Dogs are carnivores which means they need meat. Meat can be expensive at times if you buy it from the store. Though is it really that much more than a commercially feed from the pet companies?
There are many different brands of pet food to choose from including, Hills science diet, Pedigree, Merrick, California Natural, Alpo, and many others. Most of these cost somewhere around $.8 to $2 per pound. When you look at the ingredients of most of these dog foods you don't see meat as often as you see fillers like: potatoes, rice, potato starch, sweet potatoes, rice protein, corn, corn protein, and many others. These ingredients add a lot of weight and non-meat sources of protein. Not only is the whole meat content low, a lot of the meat put into the dog food are in the form of meat meals and meat byproducts. This means that they do not have a large amount of muscle meat but rather, the bones and other parts of the meat that are not as profitable sold as is. All this by product is not packed full of nutrition, like the pet food industry likes you to think.
Since dogs are carnivores, they need a diet almost exclusively of meat and organs from different types of animals. This means they need fish, lamb, beef, chicken, and other kinds of meat. Also, dogs need internal organs like the heart, liver, and stomach (aka tripe). These things, if you don't shop carefully, can be little pricey, but can be cheaper than commercial feed, if you know where to get it.
Science Diet, which many veterinarians push as a healthy dog food, have a photo on their website showing what they consider to be an "ideal" break down of what a dog should have in their diet. This photo shows a formula of 50% grains, 25% meat (or it could just be protein), and 25% of fruit, vegetables, and vitamins. If this photo is showing an accurate depiction of what Science Diet puts in their dog food, you are feeding your dog 75% waste and only 25% of what the dog needs which is the meat. This is even further degraded, if you realize that most of the meat on their ingredient lists show meat meal and byproducts, not fresh cut high quality meat, which is nutritious to them.
So, this $2 per pound commercial feed actually costs you $8 per pound for the meat/by products, since the fillers are not doing your dog any good.
If we give Science Diet the benefit of the doubt and assume that it is 25% of meat, and not just protein. Then it would be cheaper to go to Costco and buy their prime beef at around the same price. This would be by far more healthy for your dog, in the quality of meat. A person can find a raw food dealer for dog food at a lot cheaper price. Here in Oregon, I know of a dealer that has been selling for $1.25 per pound for beef and then only a $1.4 for his organ mix. But you shouldn't just feed them beef, you should feed a variety of meats so, if you add chicken to your dog's diet, it will make their food even cheaper than commercial dog foods, we can find it for $.69 per pound. This means that if I feed our dog twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, feeding them chicken in the morning and beef at night the cost per pound comes to $.97. This is cheaper than even the cheap dog food brands.
Commercial feeds for dogs are a lot more expensive, not just in the cost of the food, but also in the long run for the dog, due to health issues. Many dogs have allergies to grains and potatoes. Commercial feed manufacturers know that dogs need primarily meat. They try to break up the list of ingredients to make it look like meat is their primary ingredient. Some of the cheaper dog foods don't care and just show you corn as the top ingredients, since their market is not to the people that research, but the people that just try to get the cheapest feed.
As we can see, even the most popular brands from Hills, Purina, and others still don't come even close to giving your dog a cheap healthy meal.
For more information about raw feeding check out our other articles.
Commerical Dog Food, Is it Worth it?
If your in oregon and need to get a hold of a low cost raw food seller for dogs. Check out who we buy from:
Beef for Pets
If you need a higher quality dry feed here are some of the better dog food brands.
Please leave a comment if you have questions.
-Salem Dogs Admin
Read more!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
Clicker or Marker Training
Here is a positive and motivating way you can teach your dog pretty much anything. It takes some patience and consistency, but is great fun for both you and your dog. Basically, you use a simple "yep" or "yes" as a marker for the behavior that you want.
The key to marking behavior and developing a new behavior with this method is rewarding each small step and only requiring a small step into the behavior before it is rewarded, building more and more on what you actually are wanting them to do. You use your "marker" word to let them know exactly what you wanted. The dog will learn to associate the "marker" word with incoming food or other means of reward. Say "yep!" or "yes!" so they know it is right and then reinforce it with praise, a treat, or a toy (whatever it is that makes them excited and it a high motivator for them). For example, if you want your dog to touch something with their nose, you first reward them simply for looking at the thing you want them to touch (just wait until they naturally do it) then you reward that multiple times until they get the idea that if they look at it, they get a treat.
