Consumer Tips
Buying Dog Food
by Dawne Deeley
Specialty foods for pampered pooches were once as far-flung an idea
as putting a man on Mars - chances are the dog you grew up with made
do with whatever leftovers you scraped off your dinner plate, with
perhaps a handful of generic dog biscuits thrown in. Nowadays you
can select from canned or bagged, fresh or frozen, raw or cooked; if
it’s edible, chances are it's out there with your dog's name on it.
And while this may translate into a veritable shopping playground
for experienced fanciers, it makes a bewildering and mind-numbing
experience for the first time (or first in a long time) pet owner.
Where do you begin to look, and just what are you supposed to be
looking for? And how do you even know you've found it? This little
primer should help guide you through the "where's," and if you've
made the right decision, your dog will let you know the rest!
SUPERMARKET: Handy, convenient and cost-effective, this is
where many owners head when their pet’s dinner supply dwindles. The
advantages are several. Chain stores with large distribution centres
wield considerable buying power with wholesalers. This enables them
to pass significant savings onto the retail customer. Also stock
turnover in such outlets is consistent, which translates into less
stale food on the shelves. Choices, however, can be limited to one
or two generic selections from any given product line, and it's
doubtful that retail staff have knowledge specific enough to deal
with any concerns you may have.
PET FOOD RETAILER/GENERAL SUPPLY: Consider yourself in a
buyer's market. Virtually every pet food company worthy of the
description can be found here, all promoting different lines geared
to various stages in your dog’s life. And this isn't necessarily
manufacturer's hype - your pet’s nutritional requirements will vary
significantly in its travels from clumsy puppyhood to dignified
veteran. Many name brands also feature items for a specific
clientele, such as slow-growth puppy foods for “giant” breeds, or
high-calorie “performance” products for canine athletes or others
with a high-stress lifestyle.
VETERINARIANS: This is serious stuff. Generally speaking,
your vet will only carry diets that have been developed to alleviate
and/or manage specific medical conditions. These disorders run the
gamut from simple food allergies to life-threatening diseases such
as intestinal lymphangiectasia and certain limited cancers. The
foods you will find offered here are by necessity
ingredient-restricted, and often are aimed toward life-long
palliative care. As a result they may not necessarily be a good
long-term choice for a dog with no pressing medical concerns.
Instead consider them a form of medicine that you won’t find in
other “over the counter” venues.
MAIL ORDER AND "HOME MADE": Many pet owners have come to
question the ingredient quality and content of commercially prepared
foods. This concern is one of many reasons behind the comparatively
recent - and rapid - influx of “designer” diets into the pet food
market. Generally advertised through various species-specific
publications, choices may be made from dehydrated, freeze-dried,
frozen and fresh, with some companies offering the added incentive
of home delivery and custom mixes. But both availability and cost
will vary. Expect to pay more for food containing organic fruits and
vegetables and non-medicated meats and poultry. Pre-packaged,
single-serving frozen dinners are sometimes carried by larger
supermarket chains and pet supply outlets, while bulk variety items
are often mail-order only. This is to ensure freshness - often these
products are completely preservative-free, so it makes sense to
check both the date of manufacture and the shelf life.
BARF VERSUS KIBBLE: If you think politics and religion are
the only topics that make lousy bedfellows, then guess again. The
commercial diet/BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones And
Raw Food) debate is a dicey one. In its simplest terms, BARF
involves the feeding of raw, meaty bones such as chicken necks and
backs, supplemented with various items like raw vegetables and
vitamins. The goal is to mimic the diet of a wild canid, and avoid
any possible overprocessing. Proponents of the diet claim pets fed
in this fashion demonstrate increased vitality, resistance to
disease, and general improvement in overall health and physical
appearance. Detractors point to problems associated with improper
handling of raw meat and poultry, nutritional imbalances, and
maintain that feedlot animals raised for human consumption still
contain levels of growth hormone, adrenaline, and various
antibiotics. The answer isn't a simple one, but if this type of
feeding appeals to you, then research, discuss, and ask questions.
Remember, an informed decision is an educated decision - and isn't
that what we all strive to make for our pets?
 |
Dawne Deeley has written numerous articles and regular columns
for a variety of dog publications including Dogs In Canada, and
is an owner and breeder of World, International and Canadian
Champion Carelian Bear Dogs. |
Reprinted with permission from The Pet Directory - British
Columbia Edition. |
