It used to be so easy: a couple of scoops of kibble and you were done. Now we’re told to feed grain-free, or natural and raw, or home-cooked… We asked two veterinarians who specialize in nutrition, Dr. Jo Ann Morrison at Iowa State University and Dr. Craig Datz at the University of Missouri in Columbia, to weigh in.
Feeding raw:
It’s great in theory, with all of those fresh vitamins and ground-up bones. But “raw foods can be contaminated by bacterial, protozoal, and parasitic organisms,” Datz warns. If they’re complete, balanced raw diets sold frozen at pet stores, they may be safe—if handled properly. But they can be just as worrisome as contaminated commercial food from China.
Going grain-free:
True, dogs don’t have an absolute requirement for carbs, just for the glucose (energy) they provide. That said, grains aren’t likely to hurt them. Among dogs, “only the Irish setter has been shown to have a gluten sensitivity,” Morrison points out. “And too much protein can stress the kidneys.”
Cooking at home:
“These aren’t four-legged people; they have different ways they break down nutrients,” Morrison explains. The basics they need are water, protein, some fiber, a bit of fat, and a balance of supplements and minerals, “with a pretty specific ratio of calcium and phosphorus.” Cooking at home is great if they’re getting everything they need in the right proportion—but as Datz points out, “dogs need at least 40 different nutrients in adequate amounts.” Consult a veterinary nutritionist. And beware of online dog recipes; some actually include foods toxic to dogs, like garlic and raisins.
Portion control:
It’s a quadratic equation just figuring out how much to pour into the dog dish. Formulas by weight are a start, but is he a pup or a grandpa? Does he have the bones of a Chihuahua or an Irish wolfhound? Does he jog every morning or snooze by the fire? “Adapt the formula,” Morrison says, “and feed to an ideal body weight.”
To find online resources for analyzing your dog’s food, go to consumersearch.com/dog-food/reviews or dogfoodscoop.com.
