Status: U X-UIDL: 1051390234.1440_0.relay01.roc.frontiernet.net,S=24081 Received: (qmail 1415 invoked from network); 26 Apr 2003 20:50:29 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO Sandy) ([170.215.188.125]) (envelope-sender ) by relay01.roc.frontiernet.net (FrontierMTA 2.3.2) with SMTP for ; 26 Apr 2003 20:50:29 -0000 Message-ID: <058201c30c35$77f28b90$5db9d7aa@Sandy> From: "Sandy Ayer" To: "Sandy Ayer" Subject: Dog Eat Dog pg2 Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 16:49:59 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0575_01C30C13.E01154D0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.0 required=10.0 tests=none version=2.43 X-Spam-Level: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0575_01C30C13.E01154D0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Go to.... Home Breeders ________________________ Doggie Daycare = Groomers Handlers Trainers Pet Boarding Pet Sitters Shelters Clubs and = Rescue ________________________ Art and Gifts Retailers and Supplies = ________________________ Show Information Health Issues = ________________________ Advertising Rates =20 DOG EAT DOG - What's Inside the Foods We Feed - continued from page 1 by: Carol Gravestock LANGUAGE OF LABELS Learning to decipher labels is a good beginning for those of us who wish = to discover just what exactly we are feeding our pets. Any dog food that = lists "Meat Meal", "Bone Meal" or "Meat By Products" might in fact have = been made from suspect sources. The generic term "Meat" allows the pet = food companies to use any animal source as an ingredient, as opposed to = more specific terms that clearly state the animal source - ie; "Chicken = Meal" or "Beef By Products" . Even the foods that do state the meat = source do not spell out for you that these meat sources could still fall = under the 4D rule - that is, animals that were rejected as being unfit = for human consumption. The reasons for rejection are many, but can = include pest infestation, disease, cancerous tumours, mould, infection = and a host of other highly unsavoury conditions. In the wild, most dogs = will naturally shy away from eating contaminated meat, which perhaps = explains the dizzying array of flavour and scent additives most = commercial foods contain. The very labels that are supposed to let us know just what is in the = food we feed are open to an amazing amount of artistic licence, thanks = to AAFCO's regulations. A consumer who buys a food named "Johnny's Dog = Delite with Lamb and Rice" may very well assume that "Lamb and Rice" are = the primary ingredients of this food - after all, it seems to clearly = say just that on the label. In actuality, the addition of "With" to the = label means the manufacturers are only required to include lamb and rice = as 3% of the total food ingredients. If this food was labelled "Johnny's = Lamb and Rice Dog Food", AAFCO would require the Lamb and Rice combined = to comprise 95% of the total ingredients (excluding water used for = processing) - a very big difference for such a small word. The cuurent trend towards wide spread use of Lamb and Rice in so many = foods has caused concern among some canine dermatologists. "It's not = meant to be eaten by the average dog" states Dr. Maxwell, DVM. "It was = meant to be introduced as an alternative protein, but if dogs are eating = it every day it is now worthless to us for use as an alternative food. = Owners of allergic pets will have to go to exotic protein/carbohydrate = combinations like Ostrich and Millet, or Duck and Potato. It's expensive = and unnecessary. Leave the lamb and rice alone unless your pet has been = diagnosed with food allergies." Old time breeders comment on the number = of food allergies they see in dogs today - conditions that were almost = unheard of in the days when dogs ate mainly human food with a little = puppy biscuit or cereal mixed in. THE ALTERNATIVES So what is the conscientious pet owner to do? Long regarded as setting = the standard for natural pet care, the book "Dr Pitcairn's Guide to = Natural Pet Care" sets out a variety of home cooked diet recipes for = healthy pets. Emphasising fresh ingredients, raw meats, and balanced = supplementation, Dr. Pitcairn's book addresses the nutritional needs of = everything from pregnant dogs to vegetarian cats. Even more = conveniently, both Essex Cottage Farms (which we feed at Bullmarket) and = Sojourner's Farms offer holistic pet food mixes that include grains, = vitamins and natural source minerals - everything needed to create a = balanced home cooked diet. The mixes need only to be combined with fresh = meat, one or two veggies, some oil, an egg and a little warm water to = become a fully nutritous and all natural food. You have the option of = cooking the mixed product, or feeding raw, as you prefer.