Abady Response To The Critics

With respect, Azul, the above post aimed at me (quoted in my last post) is an example of why food discussions become a fight. You seem very reasonable, and I am glad your food is working for you.

ORIGINAL: cc431

I think mudpuppy it comes down to what fundamentals and beliefs one has concerning Raw. When I think of Raw feeding I think of Marlin Perkins and Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. When looking at the ingredients of many modern commercial Raw diets for some reason Betty Crocker comes to mind.... starting with the Butternut Squash and ending up with Blueberries.

I#%92m not entirely sure why you keep harping on the squash, while conveniently ignoring the fact that the Nature#%92s Variety raw that was referenced is 95% meat. All those non-meat ingredients make up 5% of the formula. A dog would get more roughage than that in a wild diet.

That#%92s one of my issues with Mr. Abady and his supporters. There#%92s been a lot of talk and barbs back at other foods and feeders, but very little information is given and very few of the valid points that have been made have been addressed.

If you want to sell me a food, sell it to me on its merits – don#%92t tell me how bad everyone else is, because that#%92s going to make me not trust you – tell me how good your food is and why and how much research has gone into it. Don#%92t hide ingredients, insult consumer#%92s intelligence and expect me to take the claims of an eccentric man at face value. Cause that just isn#%92t going to happen when my dog#%92s health is on the line.

Purina feeders, such as myself have been bashed plenty enough. And even tho my dogs eat purina one they are in great health according to my vet. And from some posts I have read,they have less health issues than some here on premium food.

It all depends on the dog, what works for them.And Purina works for mine. Quote by Sandra Slayton

Sandra, you have said many many times before that you feed your dogs many many home prepared meals. Over the course of time with real foods added to your dogs diet they are meeting their nutritional needs. So, you really can't say that you owe it all to Purina.

I don't follow any dog food completely or rate that one food or brand is the best over all others. This is simply not the case, all dogs including my own will do better on some foods than others.

Sandra, you have said many many times before that you feed your dogs many many home prepared meals. Over the course of time with real foods added to your dogs diet they are meeting their nutritional needs. So, you really can't say that you owe it all to Purina.

BUT I have only cooked this stuff for 2-3 years, with the exception of fresh caught fish.  I have owned dogs for 51 years and for all those years pre home cooking, they did just great on purina.  So yes i can say purina has worked for my dogs for over 50 years. 

To be honest, I only started giving them fresh caught fish because I love to fish, don't like to eat it, am a pretty good fisherman.  I would cook it for hubby, give a lot of way and still had ton to freeze.  Just decided that doing some in microwave for dog and cat (only one dog, my irish Setter Boots back then) would get rid of some of the fish and be good for them.  I can no longer fish every day, even every week so now they get canned salmon or mackeral.

I started the home cooking of the chicken stew because I happened upon the recipe and thought they would like it, it is simple and easy and a little added meat wouldn't hurt a thing.

But for over 40 years my dogs were healthy and long lived on just purina kibble.  I  don't know that they are any more healthy with the home cooked, but they love it.  My kitchen smells great at this moment.  Normally i start the stew in late afternoon and added the additional meat and veggies in morning, and cook all day.  But am tied up in the afternoon tomorrow so started it this morning with 5 ooundes of skinned chicken thighs and a little over 3 pounds of skinned chicken necks.  Tonight before going to bed I will add the 1 1/4 pounds of calf liver (chopped), the pound bag of french cut frozen green beans, 2 red apples, 2 large sweet potaotes and 3 eyllow squash, apples and sweet potatoes chopped rather small, squash sliced and then cut in half.  By 11 or so in morning it will be cooked.
 
PS, it wasn't me that said a poor coat won't shed water.  I had never heard of that myself.  In fact I made a joke that my KayCee must have the best coat in the world if this si true because it is so hard to get her--and keep her wet--for bath.  Think she is wet, she shakes, and she is almost dry again. But that is how it is suppose to be for her breed--duck retreivers--but some dogs get and stay wet.  Coats are entirely different on different breeds.

But for over 40 years my dogs were healthy and long lived on just purina kibble. I don't know that they are any more healthy with the home cooked, but they love it. My kitchen smells great at this moment. Normally i start the stew in late afternoon and added the additional meat and veggies in morning, and cook all day. But am tied up in the afternoon tomorrow so started it this morning with 5 ooundes of skinned chicken thighs and a little over 3 pounds of skinned chicken necks. Tonight before going to bed I will add the 1 1/4 pounds of calf liver (chopped), the pound bag of french cut frozen green beans, 2 red apples, 2 large sweet potaotes and 3 eyllow squash, apples and sweet potatoes chopped rather small, squash sliced and then cut in half. By 11 or so in morning it will be cooked.

