Introduction
In today’s world, most dog owners feed their furry companions commercially manufactured dog food. Walk down any pet store aisle and you’ll be overwhelmed by the variety of kibbles, cans, and treats marketed specifically for dogs. This commercial pet food industry has boomed over the past several decades, making formulated dog food the norm in modern canine diets. But with growing interest in fresh, whole food diets for humans, many owners are now wondering whether commercial dog food is truly the healthiest option for their pets. Should dogs eat only kibble, or is a homemade diet better? There are good arguments on both sides, which we’ll explore in this article.
History of Commercial Dog Food
Commercial dog food first appeared in the mid-1800s. Before then, dogs were fed table scraps and whatever else they could scavenge. But as industrialization led more people to move to cities, keeping dogs as pets grew in popularity. Owners needed a convenient way to feed their dogs without access to scraps and raw meat.
In 1860, an American electrician named James Spratt visited England and saw dogs around a shipyard eating leftover biscuits discarded by sailors. He created the first commercial dog food, called “dog cakes”, by blending wheat meals, vegetables, beetroot, and beef blood. His dog cakes were designed as a supplement to the meat-heavy scraps dogs consumed.
Initially, dog food was created out of necessity during wartime rationing in the World Wars, when meat was scarce. Commercial dog food allowed owners to still feed their dogs while conserving meat for human consumption. Dry kibble also had the benefit of being shelf-stable and easy to feed dogs while owners were away.
By the 1950s, the popularity of canned wet food and dry kibble led more companies to enter the market. Television advertising helped boost commercial pet food sales. As fewer families had access to animal scraps, commercial foods became the norm for feeding dogs.
Ingredients in Dog Food
The main ingredients in most commercial dog foods include:
- Animal-based proteins – Meat, poultry, or fish provide protein. Chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, venison, salmon, or whitefish are common proteins. The first ingredient on the label is usually a named animal protein source.
- Grains – Corn, wheat, rice, barley, oats, and millet are inexpensive sources of carbohydrates, fiber, and calories. Many dog foods use grains as the main ingredient.
- Vegetables and fruits – Potatoes, peas, carrots, and sweet potatoes provide carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Apples, blueberries, cranberries, pumpkin, and spinach may be included too.
- Oils and fats – Chicken fat, lard, and vegetable oils supply essential fatty acids and boost the food’s taste and texture.
- Vitamins and minerals – Dog foods are fortified with vitamins like vitamin E, minerals like calcium and phosphorus, and other nutrients.
Higher quality foods tend to have more meat-based proteins, while lower cost foods rely more on plant-based ingredients like grains. Reading the label helps determine the quality of ingredients.
Nutritional Requirements for Dogs
When it comes to nutrients, dogs require a balanced diet of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals to stay healthy. The key macronutrients for dogs are:
Protein – Protein provides amino acids that are essential for building and maintaining muscle mass, supporting immune function, growth and development. High quality animal-based proteins like chicken, beef, eggs and fish are best. Adult dogs require at least 18% of calories from protein in their diet.
Fats – Fats provide omega fatty acids for skin and coat health and are a concentrated source of energy. Dogs should get at least 5% of calories from polyunsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Carbohydrates – Carbs provide glucose which fuels the brain and active muscles. Whole grain or starchy carbs like brown rice and sweet potatoes are best. Carbs should make up less than 50% of the diet.
In terms of micronutrients, essential vitamins and minerals for dogs include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D and more. Deficiencies can cause health issues so complete and balanced nutrition is vital.
High quality commercial dog foods are formulated to provide dogs with precise amounts of all the necessary nutrients required for good health and digestion in every meal. Dog food recipes are created to deliver complete, balanced nutrition without the need to add supplements.
Benefits of Commercial Dog Food
Commercial dog food offers several benefits that make it a convenient and nutritious option for many pet owners. Here are some of the main advantages of feeding your dog commercial dog food:
Convenience – With commercial dog food, you can simply scoop out the appropriate portion and serve it. There’s no lengthy preparation or cooking required. This makes feeding time much easier, especially for busy owners.
Balanced Nutrition – Dog food companies design their foods to contain all the nutrients dogs need in the right proportions. This balance is hard to achieve consistently with homemade food. Commercial dog food has the right amounts of protein, fat, carbs, vitamins and minerals.
Vet Recommended – Many veterinarians recommend feeding commercial dog food because of the balanced formulations. Major dog food brands consult with veterinary nutritionists to create their products. Vets trust the nutrient profiles of quality commercial diets.