=20 With recent E Coli outbreaks in the news, as well as articles outlining = growing concern about chemical laden meats and produce and genetically = modified foods, a growing segment of the population is turning to = organic food sources both for themselves and their pets. Home cooking = allows those who prefer to feed only organic ingredients to control what = they include in their dog's diet. You can choose to include only = organically raised, hormone free meats, as well as pesticide free = vegetables. This choice has fascinating repercussions for dog breeders, = in particular. Studies out of Germany were done to analyze the benefits = of organic foods versus those of mass produced, factory farmed foods. = Control animals fed on strictly organic diets were found to have = signifigantly higher fertility rates, lower birth mortality rates and = over all higher litter sizes than control animals fed on standard, non = organically raised foods. For those who do not have time to home cook, or simply prefer a = commerically prepared food, an answer may lie in the growing number of = "holistic" pet food companies that are emerging. Many of these = manufacturers are adamant about their commitment to using only "Human = Grade" ingredients - that is, food sources that have been certified as = safe enough to be eaten by humans. The California based pet food company = "Innova" was started by Dr. Belfield, DVM, after his years of experience = as a USDA vet gave him good cause to worry about the connection between = pets he treated in his practice and the food they were eating. Other = "Holistic" companies making a similar commitment include Solid Gold, = Wysong, Wellness and Innova. While premium foods carry a price tag = higher than your average supermarket brand, they more than offset this = by requiring pets to be fed a reduced volume of food compared to foods = made from nutritionally worthless sources. As pet owners, it is up to us to learn just what it is we are feeding = our pets, and to decide what we can and cannot accept as ingredients. = Make inquiries - most manufacturers print their customer service 1-800 = number on the side of their bag. Ask them what they put in their food - = and if you don't like the answer, tell them so. Insist on food made from = quality ingredients, sold in packages that are clearly labelled, and = tell them you will only buy from companies willing to offer this. Those = of us who breed can carry particular clout, which we can exercise in = part by recommending a food we trust to buyers who would otherwise be = swayed by advertising. The fact that so many breeders are sought out to = appear in dog food ads illustrates how much our opinions matter to the = major companies - when you call them, tell them if you are a breeder. = Together, the pet owning public can flex it's financial muscle to a = degree that manufacturers will have a difficult time ignoring, and = together we may be able to ensure no other well loved family pet finds = its way into a food can. Canine Nutrition Links Fresh Cooked Diets: Sojourner Farms - pet food & biscuit mixes Essex Cottage Farms - pet food and biscuit mixes developed by a Canadian = breeder=20 Commercial Prepared Dry & Canned Holistic/Human Grade Foods: Wellness Solid Gold Innova Paws-Itive Choice - Home delivery of holistic grade pet foods in = Southern Ontario Online Research Into Pet Food & Canine Nutrition: Dry Dog Food at a Glance - Comparisons of the nutritional content of Dry = Dog foods, from Good Dog! Magazine. Good Dog! is, in my opinion, at the = forefront of pet food research from a consumer's standpoint.=20 Raw Diets and Pet Food Additives - Lectures and research from Dr Tom = Lonsdale, DVM, advocate of raw feeding and all natural diets. While I = personally disagree with total raw feeding, he has some invaluable = insight into pet food concerns and issues. Pet Food Industry Admissions - excerpts from articles appearing in Pet = Food Industry journals. Requires Adobe Acrobat to view. Books on Holistic Diets & Canine Nutrition: Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats - The = first, and still one of the most authoritative, books on natural and raw = diets for pets. Order direct from Amazon Dot Com. Food Pets Die for: Shocking Facts About Pet Food - Anna M. Martin's book = reveals a shocking, but truthful, inside look at what is legally allowed = in pet food. If you've ever had doubts about just how serious the issue = of pet food ingredients is to your pet's health, this book will be a = definate eye opener. Order direct from Amazon Dot Com. *PAGE 1 & LINKS*HOME* Thanks to Carol Gravestock, French Bulldogs by Bullmarket, for providing = this article. ------=_NextPart_000_0575_01C30C13.E01154D0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
 