 
Have you tried using a pressure cooker?  I cooked for these guys for about a year and a half, not supplementing kibble with cooked, they got all cooked.  The pressure cookers were great, what would take a day to make I could do in 1-2 hours.  Even with our chicken, if you do it for a couple of hours you can leave the bones in and either squish it up or we used to grind everything together.  The bones turn to mush, like wet cardboard.  I have 2 big ones, I could fit a lot in them.  We did the sweet potatoes, etc. in there too.  I think it took about 1/2 hour for them and they were great. 
 
 

To those of you who are getting a bit rude here, kindly stop, take a deep breath and self moderate yourselves by going back and editing the rude comments out of your posts.  You know who you are.
 
For the record, this is a friendly request.  If I need to come back, it won't be so friendly.

ORIGINAL: Benedict


There isn't a single dog food in the world which will prevent ALL dogs from needing ANY medications ALL of the time.

I agree.

Oye - why is it always Abady that brings out the ugliness?  We might as well pit Robert Abady, Cesar Milan, Sue Sternberg and who knows whom else into a ring and I bet we'd raise a zillion dollars on spectators' bets before anyone made a move or said a word.
 
Not that my post is worth the time to read it, but I do have experience with (but no scientific notes about) Abady raw, granular, and kibble.  Gracie was raised on the Abady kibble for several months.  Having been an employee at a shelter that fed Abady for several years - the stuff was GOOD when it was good.  The dogs were healthier in a stressed-out environment, fewer incidents of bloat, etc.  (Of course, the same could be said for National brand kibble.)  In any event, comparing Abady raw to Oma's Pride, if the Abady batch wasn't discolored, with a foul odor, and odd make-up... the Abady was much more meat than fluid content (I felt like we paid a few dollars a pound in fluid for the Oma's Pride).  You could feed less volume of Abady and the dogs looked great, were satisfied, etc.  However, the inconsistent make-up of the batches was so off-putting and led to dropping Abady as a supplier.  Mr Abady (and/or his secretary) were aggressive in getting the shelter back as a client, but I believe previous experience told those in charge that they didn't want to deal with him when he was campaigning his food.
 
Ok, back to your regularly scheduled arguing....[>:]

ORIGINAL: sandra_slayton

Sandra, you have said many many times before that you feed your dogs many many home prepared meals. Over the course of time with real foods added to your dogs diet they are meeting their nutritional needs. So, you really can't say that you owe it all to Purina.

BUT I have only cooked this stuff for 2-3 years, with the exception of fresh caught fish.  I have owned dogs for 51 years and for all those years pre home cooking, they did just great on purina.  So yes i can say purina has worked for my dogs for over 50 years. 

To be honest, I only started giving them fresh caught fish because I love to fish, don't like to eat it, am a pretty good fisherman.  I would cook it for hubby, give a lot of way and still had ton to freeze.  Just decided that doing some in microwave for dog and cat (only one dog, my irish Setter Boots back then) would get rid of some of the fish and be good for them.  I can no longer fish every day, even every week so now they get canned salmon or mackeral.

I started the home cooking of the chicken stew because I happened upon the recipe and thought they would like it, it is simple and easy and a little added meat wouldn't hurt a thing.

But for over 40 years my dogs were healthy and long lived on just purina kibble.  I  don't know that they are any more healthy with the home cooked, but they love it.  My kitchen smells great at this moment.  Normally i start the stew in late afternoon and added the additional meat and veggies in morning, and cook all day.  But am tied up in the afternoon tomorrow so started it this morning with 5 ooundes of skinned chicken thighs and a little over 3 pounds of skinned chicken necks.  Tonight before going to bed I will add the 1 1/4 pounds of calf liver (chopped), the pound bag of french cut frozen green beans, 2 red apples, 2 large sweet potaotes and 3 eyllow squash, apples and sweet potatoes chopped rather small, squash sliced and then cut in half.  By 11 or so in morning it will be cooked.

PS, it wasn't me that said a poor coat won't shed water.  I had never heard of that myself.  In fact I made a joke that my KayCee must have the best coat in the world if this si true because it is so hard to get her--and keep her wet--for bath.  Think she is wet, she shakes, and she is almost dry again. But that is how it is suppose to be for her breed--duck retreivers--but some dogs get and stay wet.  Coats are entirely different on different breeds.

