Pet Fooled
Directed by Kohl Harrington
Myla Films
You may have noticed that dogs and cats are suffering from many of the same health issues as their human owners. Diseases like diabetes, obesity, arthritis and cancer are now common. If you are as old as I am, you remember when that wasn’t true. Veterinarians Karen Shaw Becker and Barbara Royal, among others, point the finger at diet. In other words, we are doing to our pets the same thing we do to ourselves.
The pet food industry is dominated by five corporations, including the likes of Mars and Nestle (trusted names in good nutrition everywhere). A quick look at the main ingredients of any major pet food brand shows us that they are all playing the same game. Wheat, soy, corn and even corn syrup are prominent ingredients, followed by a long list of chemicals I can’t spell or pronounce. The industry tries to confuse the issue by claiming that dogs are omnivores. Becker and Royal are emphatically clear that your dogs and cats are carnivores and feeding them grain and vegetable products is slowly killing them.
The industry uses these ingredients because they are cheap. The chemicals make for a shelf life of up to twenty-five years. Even organic pet foods use inappropriate ingredients for dogs and cats. As scrutiny has intensified, pet food companies have become reluctant to talk about ingredients in detail. The irony reached hilarious levels when Purina sued Blue Buffalo for lack of transparency over ingredients. The pot-kettle-black factor was off the scale.
Becker and Royal recommend a raw meat diet as much as possible for dogs and cats. In response to the claims that raw food is dangerous, they point out that the pH of a cat’s stomach acid is around one, which is very acid. Bacteria don’t survive that. They also say that though there is very little research on what is optimal for dogs and cats, there is no doubt that kibble is not ideal. There is also no doubt my thumb is UP.
This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly journal of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Winter 2018
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Pottenger’s Cats![1] (That’s both an exclamation and my best reference to date.)
I do “remember when that wasn’t true.” (Skippy, Cappy, Tuffy and Cookie – all fed real dog food and none of them suffered any “human” dietary diseases.)
“Mars and Nestle (trusted names in good nutrition everywhere)” LMAO! (Laughter therapy ; ~ )
I’ll have to search the availability of this film because I think it may be able to reach a special segment of the population who may not necessarily be into nutrition for themselves but have a caring relationship with their pet and through that may get sparked about their own diet.
Keep ’em coming, Tim!
[1] https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/nutrition-greats/francis-m-pottenger-md/
As a K9 Service Dog trainer I am someone who for many years has had between 3-16 dogs at any given time for training and of course those that are my personal dogs. I feel I can express some things, real world, about dogs and optimal diets due to those many years real world experience that others may find of value. I am far from knowing it all about animal/dog nutrition but I do know what works in the real world for keeping a dog strong and healthy and free from many seemingly common ailments seen regularly in dogs now.
Working K9 dogs require a solid diet due to the nature of the job and the sometimes extreme conditions encountered. One equivalent to a human athlete. I have had this conversation many times in those years regarding the diet of the working dog (or any dog for that matter). The fact is that virtually ALL of the mass produced dried or canned dog foods are more suited for chickens and I wouldn’t insult my chickens by feeding it to them. A small amount of research into the optimal diet for the dog shows what he needs in reality to be healthy.
We have fed a whole natural uncooked diet to these dogs for many years. Which includes raw meat, bones, cartilage, fat, tendon, skin, vegetables, fruits and whatever else a dog might eat if he could feed himself optimally. We never have vet visits unless there is a serious injury typically. Never have a sick dog, no allergies, plenty of good usable energy. Currently have 3 dogs in the mix that are 8 or older each of which has had nothing but the whole food diet. They are still in working condition albeit not as strong as when they were in their prime. It is the only diet I recommend for a strong healthy dog of any breed or any purpose. It does not make good common sense to feed a dog things that are not a part of his natural preferred diet just as it is not sensible for we humans to be consuming processed GMO foods when we know from thousands of years of history what it required to be healthy and stable.
There is typically an argument that ensues about the cost of one vs the other. My answer no matter the cost if that is an issue with you don’t get the dog you don’t need it. The cost difference is so nominal as to be absurd to even consider when its the health of your dog in my opinion.
Anyone who would like recommendations for feeding and feeding schedules feel free to contact me. I am happy to assist you if possible.
Thanks for bringing this topic up it is important to many of us.
BK
I would love your recipe & schedule. My email address is fuelyourdreamscoaching@gmail.com
Hi there, I am interested in raw feeding recipes for my dog. Could you guide me. I know it’s been a while since the post.
Thanks
TP wowgoodstuff@yahoo.com
My dog is 8 years old and I would love some advice regarding feeding and feeding schedules. My email is jschachter66@gmail.com
I really appreciate any advice!
Jake
I am interested in more information on this. Thank you!
Hi, im a little late to this post, but im getting a dog soon and would love more info on what I should feed my puppy!
Soccercasey96@gmail.com thank you
I would love dome advice on what to give my 12 year old lab who has bad arthritis.
My chihuahua’s are 9 and 10 years old. Both suffered from seasonal itching allergies. I fed them a raw food diet called Answers Pet Food for about 4 years now. But it has gotten too expensive. It costs twice what I pay for grass fed beef for my family.
I desperately need a recipe that uses beef that I can feed to them because I can no longer afford that food. Everything I find on the internet is carb heavy with potatoes or rice.
Can you recommend a book or program regarding feeding raw? Specifically for dogs.
I’m a new dog owner and would love to hear more! Judi. pjletourneau@comcast.net