DOG EAT = DOG -=20 What's Inside the Foods We Feed -=20 continued from page 1
by: = Carol=20 Gravestock

LANGUAGE OF LABELS

Learning to decipher labels is a good = beginning for=20 those of us who wish to discover just what exactly we are feeding our = pets. Any=20 dog food that lists "Meat Meal", "Bone Meal" or "Meat By Products" might = in fact=20 have been made from suspect sources. The generic term "Meat" allows the = pet food=20 companies to use any animal source as an ingredient, as opposed to more = specific=20 terms that clearly state the animal source - ie; "Chicken Meal" or "Beef = By=20 Products" . Even the foods that do state the meat source do not spell = out for=20 you that these meat sources could still fall under the 4D rule - that = is,=20 animals that were rejected as being unfit for human consumption. The = reasons for=20 rejection are many, but can include pest infestation, disease, cancerous = tumours, mould, infection and a host of other highly unsavoury = conditions. In=20 the wild, most dogs will naturally shy away from eating contaminated = meat, which=20 perhaps explains the dizzying array of flavour and scent additives most=20 commercial foods contain.

The very labels that are supposed to let = us know=20 just what is in the food we feed are open to an amazing amount of = artistic=20 licence, thanks to AAFCO's regulations. A consumer who buys a food named = "Johnny's Dog Delite with Lamb and Rice" may very well assume that "Lamb = and=20 Rice" are the primary ingredients of this food - after all, it seems to = clearly=20 say just that on the label. In actuality, the addition of "With" to the = label=20 means the manufacturers are only required to include lamb and rice as 3% = of the=20 total food ingredients. If this food was labelled "Johnny's Lamb and = Rice Dog=20 Food", AAFCO would require the Lamb and Rice combined to comprise 95% of = the=20 total ingredients (excluding water used for processing) - a very big = difference=20 for such a small word.

The cuurent trend towards wide spread use = of Lamb=20 and Rice in so many foods has caused concern among some canine = dermatologists.=20 "It's not meant to be eaten by the average dog" states Dr. Maxwell, DVM. = "It was=20 meant to be introduced as an alternative protein, but if dogs are eating = it=20 every day it is now worthless to us for use as an alternative food. = Owners of=20 allergic pets will have to go to exotic protein/carbohydrate = combinations like=20 Ostrich and Millet, or Duck and Potato. It's expensive and unnecessary. = Leave=20 the lamb and rice alone unless your pet has been diagnosed with food = allergies."=20 Old time breeders comment on the number of food allergies they see in = dogs today=20 - conditions that were almost unheard of in the days when dogs ate = mainly human=20 food with a little puppy biscuit or cereal mixed in.

THE ALTERNATIVES

So what is the conscientious pet owner to = do? Long=20 regarded as setting the standard for natural pet care, the book "Dr = Pitcairn's=20 Guide to Natural Pet Care" sets out a variety of home cooked diet = recipes for=20 healthy pets. Emphasising fresh ingredients, raw meats, and balanced=20 supplementation, Dr. Pitcairn's book addresses the nutritional needs of=20 everything from pregnant dogs to vegetarian cats. Even more = conveniently, both=20 Essex Cottage Farms (which we feed at Bullmarket) and Sojourner's Farms = offer=20 holistic pet food mixes that include grains, vitamins and natural source = minerals - everything needed to create a balanced home cooked diet. The = mixes=20 need only to be combined with fresh meat, one or two veggies, some oil, = an egg=20 and a little warm water to become a fully nutritous and all natural = food. You=20 have the option of cooking the mixed product, or feeding raw, as you = prefer.=20

With recent E Coli outbreaks in the news, = as well=20 as articles outlining growing concern about chemical laden meats and = produce and=20 genetically modified foods, a growing segment of the population is = turning to=20 organic food sources both for themselves and their pets. Home cooking = allows=20 those who prefer to feed only organic ingredients to control what they = include=20 in their dog's diet. You can choose to include only organically raised, = hormone=20 free meats, as well as pesticide free vegetables. This choice has = fascinating=20 repercussions for dog breeders, in particular. Studies out of Germany = were done=20 to analyze the benefits of organic foods versus those of mass produced, = factory=20 farmed foods. Control animals fed on strictly organic diets were found = to have=20 signifigantly higher fertility rates, lower birth mortality rates and = over all=20 higher litter sizes than control animals fed on standard, non = organically raised=20 foods.