Downsides of Dog Food
Although commercial dog foods offer convenience and balanced nutrition, there are some downsides to consider:
Less Natural, Processed Ingredients: Dog food contains many heavily processed ingredients, like corn, wheat, soy, animal by-products, artificial colors/flavors. These processed ingredients are less nutritious than whole, fresh foods.
Risk of Recalls and Contamination: Mass production of dog food increases risks of contamination and recalls. In the past years, many dog food brands have been recalled due to toxic ingredients like melamine, bacteria like salmonella, mold growth, or nutrient deficiencies.
While recalls help remove dangerous foods, they highlight the risks of contamination in mass production. All kibble is processed at high-temperatures, which can damage nutrients and alter ingredients from their natural state.
Homemade Dog Food Recipes
There are many recipes for making homemade dog food using ingredients commonly found in most kitchens. Homemade dog food allows owners to control the quality of ingredients, which can possibly lead to health benefits. However, care should be taken to ensure homemade dog food is nutritionally balanced.
Common homemade dog food recipes include:
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Chicken and rice: This simple recipe contains ground chicken, brown rice, carrots, spinach and olive oil. Chicken provides protein while rice gives carbohydrates. Veggies add vitamins and minerals.
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Beef and sweet potato: Ground beef and sweet potatoes are the main ingredients. Eggs, broccoli and parsley are also included for added nutrition.
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Fish and brown rice: Salmon or another oily fish provides omega-3s. Brown rice, green beans and eggs round out the meal.
No matter the recipe, it’s important homemade dog food contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals in appropriate ratios. Consulting with a veterinarian helps ensure nutritional requirements are met.
Benefits of Homemade Dog Food
Homemade dog food comes with several major benefits over commercial dog food:
More Natural: With homemade food, you have complete control over the ingredients and can focus on natural, fresh, whole foods. Commercial dog foods often contain preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, and less than desirable mystery meats. Home cooking allows you to create meals using ingredients you recognize.
Control Over Ingredients: Making your own dog food also lets you cater it exactly to your dog’s nutritional needs. You can adjust recipes to provide more or less protein, include special ingredients for allergies or sensitivities, and meet any other dietary restrictions. It’s hard to customize commercial kibble in the same way.
Caters to Dog’s Preferences: Each dog has unique tastes and preferences. With homemade food, you can experiment with different recipes and ingredients to find ones your individual dog loves. This can encourage a picky eater to eat more consistently. It’s much harder to do this with pre-made dog food.
Downsides of Homemade Dog Food
While homemade dog food has its benefits, it also comes with some downsides to consider before switching your dog’s diet. The two main downsides of homemade dog food are the time/effort required to prepare it, and ensuring proper nutritional balance.
Preparing homemade dog food recipes takes a significant amount of time, often more than simply scooping kibble out of a bag. Recipes must be chosen or formulated based on your dog’s nutritional needs, and ingredients must be purchased, prepped, and cooked. This process needs to happen regularly, unlike store-bought kibble which can simply be poured into a bowl day after day. Some pet owners enjoy cooking for their dogs, but for busy households, the time commitment may be too much.
It’s also essential to ensure homemade dog food provides complete and balanced nutrition. While recipes can be formulated by veterinary nutritionists, if you’re developing your own, you must calculate the right proportions of nutrients. It’s easy to create imbalanced diets if not properly formulated. Monitoring your dog’s health and adjusting the diet accordingly takes effort. Commercial dog foods must meet AAFCO standards for canine nutrition, whereas homemade food might lack certain vitamins or minerals over time if not properly designed.
While homemade food has benefits like more natural ingredients, avoiding preservatives, and catering to your dog’s preferences, it also requires more prep work and diligence to provide balanced daily nutrition. Determine if you have the time and commitment for homemade dog food before abandoning commercial kibble or canned formulas.
Conclusion
To recap the main points, commercial dog food provides balanced nutrition and convenience while homemade dog food allows you to control ingredients and customize recipes. There are advantages and disadvantages to both options.
When choosing dog food, consider your dog’s age, size, activity level, and any special dietary needs. Consult your veterinarian if you have concerns. Look for high-quality ingredients, proper nutritional balance, and signs your dog is thriving like a healthy coat and appropriate energy level.
The optimal diet for most dogs is likely a combination of commercial dog food with healthy homemade additions like fresh vegetables, fruit, yogurt, eggs, rice, and meat. No matter what you feed your dog, the most important factors are providing balanced daily nutrition, proper portion sizes, and high-quality ingredients.