Dog food debate

It’s easy to get confused by all the marketing ploys that dog food companies use to fill our heads.  Unfortunately, the biggest names with the most television commercials (Iams, Pedigree, etc) are also the worst things we can feed our dogs.  Those brands are cheap, $30 or less for a 30 lb bag because the quality of the food is cheap.  A lot of it is filler and your dog will end up eating more of it.  So is it really saving you money?  Experienced owners will argue that dogs eat less of a higher quality kibble because they get full sooner and it works out to be about the same cost as each bag lasts longer.  Don’t fall for the commercials with the cute puppies!

On the Doberman talk forum, there is a general consensus that the 2 best dog food brands for Dobermans is Taste of the Wild and Acana.  Of these brands, the formula giving the best results is the fish based kibble.  The fishy formulas have higher omega 3 and 6, which improves dry skin and gives dobes a shiny coat.  Also, some dobes are allergic to poultry so it is best to avoid experimenting with poultry based foods altogether.

The second major dog food debate is whether or not to feed a “puppy” formula or start them off on the “all life stages” formula.  Here’s where it gets tricky, most vets will recommend the puppy formula, but at the same time, they will also admit that they are not nutritionists.  We have to remember that vets look after all breeds of dogs.  What works for other breeds may not be what is best for Dobermans.  Contrary to what your vet will likely recommend, most Doberman breeders will tell you to skip the “puppy” formula because this feed is too rich for the dobe puppy’s digestive system.  They raise their dogs on the “all life stages” formula.  From their experience, the “puppy” formula often gives loose stools, which means that the puppy was not able to absorb all the nutrients while the food passed through their system.  As knowledgeable as veterinarians are about dogs, they are not Doberman specialists.  When it comes to Doberman health and nutrition, there is great value in taking advice from Doberman breeders who have raised many generations of dobes.

The food I have selected for Dobie is Acana Pacifica.  It contains 3 types of fish, all fresh caught, never frozen, contains no preservatives and is made in Canada.  It is also grain free with the following botanical inclusions: juniper berries, angelica root, red raspberry leaf, dandelion root, peppermint leaf and marigold flowers.  To be quite honest, I have no clue as to how these ingredients are beneficial to dogs, but I am a strong believer in natural herbal remedies.  I like that Acana uses natural ingredients in place of chemical compounds.  There are many good dog foods out there, but beware there are just as many bad dog foods.  When choosing a food for your puppy, the most important selection criteria is to screen the ingredients list. The ingredients below are used by manufacturers to cut costs. Some of these are harmful to your dog and feeding him these is the equivalent of slowly poisoning your dog. Do your dog a favour and read the ingredients label on every treat and kibble before you decide to buy it.

Never choose a food that has any of the following listed in the ingredients:
Animal By-Products, Meat and Bone Meal, Poultry Fat, BHT, BHA, Ethoxyquin, Soya, Sugar, Salt, Brewers Rice or Beet Pulp.

Why?
“Meat and bone meal is prepared from the wastes materials associated with slaughtering operations (carcass trimmings, condemned carcasses, condemned livers, inedible offal (lungs) and bones) and also from the rendering of dead animals. There can be a wide variation between plants and batches in what goes into the meat and bone meal that is being prepared. If the ash content is high, this indicates that it contains a higher amount of bones and is referred to as meat and bone meal. If the ash content is lower it is referred to as meat meal.” - FAO
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGA/AGAP/FRG/AFRIS/Data/316.HTM

Butylated Hydroxytoluene- BHT, and Butylated Hydroxyanisole- BHA
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Health Organization) considers BHA and BHT carcinogenic.
http://www.canadiancontent.ca/issues/0499bht.html
Long-term exposure to high doses of BHT is toxic in mice and rats, causing liver, thyroid and kidney problems and affecting lung function and blood coagulation.
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/chemicals-in-your-cosmetics---bha-and-bhti/

“Ethoxyquin is registered for use as an antioxidant to control scald (browning) in pears. It is applied post-harvest by spraying/drenching, paper wrapping, or a combination thereof.” - EPA Pesticide registration
http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/0003fact.pdf

Grossed out yet?  It's a harsh reality.  On the bright side, checkout the full breakdown of Acana Pacifica's ingredients and nutritional content analysis on their website:

http://www.championpetfoods.com/acana/