There are many views and theories on what is the best dog food.  In general however, to many pet owners it all boils down to cost.  If we can afford it then that will be the dog food brand we will feed our dogs.  Unfortunately this may not be the best course of action to take.  Price is not a sound qualifier for choosing a commercial dog food.  Feeding our dogs sub par ingredients from “discount dog foods” may save us money, but in the long run we will wind up paying higher veterinary bills when our dogs get sick.  So what are we to do?

First off we can start by being more careful when it comes to inspecting the ingredients found on dog food labels.  Generic brands are not considered a good choice.  Most generic brands use poor quality ingredients.  We should avoid any generic meat ingredients that do not mention a specific species, and avoid such phrases as “meat by-products” and “meat and bone meal” and any brands that use corn as the main ingredient.  Looking for dog food brands that use “chicken or beef meal” is the way to go.

Generic or discount dog foods use many chemicals to enhance the taste of that particular food.  These chemicals only disguise what is really in the food and fool your dog into preferring it.  We should be on the look out such things as texturizers, coloring agents and drying agents.  Avoid any brands that lists these as dog food ingredients.  Premium dog foods use a higher grade of ingredients free from additives but of course at a higher price.  If you are truly into caring for your dog, then you might consider preparing your dog’s food using your own ingredients.

Since the pet food recall making your dog’s food from a collection of homemade dog food recipes has become more popular.  Making these recipes does require some research and extra work,  but with this option we are in control of our dog’s nutrition.  Proper dog food nutrition involves providing our dogs with the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.  One of the best dog food recipes to use is Dr. Ian Billinghurst’s BARF diet .

The idea of the B.A.R.F. diet is to feed our dogs raw whole foods just like their ancestors.  This diet consists of muscle meat, bone, fat, organ meat and vegetables.  It does take a considerable amount of time to make these preparations.  Premium commercial dog foods have gone through considerable research in providing the necessary nutrition a dog needs and may have more nutrients  than those found through the BARF diet.

So if we truly care for our dogs, we as dog owners have just two choices.  Either prepare homemade dog food so that we know exactly what our dog is eating, or  buy a premium dog food.  With the second choice we should spend more time in learning about dog food labels and the AAFCO standards. It’s all up to us.

]]> http://onlinedogfoodrecipes.com/commercial-or-homemade-dog-food/feed/ 1 http://onlinedogfoodrecipes.com/how-commercial-dog-food-brands-make-their-products-part-ii/ http://onlinedogfoodrecipes.com/how-commercial-dog-food-brands-make-their-products-part-ii/#comments Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:41:37 +0000 mythbstr http://onlinedogfoodrecipes.com/?p=120 Canned Dog Food

Our dogs are part of our family.  It is only natural that we would only want the best for them.  That goes especially for the food they eat.  If we choose to feed our dogs commercially canned dog food instead of using dog food recipes, then it is important to know how these foods are made so that we can choose which is the best for our dogs.

Once we have chosen a particular dog food brand that we feel comfortable with, we can then examine the ingredients to see just how nutritious this canned dog food will be for our dog.  The canning of all foods, human as well as pet foods, can be a somewhat complex procedure but you will find that the most reputable dog food brands provide nutritious ingredients and have a well maintained canning process for their products.

The process of canning foods has gone through many significant improvements in the last two hundred years, but the basic principles of sterilization and sealing have remained a constant.  Canning is by far the most economical method of food preservation.

Before the food is canned the ingredients must be chosen.  Canned dog food’s main ingredient is a meat product – beef, chicken, veal etc.  These ingredients are first ground into smaller pieces.  They are then weighed and added to a mixture that includes vitamins and minerals.  Grains are sometimes added to this mixture and here is where we should be very careful when choosing our products. Some grains are not good for our dogs so it is important to know what types of grain are added to the mixture.

After these ingredients are mixed they are blended in a mixer.  While being blended the mixture is also heated.  By increasing the temperature at certain times during the procedure the starches in the blend will turn to a gelatin and the protein structure of the food is denatured.  This is done to make the food more palatable.  Certain foods containing larger quantaties of carbohydrates need to be mixed at a higher temperature so that the excess starch is fully cooked.

Once the ingredients have been thoroughly mixed and cooked the canning process begins.  As mentioned before the basic steps in canning are sealing and sterilization.  The cooked mixture is sent to a filler/sealer machine that fills the individual cans with the proper amount of product and places the lids on the cans.  To prevent any kind of spoilage steam is applied to maintain heat.  When the can cools it is vacuum sealed.

The final step is sterilization.  Here the cans are heated to a temperature of 121 degrees celsius to kill any bacteria such as Clostridium Botulinum.  Each can is sterilized for approximately three minutes.  After the cans cool they are ready to be labeled, packed and are shipped to the store.

If we choose to feed our dogs commercial dog food instead of making them food from our own dog food recipes, we should be very particular in choosing the right product.  When choosing commercial products it is vital that we examine the labels for the righ ingredients that would be beneficial to our dogs. It is a good idea to provide a mixture of both dry kibble with wet canned food.

Most dog owners feed their dogs commercial dog food brands.  Choosing which brand to buy can at times be most confusing for they all claim to be the best.  There is no best dog food out there.  The best food that your dog can have is one you prepare yourself.  For those who are curious about making their own dog food you should first have some insight into how commercial dog food brands make their products before you start developing your own dog food recipes.

There are many different types of commercial dog food brands and most offer a variety of choices.  There are dry foods or kibble, canned or wet food or semi-moist food.  There is a different manufacturing process for each one with different procedures for each individual product.

Dry Dog food is by far the biggest selling product on the market.  Dog owners prefer it because it is more economical, easier to serve and, if necessary, can be stored for long periods of time.  Dry dog food can be made in several different ways.  The most common of these is the extrusion method.

It all starts with the raw materials of grain, meat and fat which are processed in bulk and are the main dog food ingredients that appear on the label.  However, there is a long list of other ingredients like food coloring and dyes, toxins, pesticides, chemicals, harmful preservatives (BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin) and antibiotics not appearing  on any dog food label that are added to the raw materials.

All of these ingredients are ground to a consistency like that of coarse flour for easier processing.  All the ingredients are then mixed together.  This part of the process is very important because if the mixture is not blended properly many of the essential nutrients will be lost.

Next comes the process of extrusion.  This is where the mixture is kneaded, shaped and sliced.  Similar to the bread making process it goes through several rising cycles.  Before the mix is extruded it goes through a preconditioning procedure where water, meat and fat are blended into the mix.  The blended mix is then forced through a die to be uniformly cut into the desired shape.

The dry dog food product is now taken from the extruder and placed in a dryer for the removal of excess moisture.  If this process is done too quickly it will break more easily during shipping and handling.  The results of this can be seen by examining the bottom of the cheaper dog food brands. The product is then cooled to prevent condensation.

The final step in the manufacturing process is called enrobing.  This is where fat and flavor enhancers area added in liquid or powdered form to the outer surface.  This improves the taste and makes the end product more palatable.

Fortunately, we can make a more nutritious, better tasting dry dog food with ingredients right from our own kitchens. Knowing how commercial dog food brands make their products can provide us with some insight in what not to include in our dog food recipes