opinion of her was altered from that comment. She also keeps talking about treating with 'milk bones'..Maybe it is like saying Kleenx for tissue..

So what do you do when someone at the park is dishing out treats to all the dogs - including yours??

I would never give anther dog a treat without verifying with the owner- 'Is it ok if your dog has X treat?'

But then I guess I am a Dog Food Snob.

[Sharon & Monty]

oh  my, well i buy the best stuff for Monrty, i do however let him have rawhide from the usa. think about it, do you eat stuff you should not?  Probably.  For me, its a matter of how much junk.  Would you give up an occasional cup cake or whatever?  I try to eat well too, but crap if I deprive myself of an occasional junk food, well kill me now.  

[Elizabeth & Cosmo]

I think I'm known as a dog food snob in my family, too! But in a good way, maybe. Everybody wants to talk to me about their dogs' food, and my MIL told my husband's niece to call me when her boxer was diagnosed with pancreatitis and she couldn't afford the prescription food.

One funny story, though--when we were in our Basic Obedience course, our wonderful trainer used a Milk Bone to teach the Leave It command. The Milk Bone was the thing the dog wasn't supposed to touch! *^_^*

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Because of DK I am a stronger person regarding my dog. Prior to the knowledge I have learned here we fed our old dog Eukanuba, that is what was considered a good dog food...people referred to us as dog food snobs then - LOL can you imagine?

I now keep a jar on the front counter with safe Daisy treats - and all the delivery people are aware. It use to be that Fed Ex, Mail and UPS would bring in a Milk bone type treat for her, now they know that the treat jar is there. Once in a while someone new will treat her before I say please don't, last time it was "better than a pig ear", not huge just a couple of bites worth, she had diarrhea for 1 entire day, thank goodness for pumpkin.

I am and will continue to be a food snob, even though friends and family too give me the eye roll!

[Moe]

Are pig ears unhealthy? I give my dog a pig ear or bully stick about once a week. Am I setting back all the good the Orijen is doing? I'm still learning.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You have to make sure that the bully sticks and pig ears are sourced in North America; many of them come from foreign countries and may contain formaldhyde and other substances you don't want your pup ingesting.

The sticks and ears may not have labelling on them as to the source (just the company that distributes them being an American company is NOT enough). It's not that they are "unhealthy" in themselves. Some dogs don't do well with them, though. if your dog does, that's fine, as long as you are able to verify that they are sourced in North America.

[Janice Hammond]

In have no problem checking out any treats that people want to give Sadie. If it isn't a vegetable fruit or chesse and I don't know what it is or do not allow that treat she doesn't get it.

Regarding the Costco Waggin  brand treats I wrote a very detailed letter to them regarding the problem with the treats and also the fact that the treats killed a dog of some people I know and ....... the treats are still on the shelf and I never did get a reply.I have actually spoken to people about to buy the treats at Costco and warned them about the problem.

 

Never feel like a snob .Feed your dog the best vfood available.

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Our FG co-admin Allyson's little Chihuahua sustained permanent kidney damage from that Waggin' chicken jerky. We've discussed so many times ehere through the years how they are still on the shelves. Same with many other dangerous products that are sold as dog treats.

As you said, it's not snobbish to refuse to allow your dog to have treats that could kill her.