Dog food

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Disambiguation: For the computer jargon see eat one's own dog food.

Dog food is plant or animal material intended for consumption by dogs or other canines. Special dog foods given as a reward, and not as a staple, are known as dog treats.

Some people make their own dog food or feed their dogs meals made from ingredients purchased in grocery or health-food stores; many others rely on commercially manufactured dog food.

Contents 1 Homemade diets 2 Commercial dog food 2.1 Making dog food 2.2 Contents 2.3 Special varieties 3 Holistic food 4 Raw food 5 Dog treats 6 See also 7 External links

[edit] Homemade diets

There are many different recommendations on what diet is best for dogs. Some people argue that commercial dog foods contain additives or poor-quality meat or ingredients dogs should not ingest, or that certain commercial foods are not nutritionally sufficient for their dogs. Different homemade diets are recommended by various experts, from "natural" diets consisting primarily of raw meat, to vegetarian diets consisting only of nutritionally balanced vegetarian ingredients, to mixtures consisting of ingredients such as brown rice, brown pasta, meats, eggs, and vegetables.

Most dogs willingly eat vegetables, particularly if they are cooked, and many kinds of fruit, although grapes, chocolate, avocados, and raisins are toxic to dogs.

[edit] Commercial dog food

By its water content, commercial dog food can be categorized into following types: dry, semi-moist, and moist.

[edit] Making dog food

Dry pellet dog food, called kibble, is made in two different ways: extruding and baking. During extruding, a mixture of raw materials is fed into an expander while pressurized steam or hot water is added. When removed from the pressure, the pellets puff like popcorn. The pellets are allowed to dry, then sprayed with vitamins, grease, or any other ingredients that are not heat-tolerant. The down side of extruding is that the fats added after cooking often turn rancid, and the vitamins may be destroyed by heat during storage or shipping.

[edit] Contents

Most commercial dog foods are made from materials unusable or less desirable for human consumption. These may include:

• Meat by-products or digests
• Meat-and-bone meals
• Grain by-products

Less expensive dog foods generally include less meat, and more meat by-products and grain "fillers". The most expensive dogs foods may be made of ingredients suitable for human consumption, organic products, or free-range meats.

[edit] Special varieties

There are dog foods specially formulated for dogs allergic to wheat, corn, and/or chicken. These foods usually contain lamb or fish meat. Some dog foods are designed for dogs with maladies such as urinary tract infections, and some foods are tailored to the dietary needs of especially young or old dogs. There are also vegetarian dog foods for owners who do not want their dogs to consume meat products.

[edit] Holistic food

There are also varietes of dog food for those that wish their dogs to eat human grade food. The holistic dog food industry is a growing business due to news about dog food with poor nutritional value.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Raw food

Raw food is also an growing industry. Concerned pet owners are now turning to freeze-dried food or the Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods (BARF) diet.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Dog treats

Dog treats are frequently given to dogs as rewards for good behavior or performing tricks. Many professional dog trainers recommend owners treat with normal dry kibble, cutting back the average ration of food given at meals to compensate and prevent weight gain.

Dog treats are usually higher in grease or fats. These are usually designed to be held in a person's hand without being messy, and are often designed in fanciful shapes and colors. A top selling brand is Milkbone. There are also many kinds of natural chewing treats for dogs like pizzle. As is the case for most chewing toys, the dog will clean its teeth by itself during the lengthy chewing process.

[edit] See also

• Raw feeding

[edit] External links

• What's Really in Pet Foods by the Animal Protection Institute
• The Dog Food Project an independent resource on commercial dog food
• Dog Food- Decoding Fact From Fiction an informative article on how to choose the right dog food.
• Dog Food Nutrition an independent site providing nutritional information for different types of dog food.
• The Basics of Dog Food Nutrition Free information on the basics of dog nutrition.