There are so many pet foods like kohl’s dehydrator on the market, it’s hard to know what is safe and what isn’t. If you’re serious about your fur baby, we recommend you get into Pet Food 101 and learn how to read labels. The Pet Food Advisor is an excellent website that can help you sort out the difference between quality brands – like Iams, Blue Buffalo or Diamond Naturals.
1. Chicken
The first rule of chicken is that it MUST be fully cooked. When the food gets too hot, the proteins in chicken begin to break down and your dog may start vomiting or vomit blood. Many commercial brands contain white meat chicken only. This is NOT a good thing.
Many pet owners are swayed by the “whole-kernel” marketing scheme, but this is another red flag. The proteins from uncooked chunks of meat, (commonly known as whole-kernel), will not be digested properly by your dog – causing stomach upset and possible internal bleeding.
2. Corn
When it comes to corn, a dog’s digestive system cannot handle corn in the same way that it can handle rice, barley or other grains. It must be cooked when you feed your dog. Corn may look like it would make good pet food, but this isn’t the case either. The only reason to serve a dog corn is if they are experiencing an allergy, but then again that’s what human-grade foods are for.
3. Beef
Beef and pork aren’t great choices for dogs as they contain high levels of certain unpronounceable amino acids – aminobutyric acid and nicotinic acid and fillers like glucosamine which are not necessary for dogs.
4. Whole Grains and Vegetables
This is also a red flag in pet foods. Animals are carnivores – dogs especially – they are not built to digest whole grains. If you see “whole grain” or “vegetables” on the label of your pet’s food, put it back on the shelf and do not buy it. Vegetables like potatoes, peas and corn contain ingredients that are difficult to digest in conjunction with the grain fillers like wheat and soy. Avoid foods that look as if they were made with a box of macaroni and a can of whatever fruit your dog likes and called “Canned Puppy Food.” These are whole grain in name only.
5. Corn Burger
Most corn feed, including cornmeal and the very cheap types sold at Walmart, contain a large amount of urea, which strips the dog’s coat – particularly its undercoat. A dog’s coat is its first defense against bacteria, insects, dirt and harmful parasites. The more you keep your pet clean, the more his coat shines (not to mention his happiness!)
6. Beef/Corn By-Products
The biggest offenders in beef and corn by-products are the fillers: wheat, soy, corn and even beef. These fillers can cause GI problems and diarrhea. Unless your dog is allergic to wheat or soy, avoid these fillers in your dog’s food.
7. Blue Buffalo
Blue Buffalo is a quality brand of food with high protein content, but they have become notorious for serving their dogs chicken jerky as a treat. Chicken jerky may be a human food ingredient that you know isn’t harmful to humans, but it is not suitable for dogs who beg at the table for bacon or hot dogs.
8. Beef and Pork Liver
It’s true that beef and pork liver are full of the precursors – nutrients – necessary to help your dog grow. What is not true is that it has important nutritional or therapeutic benefits for your dog. You can juice raw vegetables or buy a bottle of vegetable broth and boil the stems, leaves, buds and roots and make a nutritious broth for your dog. I also recommend checking out these articles on pet nutrition as well.
9. Bonus: Grains, Fruits & Vegetables Contain Proteins Your Dog Can’t Digest
Wheat, corn and soy are all proteins – they are in every meat meal you feed your pet. When these proteins are broken down, they can cause problems in your dog’s stomach. The cabbage, spinach and other vegetables that you feed your dog are not suitable for animals and should not be considered “supplemental food” to meat. They actually weaken their digestive systems because they are primarily carbohydrates that cannot be digested by the muscle walls of a carnivore like a dog .
10. Bonus: Feeding Too Much Protein Is Bad For Your Dog
High protein diets (what is referred to as “foods of 1 ingredient”) are bad for dogs because it makes them sick. Excess protein can cause over feeding on energy and cause serious birth defects in dogs with high protein diets.
11. Bonus: Grains, Fruits & Vegetables Have Too Many Calories
By feeding your dog a non-meat diet you are harming your pet in the longer term because it has to lose weight. It’s also bad for their stomachs. If you keep your pet on a high protein diet they will start to gain weight not lose it which can lead to eating disorders and obesity. When you feed your pet a low energy food like vegetables the excess energy will cause them to gain weight instead of lose it!
