Monty's Mum
Posted : 5/12/2008 10:45:29 AM
Hound Music, you make some very good points.
Many posters on this and other dog message boards are asking for help/advice because their dogs have diarrhea or soft stools. Many of them can't understand why this is happening even though they've tried only the "best" foods (like Innova, Wellness, Canidae, etc.). They've followed the advice they've been given on these boards to the letter, and yet their dogs still have the problem.
I hate to see these dogs - and their owners - going through this.
I think it's great that many (perhaps most) people can feed their dogs "premium" foods with great results. It feels good to feed our dogs food that has human grade, "natural" ingredients. It seems to make sense that dogs would prefer (this I don't dispute 
) and thrive on primarily meat. It goes without saying that we all want to feed our dogs nutritionally sound food.
But nutritionally sound food does not have to necessarily be the most palatable-sounding. In other words, it doesn't necessarily have to sound good to us! When you break it down, all food is made up of chemicals. The old, established pet food companies like Purina have refined the nutrition to the chemical level. They process the raw ingredients (which, of course, will also be the most economical) to extract the maximum nutrition.
For example, when we see corn as the main ingredient, we are repulsed by that because everyone knows, for example, that a steak has more protein than an ear (or many ears) of corn! Also, given the dog's short digestive system, corn would be very difficult to digest at all, let alone extract nutrients from. But here's the thing - the corn used in these foods has been processed to extract the maximum nutritional value from it. Processed efficiently, combined with other ingredients, corn can provide protein in sufficient amounts. At the chemical (molecular) level, it is every bit as nutritious as premium food.
Another thing: dogs are not true carnivores! Have you ever wondered why the first thing wild canines go for when they bring down their prey is the intestines? Here's why - because it is the easiest (most efficient) way for them to get the non-meat nutrients they need. Most prey animals are herbivores, and the semi-digested food in their intestines is absolutely essential to canines (nutritionally speaking). The grains and grasses contained in the herbivores' digestive system provide the wild canine with necessary nutrition that would be very difficult for it to acquire itself. Dog's teeth are not made to chew like an herbivore's. Not to mention, the canine's digestive system is not equipped to break down the grains and grasses like the herbivore's. In other words, the "food" that the canine eats is processed! By nature!
Anyway, I really don't care WHAT people feed their dogs as long as it's nutritious and not harmful. I, too, would prefer to feed Monty one of the premium foods because, frankly, it appeals more to me! It would make me feel good. Unfortunately, Monty can only eat a prescription diet, so I can't. And, yes, the food he eats is much more expensive than the premium foods.
What I do care about is people whose dogs have digestive problems or loving dog owners who simply can't afford to feed the premium foods being given what I feel is inaccurate or incomplete information. All with the best intentions, I know! But it comes down to this: some dogs do well on premium foods and some don't. Some dogs do well on grocery store food and some don't. Empirical evidence is useful - for example, shinier coat, more energy, etc., but so is long-term data, for example, the kind that the big pet food companies have acquired over decades.