Next, you would reward them for taking a step towards the object, do that multiple times then reward them for taking two steps...etc etc you probably get the idea. Only work for short periods of time with each task so you don't burn your dog out. You want your dog wanting more at the end of the training session so he is more happy to learn more. Don't expect too much too soon as this can frustrate dogs or discourage them. If used properly and with a positive attitude, this technique makes dogs love to learn anything and this method is very positive and motivating for dogs, it is also useful for adapting to any new behavior you want them to do and really fun for both the dog and for you! (warning: this method may increase your bond with your dog and make you want to teach your dog new things all the time)
Thanks for reading.
-Salem Dogs, Admin
Read more!
The key to marking behavior and developing a new behavior with this method is rewarding each small step and only requiring a small step into the behavior before it is rewarded, building more and more on what you actually are wanting them to do. You use your "marker" word to let them know exactly what you wanted. The dog will learn to associate the "marker" word with incoming food or other means of reward. Say "yep!" or "yes!" so they know it is right and then reinforce it with praise, a treat, or a toy (whatever it is that makes them excited and it a high motivator for them). For example, if you want your dog to touch something with their nose, you first reward them simply for looking at the thing you want them to touch (just wait until they naturally do it) then you reward that multiple times until they get the idea that if they look at it, they get a treat.
Next, you would reward them for taking a step towards the object, do that multiple times then reward them for taking two steps...etc etc you probably get the idea. Only work for short periods of time with each task so you don't burn your dog out. You want your dog wanting more at the end of the training session so he is more happy to learn more. Don't expect too much too soon as this can frustrate dogs or discourage them. If used properly and with a positive attitude, this technique makes dogs love to learn anything and this method is very positive and motivating for dogs, it is also useful for adapting to any new behavior you want them to do and really fun for both the dog and for you! (warning: this method may increase your bond with your dog and make you want to teach your dog new things all the time)
Thanks for reading.
-Salem Dogs, Admin
Read more!
Commerical Dog Food, Is it Worth it?
You might be surprised to learn that while the majority of commercial dog foods contain grains, grain is not actually beneficial to a dog's diet. Dogs have a very different digestive system than their human companions. Some dogs have more noticeable allergic reactions to the grain in their diet, while others have more subtle symptoms that you may not even realize are a result of your dog's diet.
Most dogs will seem to do fine on a commercially manufactured dog food which contains grains and vegetables and byproducts. But, this type of diet for a dog is akin to a person on the typical American fast food diet. It will sustain them, but it is not optimal and it can lead to various health problems and issues. Many dogs eating commercial dog food suffer from chronic ear infections, itchy and dry skin, foul smelling breath and body odor, excessive shedding, tooth decay, and excessive thirst. People with dogs with these symptoms generally will take the dog to the veterinarian and ask for the symptoms to be treated. The veterinarian will prescribe antibiotics and ear cleaner for the ear infection, oatmeal or medicated shampoo for the itchy and dry skin or other ointments if it is bad enough, toothpaste and orders to brush the dog's teeth twice a day for the bad breath, regular grooming for the shedding, an expensive tooth cleaning and tooth removal for the tooth decay, and plenty of water for the thirst.
This is all well and good, but the problem is they all treat the symptoms, rather than the cause. Many, if not all, of these symptoms can often be eliminated simply by changing your dog's diet to a raw prey-based carnivorous diet of meat, organs, and meaty bones. While, there may be other causes, such as a disease or condition for these symptoms, the dog's diet has a big impact on their overall health. The way I see it is the dog will tell you whether his diet is correct for him. But, you need to be aware of what he is saying to you and know what to look for. These health issues that I mentioned earlier are considered so common by both dog owners and veterinarians, that if you dog has say, tooth decay, it is treated as a normal thing that happens and the dog's diet is not even considered as a culprit. It is amazing when you discover that simply giving your dog an appropriate raw meaty bone to your dog to chew and eat once a week or so will prevent your dog from ever getting tooth decay. I could go into all the health benefits from simply avoiding tooth decay, but that would take a while to discuss. Basically, tooth decay effects the rest of the dog's health and avoiding it will make is less likely your dog will develop various diseases.
