We need to be just as careful when deciding what our dogs eat as we are with our own food choices. Making careless decisions about our diet can lead to future health issues, and the same applies to our dogs. Have you noticed how many dogs are suffering from health problems like cancer, obesity, diabetes, digestive and circulatory issues, and overall poor health?
In today's world, the focus on eating is primarily on convenience rather than nutrition. Most dog food is made with ingredients that are considered "feed-grade" rather than "human-grade". Feed-grade ingredients are of lower quality than human-grade ones. This is concerning, considering that many countries have banned the import of some US human-grade foods.
Feed-grade foods may contain mold, dead animals, rendered animal fats, grease, and other food waste from restaurants and stores. When dead animals from shelters are used, the phenobarbital used to euthanize them becomes a contaminant in dog food. Both dry and canned foods are cooked at high temperatures to kill bacteria, but this process also destroys beneficial enzymes and nutrients. Chemical preservatives used in dog food, such as BHA, BHT, and Ethoxyquin, fall into the category of known carcinogens.
Food dyes like Blue2, Red 40, Yellow 5 and 6 can cause sensitivity, allergic reactions, cancer and behavioral issues. Why does dog food need colorants anyway? The answer is simple, it is to make the food look appealing to us, not our dogs.
Dogs are carnivores and grains like soy, corn, rice, barley, and wheat should not be their main source of nutrition. Grain-based foods are inexpensive to produce and can be used as fuel for activities that require a lot of energy. However, they are not excellent sources of protein for dogs.
Dog treats are no better. Try offering whole, natural foods such as carrots, cranberries (small amounts) or blueberries.