My personal opinion is that Purina, Iams, and other foods had their quality suffer when they were acquired by big, multi-national companies that care only about the financial bottom line, not pets lives. Say what you want about Abady (and I'm no fan), but I don't doubt his sincerity or that he cares about pets. Anyway, I believe you should feed what works healthwise and financially.

Actually i am scared of pressure cookers.  My Mom had the lid blow off one once and even to the kitchen was a mess, nobody was hurt as nobody was in there.  Then a few years later my nighbor bot her arm and face burned when lid blew off hers and she was hit with the hot food.
 
Cooking 24 hours in crock pot also makes the bones to all crumbly.  mine get about 2/3 kibble and 1/3 cooked.  I freeze 3-4 bags each time i make it so that if something happenes and i don't get it cooked on schedule, i still have some for them.  Before i lost Buck in May the pot fed all 3 of them for 5 days.  Now his share is frozen.  They had a bagof the frozen tonight.

ORIGINAL: Bobsk8

Someone sent me some photos of old magazine  Advertisements.  Thought this might be funny  ...

 
Yes, the picture is very funny.   Some may find it a joking matter, but many do not especially in regards to animal nutrition.
Abady did address the topic of lard in his response to the critics and at least people know the cards on the table in that respect.
 
I quote: (hope you all don't mind the quotes, trying to stay on topic in regards to the thread; lard is clearly under-fire by some and the Abady position on lard is also very clear).
 
"The first comment that this individual did not know of any animal that would eat lard in the wild.  Lard is the fat of the pig and would be regularly consumed by predatory carnivores in the wild. One would think that this individual would have informed herself about this ingredient before attempting to discredit its use, obviously its use by the Abady Company.  The Abady Company is the only one that uses such expensive fat as lard which is human grade, natural and without artificial preservatives. There are sound nutritional reasons for doing so. Lard is the finest land-based source of the longest chain Omega-3 and Omega 6 fatty acids in the right ratios. Clearly, this individual in addition to being ...."  Abady
 
Now I am no means well versed in the longest chain fatty acids and how it relates but I will try.  The dogs body has to work to convert the shorter chains into what is needed.  Being lard contains the longest chain of these essential acids, using lard will I think in essence allow the dogs body to have an easier time in converting what is need (less work to do).  In the 'right ratios' I
think is in regards to balance between 3's and 6's.  6's can make up for lacking 3's but not the other way around?  I think what he means is the best scenario is simply to have balance between the two.  Abady is also big on being natural and w/o preservatives and that is important issue for many people.
 

I think you may be right about NOT being able to purchase Abady in the UK (sorry about the earlier sarcasm).  Abady does ship, however one has to abide by the laws.  They may be able to ship (not that you are interested; I know your post was in regards giving the fellow a raise) but I don't think it can legally be sold in a store.  It may only be available through a door to door shipper.  Reason being, I am fairly certain the UK had a recent changes in there laws (several years back) in regards to dog food advertisement and medical claims.  Abady does  mention medical with the HD, Bloat, etc., but it may actually be what is advertised on the box and not company philosophy.  Abady has run into trouble here in the states with some cat food products
and foods developed to clear up urinary infections.  The FDA was involved.  Unlike AAFCO which really has no power in regulating dog food, the FDA does.
 
For anyone interested in what happened with the cat food and the FDA and State of NY, you want to read some of the testimonials at the Abady website.  People were upset this had happened.

ORIGINAL: miranadobe

Oye - why is it always Abady that brings out the ugliness? 

I don't know either.  Well, I mentioned before it takes two to tango somewhere and I guess I'm guilty of being a participant.  No more snippy or sarcastic comments from me.  In any event, off topic, I am glad Azul is here because she does add a very nice touch of professionalism and class with her prose unlike myself and that is good!  Hate for you to think they all must be jerks like myself.
I think it has been a pretty decent thread holding some interest.  There was a lot of info in the Letter.  I learned some stuff.  Don't you find that thing with the corn interesting?  I was wondering what happened to the corn in Abady and why it was pulled.
Corn is genetically engineered and must be the reason so many dogs seem to have trouble when it was never that way in the past.  Maybe it is the oil thing you know and gas prices?  Corn maybe in regards to alternative uses has gone under something funky in regards how they grow it?  Maybe it needs to be grown quicker, faster, stronger, thus the 'genetically engineered' aspect comes into play?