Ingredients For DOG FOOD

WHAT DO DOG'S LIKE TO EAT?

     

What are the ingredients in dog food? If you look at the pictures on the packages of dog food, you will see healthy chickens, good-looking pieces of beef, fresh grains. Just looking at the packages will make your mouth water and stomach rumble.

That is exactly the reaction the manufacturers want you to have. They spend large amounts of money to advertise their products, making them look decent so that you will buy them. The question is, Are They Healthy? Of course, the manufacturers will say that they are. They will also point out that they pass all of the governmental requirements for nutritional value for your dog.

What most consumers do not know is that the pet food industry uses a large portion of by-products from the Human Food Industry. The by-products are deemed "unfit for human consumption" but are allowed for animal consumption. By using these by-products in pet food, these companies are turning waste into profits. The by-products include but are not limited to: intestines, udders, heads, hooves, and possibly diseased and cancerous animal parts. All of these ingredients are items that would be thrown away. You would not eat them, why would you serve them to your dog?

If you read the label of dog food, you would think that you are serving something healthy to your dog. What the government allows dog food manufacturers to print on labels is misleading. The labeling requirements are governed by AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials). AAFCO provides standards that are followed by the Pet Food Industry.

The ingredients printed on the label in descending order. To use the term "all" or 100% means that the product has to contain only one ingredient, not including water. The 95% Rule is used when the ingredients derived from animals, poultry or fish constitutes at least 95% or more of the total weight of the product. The ingredients names are legally defined. Meat only applies to cows, pigs, goats and sheep and can contain only specified muscles. All items regarding dog food ingredient definitions are published in AAFCO's Official Publication.

The pet food industry loves to say that it is more highly regulated than human food, but that is not true. Pet food manufacturing regulation exists in a vacuum, rules and definitions are on the books, enforcement is another issue. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has limited authority regarding Pet Food manufacturing. The real enforcers are the feed control officials. Applying of rules varies from state to state. Texas and Kentucky enforce the standards heavily. California does not enforce the standards at all.

The three main types of dog food manufactured are: Dry (Kibble), Moist and Canned. For more information on each type see my article on Introduction to Dog Food.

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