Grain is generally used in commercial dog food as a cheap filler and is used to increase protein percentages without having to put actual meat into the food. Why would an industry whose whole purpose is to provide nutrition for dogs not provide a biologically appropriate and healthful food for them to eat? In short, profit. Dog food has to pass certain guidelines in order to be approved to be sold. They have to meat nutrient guidelines and have a certain amount of protein in them in order to be allowed to be sold. It is less expensive to use grains for protein than actual meat. Some dogs are so allergic to grains and other fillers such as corn, wheat, gluten, and soy that they throw up and have chronic diarrhea or refuse to eat the dog food which contains it. These dogs are usually put on grain-free diets. Another way manufacturers save money is by using meat "meals" and meat "byproducts." These meals and byproducts that you see listed on your dog food ingredient list are actually the most worthless parts of the animal and do not contain very much good nutritious muscle meat.
Another problem with commercial dog food is that it is cooked. When the grain, byproducts, and vegetables are cooked the process kills off any nutrients that were present. Therefore, the manufacturers have to add back the vitamins and nutrients to the food after the cooking process. When vitamins and nutrients are added back in this form, they are not as bio available as they were in their natural form. The ingredients as well as the cooking process make the resulting product very unpalatable to dogs. They would not touch it with the tips of their tongues unless the manufacturers sprayed it with grease, which is exactly what they do.
Feeding commercial dog food does have it's upsides. It is easy to feed and there are many brands to choose from. It is also easy to get as it is in any grocery store or pet supply store. There are also some very cheap brands of commercial dog food. There are some better brands out there that contain grains which dogs are less likely to be allergic to such as rice, millet and oats, have larger percentages of actual meat, and are additive and preservative free. These are certainly better to feed your dog than others. There are also grain free brands you can get which are mostly meat and vegetables. The main issue I find with the grain free brands is the majority of them contain potato, which is arguably not very good for dogs either. I will write more in other articles about what I feed my dogs and the different options on what to feed your dog if you choose to stop feeding commercial dog food.
Thanks for reading.
-Salem Dogs, Admin
Read more!
Most dogs will seem to do fine on a commercially manufactured dog food which contains grains and vegetables and byproducts. But, this type of diet for a dog is akin to a person on the typical American fast food diet. It will sustain them, but it is not optimal and it can lead to various health problems and issues. Many dogs eating commercial dog food suffer from chronic ear infections, itchy and dry skin, foul smelling breath and body odor, excessive shedding, tooth decay, and excessive thirst. People with dogs with these symptoms generally will take the dog to the veterinarian and ask for the symptoms to be treated. The veterinarian will prescribe antibiotics and ear cleaner for the ear infection, oatmeal or medicated shampoo for the itchy and dry skin or other ointments if it is bad enough, toothpaste and orders to brush the dog's teeth twice a day for the bad breath, regular grooming for the shedding, an expensive tooth cleaning and tooth removal for the tooth decay, and plenty of water for the thirst.
This is all well and good, but the problem is they all treat the symptoms, rather than the cause. Many, if not all, of these symptoms can often be eliminated simply by changing your dog's diet to a raw prey-based carnivorous diet of meat, organs, and meaty bones. While, there may be other causes, such as a disease or condition for these symptoms, the dog's diet has a big impact on their overall health. The way I see it is the dog will tell you whether his diet is correct for him. But, you need to be aware of what he is saying to you and know what to look for. These health issues that I mentioned earlier are considered so common by both dog owners and veterinarians, that if you dog has say, tooth decay, it is treated as a normal thing that happens and the dog's diet is not even considered as a culprit. It is amazing when you discover that simply giving your dog an appropriate raw meaty bone to your dog to chew and eat once a week or so will prevent your dog from ever getting tooth decay. I could go into all the health benefits from simply avoiding tooth decay, but that would take a while to discuss. Basically, tooth decay effects the rest of the dog's health and avoiding it will make is less likely your dog will develop various diseases.
