Canine Nutrition

Commercially Processed Pet Foods

You are what you eat. The same holds true for your dog. Just as you wouldn't subsist on a diet high in fats, sugars, salt, and preservatives, neither should your pet. As in humans, disease processes in your pet can be attributed to poor dietary habits. Dental problems, cardiac disease, kidney disease, cancer, allergies and arthritis can all be attributed to or exacerbated by a poor diet and/or lack of exercise.

Are you feeding commercial processed dog food? And are you aware of the ingredients in commercial pet foods? Read The Foods Pets Die for: Shocking Facts about Pet Food by Ann N. Martin. It is the culmination of a seven year investigation of the pet food industry by Ms. Martin. The links below plus the aforementioned book describe and define the contents of commercial pet foods and the sources of pet food ingredients.

• AAFCO Definitions of Pet Food Ingredients
• The Truth About Commercial Pet Food
• Polluted Pet Food
• Early Death Risk
• Food Not Fit for a Pet
• Raw Meaty Bones Homepage
• Why a Natural Diet is Better-with sample recipes

Feeding a Natural Diet

Feeding a wholesome home prepared diet is not difficult. Help in selecting the components for your dog's diet is available from many sources. Print sources include Give Your Dog a Bone and Grow Your pups With Bones, both by Dr. Ian Billinghurst, Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM and Susan Hubble Pitcairn, and REIGNING CATS & DOGS, Good Nutrition, Healthy, Happy Animals by Pat McKay. Listed below are online sources of nutritional information including sample diets for dogs ranging from dachshunds up to rottweilers. Some supplements that we have used or are using are Nupro Supplement, kelp, alfalfa powder, fish oil capsules, and Vitamin C with rosehips to ensure a balanced dietary intake of vitamins and minerals.

• You are what you eat-nutrient guide from del Rancho Rey Dachshunds
• Building Blocks of Canine Fitness
• What ingredients should I use
• Feeding and Nutrition-from the WorkingDogWeb
• The Perfect Food-from del Rancho Rey Dachshunds
• The Clearview Rottweiler Diet

For additional books on canine nutrition and health, visit The Doghouse Store

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All images and text © 1997 by Dennis W. Brown unless otherwise noted

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