"Food Dogs Die For"!!

It's a really interesting book and I have just read through it, after my mum having it for quite a few years.

It's all about what goes into dog food and boy it's scary!!!!!

Now I know EXACTLY what meat and animal derivatives means....it's not nice

I would definately recomend it to everyone who has dogs, whether you feed complete, processed or raw, it's a real eye opener.

Anyone read it and got any coments? :)

manda
X

Please can we try to keep this thread about the book and not turn it in to another massive row about BARF versus Complete :-) Many thanks

On the basis that my lot willingly eat, and relish, dead rabbit (usually at the green stage of decomposition), squashed hedgehog, remains of fox, various unmentionable bits of calves (usually afte we have castrated them!!!),dropped-off lambs tails, dead lambs and cat poo....then I doubt if it really matters what is in their dog food. :)

...and my Damson recently ate a seriously decomposed moorhen in front of my husband when he refused it as a retrieve, and was fine afterwards - husband even got up in the middle of the night to check her as she had to sleep in the car, and we were in a bed and breakfast place!!

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

lol :D *hurling* at the calf castration bits though

mmm
my partners the same
em

Hi Sam,

You need to read the book to understand what I mean, bits of dead animal are quite normal for dogs to eat, being scavengers, but the following is now:_

Engine Oil
Flea Collars
Pesticides
Growth Hormones
Other pet dogs

and the list goes on and on, these are all things mentioned in the book and this was written by someone who researched in both UK and USA a long time before writing the book, this is not made up stuff!!

manda
X

To a certain extent this is true, years ago when my husband was lorry driving he had to pick up a load of meat and bone from the factory where it was made!!!!

He refused to ever do it again as everything that came in went into the cooker, including euthanised pets, zoo stock, etc. etc. He stunk to high heaven when he came home, made me feel really sick.

But this was going for cattle and sheep food, and I am sure that since the Foot and mouth fiasco, things have been tightened up. So I am not absolutely sure that it still goes on.

But as a footnote, the fats from this factory were going to cosmetic factories to be used in make-up!!!!

Hi Manda

I totally agree with you re the book. When you look closely at what goes into human food though, it's not surprising that manufacturers can get away with putting so much rubbish into animal food. Many of the substances (ie E numbers, preservatives etc) in the average supermarket product are banned in other countries, in response to concerns about carcinogens. If you're interested there's a very helpful website which includes a summary list of all the additives to avoid, to print out and take shopping with you. The site itself is generally a bit of an eye opener. Makes you realise how desensitized we all are!

Getting back to the dog food aspect - I think it's amusing to see the numerous ways in which the main brand dog foods are packaged - from "gourmet" to el cheapo - yet the ingredients are exactly the same!!

In view of the fact that diet plays such an important role in health, it would be interesting to learn whether certain types of illness in dogs have increased over the years, perhaps alongside changes in the average dog's diet. Not just the major ailments like cancer, but also allergies and behavioural problems.

Here's the link in case you're interested: http://www.foodag.com/en/brieflist.htm

Jo

As a point of interest I would also add that from a dog's point of view (being a natural scavenger) it's perfectly normal and healthy to eat rotting rabbit. On the other hand, their resilience to the wide variety of artificial colours, preservatives, flavorings, emulsifiers, etc etc that manufacturers frequently include in the average tin of Happy Dog may not be quite so great!

Since we moved to this new home (farmhouse) recently Ned has been busy digging up the most horrible things and fetching them in the house and eating them :) its great fun for him he hardly looks at his tea after, no where near as interesting as the gubbins he digs up.

When I was a child our dog was given alsorts to eat my mother would never have bought dog food and he lived for 17 years

Could this be a reason why some dogs that are only fed on complete food have lots of tummy upsets ? (Not trying to be antagonistic, just curious - always wondered why dogs have problems eating, as they are natural scavengers :) :) )

Daisy

Hi daisy,

Quite possibly why they often get upset tummies, apart from the obvious tummy bugs and eating rotten hedgehog!! <LOL>

They change the ingredients in the "open formula" foods, while in the "fixed formula" foods, they don't.

manda
X

Hi Jo,

I completely agree about the packaging!! :D :D It's amazing what advertising and pretty packaging can do!! :)

I will look at the website, sounds interesting.

manda
X

I don't think it matters what a dog eats to be honest ...I only draw the line at fox/cow/horse poo!!

Hudson relishes the dead mice/voles etc that the cats leave in the garden :D

Melody :)

I've heard of this book but never read it - I am sure i saw it mentioned somewhere (from the book) that all sorts including flea collars from dead animals get into the food. However we are always being assured by various agencies that the food our dogs in the UK get is good quality ..... Mandatas, do you feel the book referred mainly to the US or to dog food in general, eg. the UK too?

My BSD gets tripe and Naturediet which i feel very happy with as a good diet :).

Hi,

The book relates to both US and UK, which is even more scary!!

manda
X

Manda

That is scary!

Lindsay

Ash appeared to so relish his Cow Poo breakfast on Sunday, he even stopped in the middle of a retrieve to have another go!!

:0

Hi all, I`ve got the book & read. You might like to look at this past thread where it was pretty hotly debated last yr.
http://www.champdogsforum.co.uk/cgi-bin/board/forum_help.pl
Or maybe Melody could change that to one of those *here* links please :)
Christine, Spain.

I think we should be more worried about what goes in to the food that we feed our children!

What makes you think we are not BL??
Christine, Spain.

Christine ..that link is to the help pages ..was it a topic you had wanted to do a link to?

Mel :)

Oh Mel I knew I`d get it wrong, don`t know why I even bothered trying in first place! :) Sorry!!!
Was trying to do the thread "What to feed your dogs, Part 1" on the feeding forum.
Many thanks :) Mind I should have checked it first shouldn`t I????
Christine, Spain.