Grain is generally used in commercial dog food as a cheap filler and is used to increase protein percentages without having to put actual meat into the food. Why would an industry whose whole purpose is to provide nutrition for dogs not provide a biologically appropriate and healthful food for them to eat? In short, profit. Dog food has to pass certain guidelines in order to be approved to be sold. They have to meat nutrient guidelines and have a certain amount of protein in them in order to be allowed to be sold. It is less expensive to use grains for protein than actual meat. Some dogs are so allergic to grains and other fillers such as corn, wheat, gluten, and soy that they throw up and have chronic diarrhea or refuse to eat the dog food which contains it. These dogs are usually put on grain-free diets. Another way manufacturers save money is by using meat "meals" and meat "byproducts." These meals and byproducts that you see listed on your dog food ingredient list are actually the most worthless parts of the animal and do not contain very much good nutritious muscle meat.
Another problem with commercial dog food is that it is cooked. When the grain, byproducts, and vegetables are cooked the process kills off any nutrients that were present. Therefore, the manufacturers have to add back the vitamins and nutrients to the food after the cooking process. When vitamins and nutrients are added back in this form, they are not as bio available as they were in their natural form. The ingredients as well as the cooking process make the resulting product very unpalatable to dogs. They would not touch it with the tips of their tongues unless the manufacturers sprayed it with grease, which is exactly what they do.
Feeding commercial dog food does have it's upsides. It is easy to feed and there are many brands to choose from. It is also easy to get as it is in any grocery store or pet supply store. There are also some very cheap brands of commercial dog food. There are some better brands out there that contain grains which dogs are less likely to be allergic to such as rice, millet and oats, have larger percentages of actual meat, and are additive and preservative free. These are certainly better to feed your dog than others. There are also grain free brands you can get which are mostly meat and vegetables. The main issue I find with the grain free brands is the majority of them contain potato, which is arguably not very good for dogs either. I will write more in other articles about what I feed my dogs and the different options on what to feed your dog if you choose to stop feeding commercial dog food.
Thanks for reading.
-Salem Dogs, Admin
Read more!
Why I Prefer Leather Leashes
Leather is nice on many things from chairs to leather coats.They become soft and smooth with use, which makes them very comfortable. But that is not the only reason why I like leather leashes.
I have owned a few leather leashes over the years and with many different dogs. I have worked with non leather and leather. Leather is far superior to non-leather. It is softer on my hands and gives me a better grip on the leash. Nylon leashes will burn your hand if the dog lunges on the leash. Leather leashes are less likely to.
Leather leashes last a long time. Nylon leashes, on the other hand, have a tendency to wear out and many will start to fray, after a time, which is not only not safe, but unattractive. Leather leashes get better with time and use unlike leashes made with other materials. If you have a good leather leash, it will last you the life of the dog, if not for longer.
One of the better leashes out there that have a life time guarantee are Punk Hollow ~ Leather Dog Leash ~ Double Braided ~ 6 Ft. X 3/4 In. ~ Brown/Brass (Lifetime Guarantee). You can check it out in our store. It may cost a little bit more than your standard leather leash at the store but the quality is great and you have a life time guarantee behind that leash also.
Thanks for reading.
- Salem Dogs, Admin Read more!
I have owned a few leather leashes over the years and with many different dogs. I have worked with non leather and leather. Leather is far superior to non-leather. It is softer on my hands and gives me a better grip on the leash. Nylon leashes will burn your hand if the dog lunges on the leash. Leather leashes are less likely to.
Leather leashes last a long time. Nylon leashes, on the other hand, have a tendency to wear out and many will start to fray, after a time, which is not only not safe, but unattractive. Leather leashes get better with time and use unlike leashes made with other materials. If you have a good leather leash, it will last you the life of the dog, if not for longer.
One of the better leashes out there that have a life time guarantee are Punk Hollow ~ Leather Dog Leash ~ Double Braided ~ 6 Ft. X 3/4 In. ~ Brown/Brass (Lifetime Guarantee). You can check it out in our store. It may cost a little bit more than your standard leather leash at the store but the quality is great and you have a life time guarantee behind that leash also.
Thanks for reading.
- Salem Dogs, Admin Read more!
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