For those who do not have time to home = cook, or=20 simply prefer a commerically prepared food, an answer may lie in the = growing=20 number of "holistic" pet food companies that are emerging. Many of these = manufacturers are adamant about their commitment to using only "Human = Grade"=20 ingredients - that is, food sources that have been certified as safe = enough to=20 be eaten by humans. The California based pet food company "Innova" was = started=20 by Dr. Belfield, DVM, after his years of experience as a USDA vet gave = him good=20 cause to worry about the connection between pets he treated in his = practice and=20 the food they were eating. Other "Holistic" companies making a similar=20 commitment include Solid Gold, Wysong, Wellness and Innova. While = premium foods=20 carry a price tag higher than your average supermarket brand, they more = than=20 offset this by requiring pets to be fed a reduced volume of food = compared to=20 foods made from nutritionally worthless sources.

As pet owners, it is up to us to learn = just what it=20 is we are feeding our pets, and to decide what we can and cannot accept = as=20 ingredients. Make inquiries - most manufacturers print their customer = service=20 1-800 number on the side of their bag. Ask them what they put in their = food -=20 and if you don't like the answer, tell them so. Insist on food made from = quality=20 ingredients, sold in packages that are clearly labelled, and tell them = you will=20 only buy from companies willing to offer this. Those of us who breed can = carry=20 particular clout, which we can exercise in part by recommending a food = we trust=20 to buyers who would otherwise be swayed by advertising. The fact that so = many=20 breeders are sought out to appear in dog food ads illustrates how much = our=20 opinions matter to the major companies - when you call them, tell them = if you=20 are a breeder. Together, the pet owning public can flex it's financial = muscle to=20 a degree that manufacturers will have a difficult time ignoring, and = together we=20 may be able to ensure no other well loved family pet finds its way into = a food=20 can.

Canine = Nutrition=20 Links

Fresh Cooked Diets:

Sojourner=20 Farms - pet food & biscuit=20 mixes

Essex=20 Cottage Farms - pet food and = biscuit mixes=20 developed by a Canadian breeder

 

Commercial Prepared Dry & Canned=20 Holistic/Human Grade Foods:

Wellness

Solid=20 Gold

Innova

Paws-Itive Choice -=20 Home delivery of holistic grade pet foods in Southern = Ontario

Online Research Into Pet Food & = Canine=20 Nutrition:

Dry Dog Food at a Glance - Comparisons of the nutritional content of Dry = Dog foods,=20 from Good Dog! Magazine. Good Dog! is, in my opinion, at the forefront = of pet=20 food research from a consumer's standpoint.

Raw Diets=20 and Pet Food Additives - Lectures = and=20 research from Dr Tom Lonsdale, DVM, advocate of raw feeding and all = natural=20 diets. While I personally disagree with total raw feeding, he has some=20 invaluable insight into pet food concerns and issues.

Pet Food Industry Admissions - excerpts from articles appearing in Pet Food = Industry=20 journals. Requires Adobe Acrobat to view.

Books on Holistic Diets & Canine=20 Nutrition:

Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health = for Dogs and=20 Cats - The first, and still one = of the most=20 authoritative, books on natural and raw diets for pets. Order direct = from Amazon=20 Dot Com.

Food Pets Die for: Shocking Facts About Pet=20 Food - Anna M. Martin's book = reveals a=20 shocking, but truthful, inside look at what is legally allowed in pet = food. If=20 you've ever had doubts about just how serious the issue of pet food = ingredients=20 is to your pet's health, this book will be a definate eye opener. Order = direct=20 from Amazon Dot Com.

*PAGE 1 & LINKS*HOME*

Thanks to Carol=20 Gravestock, French Bulldogs by Bullmarket,=20 for providing this article.

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